Appearance

There are several species of moths whose larvae will infest stored foods. Some of these include the Warehouse moth, Mediterranean Flour Moth, Indian Meal Moth and the Tropical Warehouse Moth. They vary in appearance from species to species but the adult moths are usually quite small (about 1cm in length). The larvae are usually white in appearance with a pink or brown head and up to 12mm long.

Biology

These moths lay their eggs on a suitable food source. Larvae then hatch from the eggs and begin to feed on the food and gradually grow larger. The larvae then move away from the food in order to pupate to turn into the adult moths. They usually crawl upwards to do this and so can often be found high up on walls and ceilings. The adult moths can fly quite easily and thus spread infestations.

Importance

When present in large numbers these insects can cause considerable damage to foodstuffs rendering them unsaleable or unusable. The larvae also spin silk threads while they crawl through foodstuffs causing flour and grain to become matted together. These types of moth typically infest dry cereal goods such as flour, grain, biscuits, dog meal, breakfast cereals etc. They can also be commonly found in nuts, chocolate and spices.

Infestation usually arises in the home from one of two means

• A contaminated product is brought into the home, or
• A packet of food is left open and stored at the back of a cupboard for several months. This allows time for an infestation to develop and possible spread to other stored foods.

Control

Usually, it is sufficient to identify the source or sources by thoroughly inspecting all foodstuffs stored in the home. Anything showing any sign of infestation should be sealed in bags and thrown away. Attention should also be paid to ensure that there are no spillages of food under kitchen cupboards. Infestations can also arise from food spillages down the back of armchairs and sofas. Using a vacuum cleaner on cracks and crevices in kitchen cupboards may also be helpful.

Once this is done adult insects flying around can be killed using a fly spray. As the adult moth can be attracted to light sources it may also be beneficial to spray internal window frames with a crawling insect killer aerosol spray.

Keeping any susceptible foodstuffs in sealed plastic containers or glass jars will help prevent re-infestation.

If you have a moth infestation, do not hesitate to contact Melbourne’s pest control experts, Cannon Pest Management!