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Pantry or Meal Moth Traps
- Locate infestations with pheromone traps -
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Summary: Indian meal moth pheromone traps are very effective for locating infestations. Traps lure male moths to a sticky surface. The best way to eliminate an infestation is to first find it then discard all infested food products.
Jack DeAngelis, PhD
OSU Ext. Entomologist (ret.)
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How to locate and eliminate meal moths
 The Indian meal moth is a common pest in kitchens worldwide. You'll first notice small moths fluttering around the room. This may be an indication of dry food that is infested with larvae (right) somewhere in the kitchen, pantry or other food storage area. Moths lay eggs in grains, cereals, dry fruit, nuts, bird seed and dry pet food. Moth larvae feed on the surface of these materials and often cover it with a fine webbing. Infested foods quickly spoil.
The key to control of these moths is to locate the infestation(s) using pheromone traps. Place one trap in each food storage area where you even suspect an infestation. Traps should be used to detect infestations not for control. You can also sometimes find infested food products by simply searching shelves and packages.
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Indian meal moth larva on dried raisin. Note dark amber colored head capsule (top right).
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What to do if you find moths
Discard all infested food when it is found -- be ruthless! Thoroughly search shelves and drawers. Even a small amount of spilled pet food, or a biscuit hiding under the counter, can support meal moths and other pantry pests (see Related Articles below). Freeze any packaged food that has not been opened. Freezing for even a few days kills all stages of the moth.
Do not use insecticides in the kitchen or pantry. Insecticides won't be effective and they can be hazardous when used indoors.
You must locate the infestation for effective meal moth control and pheromone traps (see below) are the best way to locate it.
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Pheromone traps for meal moths
Use pheromone traps to locate the general area of an infestation down to a room or closet. Traps for pantry moths and a variety of other pests can be purchased here: indoor traps @ Arbico Organics. Arbico is also one of our affiliates. It may take some time to completely eliminate a large meal moth infestation. Stay with it. As long as you are trapping adult moths keep searching for the infestation, it is likely that there is more than one.
Pheromone traps should last 1-3 months. Place traps in several locations to have a better chance of isolating the infestation. It may even be possible to eliminate a small infestation with traps alone. Keep replacing traps until no more moths are captured.
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Mission: To provide accurate, up-to-date and unbiased information for solving common insect and mite problems around your home, business and landscape using least-toxic methods.
Jack DeAngelis, Ph.D.
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