
Community identification
Pantry Moth (Larva Stage)
Plodia interpunctella
- Order & Family
- Lepidoptera: Pyralidae
- Size
- 12 mm to 13 mm in length
Natural Habitat
Domestic pantries, food processing plants, and grain silos
Diet & Feeding
Stored grains, flour, cereal, dry pet food, chocolate, and nuts
Behavior Patterns
Larvae spin silk webbing in food sources as they feed; they often crawl away from food sources to find crevices for pupation.
Risks & Benefits
A major household pest that causes significant food waste through contamination, though they pose no direct health or physical risk to humans.