Indian Meal Moth

An adult Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) is approximately 16-20mm in size. They are chiefly nocturnal.  The female lays 100-400 eggs, singly or in small groups, on food materials during a period of 1-18 days. The Laval period lasts 13-288 days, depending on temperature and food availability. When the last stage of growth for the larvae is ready to pupate it wanders about until a suitable pupation site is found. There are usually 4-6 generations per year, with the life cycle egg to egg typically requiring 25-135 days.

The larvae are surface feeders and generally produce a lot of webbing throughout the infested parts of materials. They are general feeders and attack grain and grain products, a wide variety of dried fruits, seeds, nuts, powdered milk, biscuits, chocolate, and birdseed. They are very destructive wherever dried fruits are stored. Indian meal moths are also sometimes referred to as "flour moths" or "pantry moths".