Indian meal moth

Natural Habitat

Commonly found in residential pantries, kitchens, food processing plants, and grocery stores where stored dry goods are present.

Diet & Feeding

Larvae feed on dry plant-based foods including flour, cereal, pasta, grains, nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, and pet food. Adults do not feed.

Behavior Patterns

They are nocturnal fliers attracted to lights. Females lay eggs directly on or near food sources; larvae produce silken webbing as they feed across the surface of the food.

Risks & Benefits

They are major household and commercial pests that cause significant food waste through contamination by larvae webbing and frass. They pose no direct physical risk to humans but can cause aesthetic and economic damage.

Identified on: 4/13/2026