Indian Meal Moth Larva
Scientific Name: Plodia interpunctella
Order & Family: Lepidoptera: Pyralidae
Size: Approximately 12 mm (1/2 inch) long when fully grown
Natural Habitat
Pantries, warehouses, grocery stores, and food processing facilities worldwide
Diet & Feeding
Dry foodstuffs including grains, flour, cereal, birdseed, pet food, dried fruits, nuts, and cocoa
Behavior Patterns
Larvae spin distinct white silken webbing over food sources as they feed; often crawl away from food to walls or ceilings to pupate
Risks & Benefits
Major household pest causing food contamination; poses no direct physical harm to humans but consumes and spoils stored food products
Identified on: 2/19/2026