What Foods Do Indian Meal Moths Eat

The period indian meal moths spend on food will affect its quality.

What foods do indian meal moths eat. The adult moths are small with reddish brown wingtips. Youve just encountered the indian meal moth perhaps the most common among the pantry pests these moths can infest bags or boxes of flour grains dried beans seeds nuts cereals baking chocolate cake mixes rice nuts dried fruit dog food birdseed teas herbs spices potpourri mixtures and even decorative wreaths that include nuts fruits andor. But you probably already knew that. Exposing moths to unbearable and unfavorable temperatures kills them.

The larval stage is usually cream colored sometimes with yellowish green or pinkish shades and has a dark brown head. The indian meal moth is found more often than any other on stored food and grain pantry pest in the united states. The moth is also known as the pantry moth or plodia interpunctella. What do indian meal moths eat.

Indian meal moths facts identification control scientific name. So you may want to consider using this indian meal moth. They spin silk as they eat and leave behind webbing in the grain. What are pantry moths.

Although the easiest way is to dispose of such foods you can still find a way to get rid of them through heating or freezing. The wing color is generally gray but. The indian meal moth is a common pantry pest that eats grains dried fruits birdseed dried milk nuts cereals and even dog and cat food. The adult is a small moth about 38 inches long with a wingspan of about 58 inches.

Since they feed on any items containing grain or cereal products the indian meal moth alone is responsible for most of the insect problems associated with the natural food industry. These pests are easy to spot with their colored wingspan. They are sometimes referred to as pantry moths or flour moths. Indianmeal moths will even feed on non food items that are all natural such as ornamental and craft items made from natural materials dried flowers seeds etc.

Image6the larvae of indian meal moths eat cereals whole grains dried fruit powdered milk flour pastas seeds spices and other pantry items. When they infest large packages the larval worms usually stay and feed on or near the surface of the food but they may be anywhere in a food.