Indian Meal Moth

Indian Meal Moth Infestation (Plodia Interpunctella)

The principal sign that you have an Indian Meal Moth Infestation is a thick blanket of silk webbing over your stored food product. This is a common pest infesting homes and grocery stores alike. The larvae are general feeders and can be found in grain products, seeds, dried fruit, dog food, and spices.

The Indian Meal moth received its common name in the United States where it was found to be a pest of meal made of “Indian corn” or maize.

Identification

The wings of these adult moths are quite distinctive with 2/3 of the lower wing a striking copper/bronze colour and the 1/3 of the wing closest to the head is off-white to greyish in colour. The wings are folded over the abdomen when at rest.

The fully grown larvae produce silk webbing and cocoons which can often be detected in the vicinity of the food commodity the larvae feed on.

Larvae are large in size and creamy white with a brown head. The Adult life span is 10-14 days. Adults are about 13 mm in length.

Adult moths cause no damage. Damage is caused by the larvae spinning silken threads as they feed and crawl, thus webbing food particles together.

Adult Indian Meal Moth

Indian Meal Moth

Larvae

Indian Meal Moth larvae commodity damage
The larvae is responsible for the damage to commodity goods.
Signs of Indian Meal Moth Infestation
Remains of a pupal case of the Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner). The larva pupated inside the lid of a cardboard container one pantry shelf up from the actual infestation

Biology

Adult female moths lay between 200 and 400 ova (ivory coloured eggs) in or on food commodities. The larvae are creamy white with a brown head. When fully grown and mature (after 21 days) they will wander off and spin cocoons away from the infested food commodity.

The larvae pupates inside the cocoon. Adult moths emerge from the cocoons after  7 to 10 days.

Symptoms of Damage

Besides infesting all cereal food products and whole grains, larvae also feed on a wide variety of foods and feeds such as dried fruits, powdered milk, cornmeal, flour, raisins, prunes, nuts, chocolate, candies, health food and seeds, bird seed, dog and cat food, fish food, graham crackers, dried red peppers, pastas, etc. Damage is caused by the larvae spinning silken threads as they feed and crawl, thus webbing food particles together.

Control Mechanisms for Indian Meal Moth

ProFume (Sulphuryl Fluoride)

Successful fumigation of food commodities and structures infested with The Indian Meal Moth can be achieved with the precision fumigation of ProFume Gas (Sulphuryl Fluoride).

ProFume is proven effective against all life stages of a broad spectrum of stored
product pests which includes the Indian Meal Moth. ProFume does not affect the
commodity flavour, quality, colour or processing characteristics.