Do you have moths in your pantry or closet?
The Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) is the most common household moth that can reproduce in homes. It develops as a pest of various foods commonly found in pantries. The caterpillars can seriously damage susceptible food items and the adult moths can become annoying as they fly through the home. The first, and most critical, step is to identify all sources of infestation. The presence of some webbing is usually the most effective way to determine which items are infested.
Damage is caused by the larvae spinning silken threads as they feed and crawl, thus webbing food particles together. Besides infesting all cereal food products and whole grains, larvae also feed on a wide variety of foods and feeds such as dried fruits, powdered milk, cornmeal, flour, raisins, prunes, nuts, chocolate, candies, health food and seeds, bird seed, dog and cat food, fish food, graham crackers, dried red peppers, pastas, etc.
Sometimes mistaken as clothes moths, homeowners first notice small moths flying in a zigzag fashion around rooms (kitchens and pantries) in the home. These moths fly mostly at night and are attracted to lights and may appear in the living room near or in front of television sets. Occasionally, the larvae or "white worms with black heads" crawl up walls and suspend from the ceiling attached to a single silken thread. Other times, a few larvae may be found in a food package along with unsightly webbing, cast skins and frass (fecal pellets). It is repulsive to the homeowner and costly to the manufacturer. Packages of whole wheat, graham flour and corn meal are often infested. Most complaints in Ohio occur during the months of July and August, but often appear in other months as well. Some adult moths do fly into the home during summer months through open doors or windows, but most "hitchhike" inside in packaged goods and groceries. Not only homes, but restaurants, grocery stores, warehouses, pet stores, seed companies, mills etc., become infested.
Lets talk about more moths....The webbing clothes moth is the most common fabric moth. Clothes moths are weak flyers and are not attracted to lights. They tend to hide when disturbed, and for this reason, infestations of clothes moths are not usually noticed until damaged fabrics, furs, or feathers are found.
DAMAGE
The larva is the damaging stage of the clothes moth. Both species feed on wool clothing, carpets, rugs, upholstered furniture, furs, stored wool, animal bristles in brushes, wool felts in pianos, and fish meal in fish food. Synthetics or fabrics such as cotton are fed on if they are blended with wool. Larvae may use cotton fibers to make their pupal cases. Damage generally appears in hidden locations such as under collars or cuffs of clothing, in crevices of upholstered furniture, and in areas of carpeting covered by furniture.
Fabrics stained by foods, perspiration, or urine are more subject to damage.
