Pest Library
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Indian Meal Moth
Plodia interpunctella (Hubner)
Indian meal moths not only thrive in produce but also in just about everything found in a common household pantry, including pet food. They create web-like structures in food where they feed and breed.
RISK LEVEL:
LOW
MEDIUM
HIGH
Risk is defined as how much damage each pest can be to you, your family, or your home
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| Class: | Order: | Family: | |
| Insecta | Lepidoptera | Pyralidae | |
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| Size: | Indian meal moth adult has wingspread of about 5/8-3/4 in (16-20 mm). |
| Color: | The Indian meal moth has pale gray wings, but the front wing is reddish brown and coppery on the outer two-thirds. Mature larva is usually dirty white, but may vary to greenish, pinkish, or brownish, depending on the food it eats; head region is yellowish to reddish brown. |
| Characteristics: | Adult has hind wing that is broader than the front wing and fringed with long hair-like scales. Larva has 5 pairs of well-developed prolegs on abdomen, each with hooks. |
| Geographic Range: | The Indian meal moth originated in the Old World, but now occurs around the world. |
| Food: | Grain, grain products; lots of different dried foods, such as fruit, nuts, seeds, crackers, and powdered milk; chocolate, candy; dried red peppers; dry dog food; bird seed. |
| Biology: | The Indian meal moth female lays 100-400 eggs, singly or in small groups, on food material during a 1-18 day period of time. The newly hatched larva establishes itself in a crevice of food material, making a webbed tunnel-like case of frass and silk, in which, or near which, it feeds. Temperature and availability of food determine the length of the larval stages (13-288 days). The last instar larva leaves the food to find a suitable place for pupation. The complete life cycle takes 25-135 days, with 4-6 generations per year. |
- Often found in decaying produce.
- Found in food storage areas.
- Has a large wingspan that can identify it from other pantry pests.