Pest Library: Indian Meal Moth

Moth Extermination

Indian Meal Moths are 3/8" to 3/4" in length and have a wingspan of about 5/8 of an inch. The wings are a brownish-copper with several dark bands and dots on them. The larvae are smaller, caterpillar-like with legs on the first three body segments and usually creamy-white in color.


The Indian Meal Moth can enter your home through dry good from a grocery store, breeding in items such as dry dog or cat food, nuts, beans, whole grains, rice, cereal, flour, wheat products, etc. They will lay their eggs on food, producing as many as 400 larvae in only 18 days. Mature larvae will move from the food source to pupate in cracks and crevices, which usually can be seen at ceiling edges. This movement usually alerts the homeowner to their presence.

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