Indian Meal Moth

Natural Habitat

Typically found indoors in pantries, warehouses, and food storage areas. They favor warm, dry conditions near dry goods like grains, nuts, and pet food.

Diet & Feeding

Larvae feed on a wide variety of dry stored products including cereals, flour, grains, nuts, dried fruits, spices, and pet food. Adults do not eat solid food.

Behavior Patterns

Nocturnal and attracted to light. The distinctive wing pattern features a reddish-brown lower half and a grey/tan upper half. Larvae spin silken webs over food surfaces, which is a key sign of infestation.

Risks & Benefits

Considered a major pantry pest. They do not bite or sting but cause significant contamination and spoilage of stored food products due to webbing and frass.

Identified on: 3/5/2026