Indian meal moths are one of the most common household pests. Residential pest controlexperts are often called on to deal with these pests. Indian meal moths are one of the most common household pests. Residential pest controlexperts are often called on to deal with these pests. These kitchen-loving insects do not carry disease, but they do ruin food and fly around your home, often flying towards light in darkened areas. Indian meal moths are not exactly desirable house guests.

These bugs are small and greyish-brown when they mature. Its wings are tipped with bronze. As a caterpillar, it has a dark brown head and a cream-colored body. The body may also have a greenish or pinkish tinge. In this larval stage, they usually stay close to food but will wander farther away when it’s time to change from larva to pupa.

As a caterpillar, the Indian meal moth will feed on nuts, ground grains like flour or oats, herbs and many other pantry staples. They will become visible as they mature and infest the pantry item. This is when most homeowners notice the problem and call for pest control.

These moths typically gain entry to the home via an infected food product. Most food production facilities and stores take great pains to ensure that no pests are on or in their products. However, the eggs of the Indian meal moth are tiny, only measuring around .5 mm in diameter. This miniscule size makes them easy to miss. It takes a professional pest control service to eliminate the problem.

Detection is the first step in controlling these pests. Homeowners or pest control professionals must find the source of the infestation. This can be tricky since the larvae are able to chew through thin cardboard boxes and plastic bags. They may have arrived in any type of dried grain, fruit or soup. Even birdseed or dog food can be the culprit.

Look for traces of the silk the caterpillars produce. It looks like fine webbing. Look for holes of entry into the packaging as well as the insects themselves.

Once you locate any and all infested foods, they should be thrown out. Any trace of spilled food must be thoroughly cleaned so that it does not become a food source. (The cleaning product doesn’t matter so much as completely getting rid of the food source.) Wipe down shelves and vacuum the corners and edges so that no crumb remains. When refilling the pantry or cabinet with new, untainted foods, use metal or plastic containers to protect the food from another infestation. Do not use pesticides on surfaces that will contact food.

If these methods don’t work, you may need to find a PA pest control company to handle the issue. A reliable company like HouseTech Pest Control can help you locate and eliminate the source of the moths and their larvae.

Indian meal moths are a pest problem on their own, but they can also be the symptom of a larger issue. The food stash of a squirrel or another rodent can attract meal moths and provide a food source. As rodents are far less picky about pests than humans, the moths can grow and multiply unchecked in the stash and spread to other areas of the home.

Keeping up with your regular pest control service and treatments may help reduce the chances of incurring an infestation.