Indian meal moth

Worldwide in human structures that store food, such as pantries, kitchens, and food processing plants.

Larvae feed on a wide variety of dried foods, including cereals, flour, cornmeal, crackers, chocolate, nuts, dried fruit, and pet food. Adults do not feed.

Adults are active at night and attracted to light. They rest on walls or ceilings near food sources. Females lay 60 to 400 eggs directly on food or in crevices of packaging.

They are a significant pest that causes economic loss due to food contamination. While they do not bite or spread disease, they ruin food with silk webbing and frass (waste). They pose no direct physical risk to humans.