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Meal, Pantry, Flour & Grain Moths
- Larvae infest grains causing spoilage -
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Summary: A number of moths infest stored cereals, grains, dried fruit, dry pet food, etc. The Indian meal moth is a common species that occurs in kitchens worldwide. There are pheromone traps available to help detect an infestation.
Jack DeAngelis, PhD
OSU Ext. Entomologist (ret.)
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What are meal moths?
 This page will help you identify and get rid of moths that infest stored foodstuffs. There are a number of moths in this group that all look similar. Some are drab grey in color while some are a bit more colorful like Indian meal moth (right). They are collectively called meal, pantry, kitchen, flour or grain moths.
These moths are also sometimes called "structural pests" because they can cause so much damage and spoilage in commercial grain storage warehouses. For homeowners, however, meal moths are mostly a nuisance pest when they infest stored foodstuff and dry pet food. The first sign of an infestation is often small moths fluttering around the room, usually the kitchen or a room near the kitchen.
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Indian meal moth. Note dark band on wings. See Guide for a photo of the larva.
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What should you do when moths are found?
When moths are found fluttering around the house you should place pheromone traps in areas of food storage to pinpoint the location of the infestation. The infestation will be larvae (caterpillars) feeding near the surface of the foodstuff, often under a thin webbing. Once found the infestation can be eliminated by discarding infested foodstuff, or freezing, for several days, any foodstuff that is not discarded.
First, download the Meal Moth Guide (pdf) for some background information and pictures so you'll know what you are looking for. Next, take a look at the page about Finding & Eliminating Moth Infestations for specifics. The key to dealing with meal moths is to find the source of the infestation which wll be in some type of stored foodstuff. Pheromone traps will help you locate the infestation.
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