INDIAN MEAL
MOTH:
The Indianmeal moth (Plodia
interpunctella), also spelled Indian meal moth, sometimes known as the North
American High-Flyer, is a moth of the
family Pyralidae.
Its larvae
(caterpillars), commonly known as waxworms,
are a common grain-feeding pest found around the world, feeding on cereals and
dry grain products.
Etymology
The common name for this species was coined by
Asa Fitch,
an entomologist employed by the state of New York during the nineteenth century.
In a report published in 1856, Fitch described the species, noting that the
larvae infest stores of cornmeal,
which was then called "Indian meal".
Indianmeal moths are also sometimes referred to
as "flour moths" or "pantry moths".
Life
cycle
Female moths lay between 60 and 400 eggs on a
food surface, which are ordinarily smaller than 0.5 mm and not sticky. The eggs
hatch in 2 to 14 days. The moth larvae
(known as waxworms)
are off-white with brown heads. When these larvae mature, they are usually about
12 mm long. The larval stage lasts from 2 to 41 weeks, depending on the
temperature.
Adult moths are 810 mm in length with 1620 mm
wingspans. The outer half of their forewings are bronze, copper, or dark gray in
color, while the upper half are yellowish-gray, with a dark band at the
intersection between the two.
The entire life cycle may range from 30 to 300
days.
Systematics
The genus Plodia is closely related to the
genera Cadra and Ephestia, which both also have pest species.
The almond moth
(Ephestia kautella) is commonly confused with the Indianmeal
moth.
Pest
Control
After larvae or moths have been found, it is
important to throw out all grains (cereal, bread, pasta, rice), spices,
dried fruits (raisins), and any other food sources that are not in very
tightly sealed containers. The moths are able to get into surprisingly tight
spots, including sealed bags and Tupperware containers. The food they infest
will often seem to be webbed together. They are also notoriously difficult to
get rid of, and can crawl on ceilings and spin cocoons in
rooms other than the kitchen or pantry where they hatched. Last
instar
larvae are able to travel significant distances before they pupate. When seeking
the source of an infestation, do not limit your searches to the immediate area
where pupae are
discovered.
One way to keep the moths away is to place
bay
leaves in the food
containers along with the original grains. However, products already affected
should still be thrown away.
Nontoxic traps are also available to inhibit the
development of adult moths and precipitate their destruction. For example, one
type of trap is a triangular box with a lure inside and sticky walls. These
traps are generally known as pheromone traps. In this case male moths are
attracted inside by the female pheromone (the lure) and then get stuck against
the sticky walls inside of the box. Moths often do not even need a lure, as
common glue traps sometimes work well to reduce the number of
adults.
INDIAN MEAL
MOTH:
The Indianmeal moth (Plodia interpunctella), also spelled Indian meal moth, sometimes known as the North American High-Flyer, is a moth of the family Pyralidae. Its larvae (caterpillars), commonly known as waxworms, are a common grain-feeding pest found around the world, feeding on cereals and dry grain products.
Etymology
The common name for this species was coined by Asa Fitch, an entomologist employed by the state of New York during the nineteenth century. In a report published in 1856, Fitch described the species, noting that the larvae infest stores of cornmeal, which was then called "Indian meal".
Indianmeal moths are also sometimes referred to as "flour moths" or "pantry moths".
Life cycle
Female moths lay between 60 and 400 eggs on a food surface, which are ordinarily smaller than 0.5 mm and not sticky. The eggs hatch in 2 to 14 days. The moth larvae (known as waxworms) are off-white with brown heads. When these larvae mature, they are usually about 12 mm long. The larval stage lasts from 2 to 41 weeks, depending on the temperature.
Adult moths are 810 mm in length with 1620 mm wingspans. The outer half of their forewings are bronze, copper, or dark gray in color, while the upper half are yellowish-gray, with a dark band at the intersection between the two.
The entire life cycle may range from 30 to 300 days.
Systematics
The genus Plodia is closely related to the genera Cadra and Ephestia, which both also have pest species. The almond moth (Ephestia kautella) is commonly confused with the Indianmeal moth.
Pest Control
After larvae or moths have been found, it is important to throw out all grains (cereal, bread, pasta, rice), spices, dried fruits (raisins), and any other food sources that are not in very tightly sealed containers. The moths are able to get into surprisingly tight spots, including sealed bags and Tupperware containers. The food they infest will often seem to be webbed together. They are also notoriously difficult to get rid of, and can crawl on ceilings and spin cocoons in rooms other than the kitchen or pantry where they hatched. Last instar larvae are able to travel significant distances before they pupate. When seeking the source of an infestation, do not limit your searches to the immediate area where pupae are discovered.
One way to keep the moths away is to place bay leaves in the food containers along with the original grains. However, products already affected should still be thrown away.
Nontoxic traps are also available to inhibit the development of adult moths and precipitate their destruction. For example, one type of trap is a triangular box with a lure inside and sticky walls. These traps are generally known as pheromone traps. In this case male moths are attracted inside by the female pheromone (the lure) and then get stuck against the sticky walls inside of the box. Moths often do not even need a lure, as common glue traps sometimes work well to reduce the number of adults.
