Sibyl, R. Bucheli, bucheli@shsu.edu, Sam Houston State University, Department of Biological Sciences, 1900 Ave I, Lee Drain Bldg, Huntsville, TX and Joan Bytheway, bytheway@shsu.edu, Sam Houston State University, College of Criminal Justice, 1003 Bowers Boulevard, Huntsville, TX.
The necrophilous feeding habit for Tinea pellionella, the case-making clothes moth, is described for caterpillars retrieved from desiccated human remains discovered in a urban death scene in Texas. A detailed description is provided for the first time of the moth’s case-building behavior when feeding on human remains and discusses the as of yet undocumented incorporation of human head hair into case construction. Finally, a protocol for the extraction of human mtDNA from the descendant’s head hair that was incorporated in case architecture is presented..
Species 1: Lepidoptera Tineidae
Tinea pellionella (casemaking clothes moth)