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Pantry Moths: The Pantry Pests

December 26th, 2009 Posted in Pantry & Linen Pests

We store things in our pantry like cereal, cookies, bread, and other foods of our liking. When we open up this closet of food we are expecting to find something to eat, not a pantry moth flying around.

Attracted to unclean conditions in your kitchen or pantry, the pantry moth loves to eat any grain foods you have lying around. It is unacceptable to find these critters in your food or pantry, for that reason control of the pantry moth is very important.

Want to learn more?

• Identification
• Life Cycle & Habits
• Control

Identification

The Indian meal moth is one of the most common species of pantry moths you will discover in your home. They have a wing span of about 3/4 of an inch. When resting, the pantry moth’s wings are folded together tightly on their body.

The pantry moth’s wings are a blend of two colors. The front half is grayish, while the bottom half of their wings are a rusty brown color. The larvae of the pantry moth are about half the size of their parents, measuring less than 1/2 an inch.

The larvae are normally a dirty off-white color, but can be all different hues. Pantry moths are most active at night. They normally rest in dark places during the day, like your pantry or closet. They not only eat your grains, dried fruit, seeds, chocolates, and other foods but they lay their eggs inside the food as well. This gives their young an ample food supply upon birth.

Life Cycle & Habits

The adults lay their eggs in your food and await the hatching of their eggs. The eggs hatch a few days later, breeding dozens of caterpillars with brown heads. These pantry pests feed in your cupboard or pantry for week or months, depending on the conditions of their environment.

When the caterpillars are ready to pupate, they will wander from your pantry to make themselves a cocoon. They spend several weeks in their cocoon before emerging as full grown adult moths. In warm conditions, the entire process takes six to eight weeks, while it takes up to six months under colder conditions. The pantry moth’s favorite food includes cereal, grains, herbs, dried fruit, nuts, dog food, fish food, bird seeds, dried flowers, and seeds.

Control

Proper sanitation is vital when dealing with the pantry moth. Cleaning your pantry out often, cleaning floors and counter tops, discarding old food, and checking your food items often can go a long way towards preventing an infestation. Also keeping your food items stored in tight containers will go a long way in preventing moths from getting into your food. Another important means of control is by using EcoSMART’s organic pesticides.

These pesticides are made from all natural chemicals, making it the safest choice for pest control. Safe for the environment, your pets, and your family, how could you turn down such an effective and safe pest control product?