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  Indian Meal Moth (Plodia interpunctella)





Indian Meal Moth | Plodia interpunctella photo
Adult Indian Meal Moth

Photograph copyright: ozwildlife - all rights reserved. Used with permission.

Indian Meal Moth | Plodia interpunctella photo
Indian Meal Moth larva

Photograph copyright: ozwildlife - all rights reserved. Used with permission.

Indian Meal Moth | Plodia interpunctella photo
Pupa case after adult has emerged

Photograph copyright: ozwildlife - all rights reserved. Used with permission.

Indian Meal Moth | Plodia interpunctella photo
Males caught in moth trap - they are attracted to pheromone scent and get stuck on sticky card. The trap caught heaps of moths, but there were still enough left to continue breeding. Maybe if we had persevered with more traps we would have got rid of them, but we ended up emptying the pantry and cleaning it out.

Photograph copyright: ozwildlife - all rights reserved. Used with permission.







INDIAN MEAL MOTH FACTS

Identification
The Indian Meal Moth is a small brown moth that is often a pest in stored food. Once established in can be hard to get rid of as it breeds indoors. When at rest the wings are folded together tightly by the body. The front half of the wings is a pale grey or tan. The bottom half of the wings are a rust bronze colour.

Other Names
Pantry Moth

Size
10mm - 15mm

Habitat
Often find their way into kitchen pantry. Can be brought in with dry packaged food.

Food
flour, cereal

Breeding
can breed and complete their life cycle where food is stored.



Classification
Class:Insecta
Order:Lepidoptera
Family:Pyralidae
Genus:Plodia
Species:interpunctella
Common Name:Indian Meal Moth