Indian Meal Moth (Larva)
Plodia interpunctella (Hubner)
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Pyralidae
Size: Indian meal moth adult has wingspread of about 5/8-3/4 in (16-20 mm).
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.
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.
Geographic Range: The Indian meal moth originated in the Old World, but now occurs around the world.
Comparison with other species: Compared to the Indian meal moth, the carpet or tapestry moth has front wings which are dark brown to black on the inner one-third near the base, the rest being white splotched with gray and black. Other small moths do not have same front wing color characteristic, or wingspread size, and/or hind wing proportional size and fringe, as the Indian meal moth.
Habitat: The Indian meal moth larva's home is your food!
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.
Invasion: Indian meal moths enter structures in boxes and bags of food from grocery stores.
Damage: Adults cause no damage. Larvae produce the web material found in food, such as dried fruits, whole wheat and graham flours, cornmeal, and shelled or ear corn.
Environmental Policy
The employees of American Pest Management are committed to improving the quality of life for all of our customers by providing the safest and most effective treatment for the management of pests which pose a threat to their health, property, and food supply. History has shown that neglecting to control pests such as cockroaches, mosquitoes, rodents, and ticks, and the misapplication of pest control products are equally dangerous.
