Indian Meal Moth Larva

Natural Habitat

Typically found indoors in stored food products like grains, cereals, nuts, dried fruits, and pet food. They are common pantry pests.

Diet & Feeding

The larvae feed on a wide variety of dried foodstuffs, including flour, cereal, pasta, spices, dried fruit, nuts, and bird seed.

Behavior Patterns

Larvae spin silken webbing as they feed, which is often the first sign of infestation. When ready to pupate, they often wander away from the food source across walls and ceilings.

Risks & Benefits

They are a household nuisance and contaminate food, rendering it inedible due to webbings and excrement. They pose no direct physical threat to humans (they do not bite or sting) but can cause significant food waste.

Identified on: 2/27/2026