Indian meal moth (larva)

Natural Habitat

Indoor environments, specifically pantries, cupboards, and food processing facilities with stored grains

Diet & Feeding

Stored food products including cereal, flour, nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, and pet food

Behavior Patterns

Larvae produce characteristic silken webs that mat food particles together; they often crawl away from food sources to find cracks or crevices to pupate

Risks & Benefits

Major pest of stored household food; causes economic loss and food waste due to contamination with silk and frass; poses no direct health risk to humans but requires infested food to be discarded

Identified on: 2/19/2026