The Almond Moth or tropical warehouse moth (Cadra cautella) is a small stored-product pest. It belongs to the snout moths (family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 Pyralidae), more specifically to the tribe

Tribe (biology)

In biology, a tribe is a taxonomic rank between family and genus. It is sometimes subdivided into subtribes.Some examples include the tribes: Canini, Acalypheae, Hominini, Bombini, and Antidesmeae.-See also:* Biological classification* Rank...

 Phycitini of the huge snout moth subfamily Phycitinae

Phycitinae

The Phycitinae are a subfamily of snout moths . Even though the Pyralidae subfamilies are all quite diverse, Phycitinae stand out even by standards of their family: with over 600 genera considered valid and more than 4000 species placed here at present, they unite up more than three-quarters of...

. This species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 is often confused with the related Indianmeal Moth (Plodia interpunctella).

Other common names – particularly in the non-biological literature – are dried currant moth and fig moth, which invite confusion with the close relatives C. figulilella

Cadra figulilella

The Raisin Moth is a moth of the Pyralidae family. It has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution.The wingspan is 12-20 mm. There are about three overlapping generations per year and a partial fourth....

(Raisin Moth) and C. calidella

Cadra calidella

The Dried Fruit Moth is a species of snout moth in the genus Cadra. It was described by Guenée, in 1845. It is found in most of Europe.The wingspan is 17-25 mm.The larvae feed on dried fruit and seeds....

(Dried Fruit Moth). C. cautella has achieved an essentially cosmopolitan distribution

Cosmopolitan distribution

In biogeography, a taxon is said to have a cosmopolitan distribution if its range extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. For instance, the killer whale has a cosmopolitan distribution, extending over most of the world's oceans. Other examples include humans, the lichen...

 due to inadvertent transport with its larva

Larva

A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...

l food; it has, for example, been transported across Polynesia

Polynesia

Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...

 with copra

Copra

Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil extracted from it has made copra an important agricultural commodity for many coconut-producing countries. It also yields coconut cake which is mainly used as feed for livestock.-Production:...

 shipments.

Adults live for about 10 days after eclosion and do not eat, but may drink if water is available. The mating system is polygamous; many females will only mate once, however. In mating, which takes several hours, the abdomens are placed end to end.

It infests flour

Flour

Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...

, bran

Bran

Bran is the hard outer layer of grain and consists of combined aleurone and pericarp. Along with germ, it is an integral part of whole grains, and is often produced as a by-product of milling in the production of refined grains. When bran is removed from grains, the grains lose a portion of their...

, oats

OATS

OATS - Open Source Assistive Technology Software - is a source code repository or "forge" for assistive technology software. It was launched in 2006 with the goal to provide a one-stop “shop” for end users, clinicians and open-source developers to promote and develop open source assistive...

 and other grains

Cereal

Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...

, as well as dried fruit

Dried fruit

Dried fruit is fruit where the majority of the original water content has been removed either naturally, through sun drying, or through the use of specialized dryers or dehydrators. Dried fruit has a long tradition of use dating back to the fourth millennium BC in Mesopotamia, and is prized...

s. Caterpillars are cannibalistic and will even feed on their siblings.

Synonyms

Due to its wide distribution and accidental introductions, it has become known under a number of junior synonyms:

• Cadra defectella Walker, 1864
• Cryptoblabes formosella Wileman & South, 1918
• Ephestia cautella (Walker, 1863)
• Ephestia irakella Amsel, 1959
• Ephestia passulella Barrett, 1875
• Ephestia pelopis Turner, 1947
• Ephestia rotundatella Turati, 1930
• Nephopteryx desuetella Walker, 1866
• Nephopterix passulella (Barret, 1875)
• Pempelia cautella Walker, 1863