Indian meal moth
Encyclopedia
The Indian Meal Moth alternatively spelled Indianmeal Moth, is a pyraloid
moth
of the family
Pyralidae
. Alternative common names are North American High-flyer and Pantry Moth; less specifically, it may be referred to as "flour moth". The Almond Moth
(Cadra cautella) is commonly confused with the Indianmeal Moth.
Its larva
e (caterpillar
s) are commonly known as "waxworms" like those of its relatives, though they are not the particular waxworms often bred as animal food. They are a common grain-feeding pest found around the world, feeding on cereal
s and similar products.
of the genus
Plodia. It is closely related to the (doubtfully distinct) genera Cadra
and Ephestia
which include(s) other pest species (e.g. E. kuehniella which is also colloquially called "flour moth").
The species has been described under a number of junior synonyms, which may occasionally still be found in non-entomological sources:
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 discussed the species, noting that the larvae infest stores of cornmeal
, which was then called "Indian meal".
e are off-white with brown heads. When these larvae mature, they are usually about 12 mm long.
The entire life cycle
of this species may take 30 to 300 days. 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 larval stage lasts from 2 to 41 weeks, depending on the temperature.
origin, such as cereal
, bread
, pasta
, rice
, spice
s or dried fruit
s and nut
s. More unusual recorded foods include chocolate
and cocoa beans, coffee substitute
, cookie
s, flour
, dried mangelwurzel
, and even the toxic seeds of Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium). The food they infest will often seem to be webbed together.
After larvae or moths have been found, it is important to throw out all 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. 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, the search thus cannot be limited to the immediate area where pupae are discovered.
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.
The caterpillars are parasitized by Bracon hebetor
, a braconid wasp which is a potential biological control agent.
Pyraloidea
The Pyraloidea are a moth superfamily containing about 16,000 described species worldwide , and probably at least as many more remain to be described. They are generally fairly small moths....
moth
Moth
A moth is an insect closely related to the butterfly, both being of the order Lepidoptera. Moths form the majority of this order; there are thought to be 150,000 to 250,000 different species of moth , with thousands of species yet to be described...
of the 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
Pyralidae
The Pyralidae or snout moths are a family of Lepidoptera in the ditrysian superfamily Pyraloidea. In many classifications, the grass moths are included in the Pyralidae as a subfamily, making the combined group one of the largest families in the Lepidoptera...
. Alternative common names are North American High-flyer and Pantry Moth; less specifically, it may be referred to as "flour moth". The Almond Moth
Almond moth
The Almond Moth or tropical warehouse moth is a small stored-product pest. It belongs to the snout moths , more specifically to the tribe Phycitini of the huge snout moth subfamily Phycitinae...
(Cadra cautella) is commonly confused with the Indianmeal Moth.
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...
e (caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s) are commonly known as "waxworms" like those of its relatives, though they are not the particular waxworms often bred as animal food. They are a common grain-feeding pest found around the world, feeding on cereal
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
s and similar products.
Systematics and etymology
This is – as far as is known – the only living speciesSpecies
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...
of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Plodia. It is closely related to the (doubtfully distinct) genera Cadra
Cadra
Cadra is a is a genus of small moths belonging to the family Pyralidae. The genus Ephestia is closely related to Cadra and might be its senior synonym. Several of these moths are variously assigned to one or the other genus, in particular in non-entomological sources...
and Ephestia
Ephestia
Ephestia is a is a genus of small moths belonging to the family Pyralidae. Some species are significant pests of dry plant produce, such as seeds and cereals. Best known among these are probably the Cacao Moth and the Mediterranean Flour Moth .The genus Cadra is closely related to Ephestia and...
which include(s) other pest species (e.g. E. kuehniella which is also colloquially called "flour moth").
The species has been described under a number of junior synonyms, which may occasionally still be found in non-entomological sources:
- Ephestia glycinivora Matsumura, 1917
- Ephestia glycinivorella Matsumura, 1932 (unjustified emendation)
- Plodia castaneella (Reutti, 1898)
- Plodia glycinivora (Matsumura, 1917)
- Plodia interpunctalis (Hübner, 1825)
- Plodia latercula (Hampson, 1901)
- Plodia zeae (Fitch, 1856)
- Tinea castaneella Reutti, 1898
- Tinea interpunctalis Hübner, 1825
- Tinea interpunctella Hübner, [1813]
- Tinea zeae Fitch, 1856
- Unadilla latercula Hampson, 1901
The common name for this species was coined by Asa Fitch
Asa Fitch
Dr. Asa Fitch Dr. Asa Fitch Dr. Asa Fitch (February 24, 1809 – April 8, 1879. His early studies were of both natural history and medicine, which he studied at the newly formed Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, graduating in 1827. However, in 1838 he decided to start studying agriculture and...
, an entomologist employed by the state of New York during the nineteenth century. In a report published in 1856, Fitch discussed the species, noting that the larvae infest stores of cornmeal
Cornmeal
Cornmeal is flour ground from dried maize or American corn. It is a common staple food, and is ground to fine, medium, and coarse consistencies. In the United States, the finely ground cornmeal is also referred to as cornflour. However, the word cornflour denotes cornstarch in recipes from the...
, which was then called "Indian meal".
Description and life cycle
Adults are 8–10 mm in length with 16–20 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 moth larvaLarva
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...
e are off-white with brown heads. When these larvae mature, they are usually about 12 mm long.
The entire life cycle
Biological life cycle
A life cycle is a period involving all different generations of a species succeeding each other through means of reproduction, whether through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction...
of this species may take 30 to 300 days. 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 larval stage lasts from 2 to 41 weeks, depending on the temperature.
Pest status and pest control
The Indianmeal Moth larvae can infest a wide range of dry foodstuffs of vegetableVegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
origin, such as cereal
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
, bread
Bread
Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and often additional ingredients. Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed , fried , or baked on an unoiled frying pan . It may be leavened or unleavened...
, pasta
Pasta
Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, now of worldwide renown. It takes the form of unleavened dough, made in Italy, mostly of durum wheat , water and sometimes eggs. Pasta comes in a variety of different shapes that serve for both decoration and to act as a carrier for the...
, rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
, spice
Spice
A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, or vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for flavor, color, or as a preservative that kills harmful bacteria or prevents their growth. It may be used to flavour a dish or to hide other flavours...
s or 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 and nut
Nut (fruit)
A nut is a hard-shelled fruit of some plants having an indehiscent seed. While a wide variety of dried seeds and fruits are called nuts in English, only a certain number of them are considered by biologists to be true nuts...
s. More unusual recorded foods include chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
and cocoa beans, coffee substitute
Coffee substitute
Coffee substitutes are non-coffee products, usually without caffeine, that are used to imitate coffee. Coffee substitutes can be used for medical, economic and religious reasons, or simply because coffee is not readily available. Roasted grain beverages are common substitutes for coffee.In World...
, cookie
Cookie
In the United States and Canada, a cookie is a small, flat, baked treat, usually containing fat, flour, eggs and sugar. In most English-speaking countries outside North America, the most common word for this is biscuit; in many regions both terms are used, while in others the two words have...
s, 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...
, dried mangelwurzel
Mangelwurzel
Mangelwurzel or mangold wurzel , also called mangold, mangel beet, field beet and fodder beet, is a cultivated root vegetable derived from Beta vulgaris...
, and even the toxic seeds of Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium). The food they infest will often seem to be webbed together.
After larvae or moths have been found, it is important to throw out all 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
Tupperware
Tupperware is the name of a home products line that includes preparation, storage, containment, and serving products for the kitchen and home, which were first introduced to the public in 1946....
containers. 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
Instar
An instar is a developmental stage of arthropods, such as insects, between each molt , until sexual maturity is reached. Arthropods must shed the exoskeleton in order to grow or assume a new form. Differences between instars can often be seen in altered body proportions, colors, patterns, or...
larvae are able to travel significant distances before they pupate. When seeking the source of an infestation, the search thus cannot be limited to the immediate area where pupae are discovered.
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.
The caterpillars are parasitized by Bracon hebetor
Bracon hebetor
Bracon hebetor is a minute Braconidae wasp that is an internal parasite to the caterpillar stage of Plodia interpunctella, the Indian meal moth, in the late larval stage of the Mediterranean flour moth and the almond moth....
, a braconid wasp which is a potential biological control agent.
External links
- Fact sheet on Indian Meal Moths featuring information on habits, habitat and pictures
- Pantry Pests, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Lancaster County
- Scarabogram Bug of the Month: Indianmeal Moth
- Home and Garden: Indianmeal Moth
- OzAnimals - Indianmeal Moth
- University of California Integrated Pest Management: – Pantry Pests
- Ladd Research: Indian Meal Moth – Identification
- Get Rid of Things: How to Get Rid of Moths