Indian meal moth (larva)

Natural Habitat

Worldwide. Typically found in kitchens, pantries, and food processing facilities where stored grains or dried goods are present.

Diet & Feeding

Stored products including grains, cereal, pasta, flour, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and dry pet food.

Behavior Patterns

Larvae spin silken webs over food surfaces while feeding. They undergo five to seven larval instars and often crawl away from their food source to pupate in cracks, crevices, or ceiling corners.

Risks & Benefits

They are a major stored-product pest, causing significant food spoilage through silk webbing, frass (excrement), and shed skins. There are no health risks from accidental consumption, but they represent a financial nuisance and ecosystem role in recycling organic matter.

Identified on: 3/12/2026