indian meal moth

Living in Vancouver and lower Mainland is a dream for many people. On a nice day in Kitchen you suddenly find insect flying all around and wonder how did these get in while you had all windows sealed and kept closed at all times. No wonder these are Indian Meal Moths hatching from stored grains.

Indian meal moth mostly found flying in your pantry is also known as weevil moth, pantry moth, flour moth or grain moth. The name was given in mid 19 century to moths found in cornmeal which at that time was called Indian Meal. Before pupation larvae can travel a long distance, or even pupate on clothes. The actual infestation site may be far away from where you find the moths. During inspection it is critical to check all possible sites including clothing. Do not just look in kitchen, you may find them in other rooms as well. The Indian Meal Moth eggs are very small white and ovate, hard to see. The infestation is noticed at larval stage which are about 10-12mm long or adults are 8-10mm in length with a wingspan of 16-20mm.

Indian Meal Moths as such are not harmful to human but pose dangers of infestation and spoiling of foods. Generally, these won’t damage fabric like cloth moth, however, may pupate on cloths, survive pest control efforts and spread around.

The larvae can bite through plastic wrappings or thin card boards therefore, many sealed food items may be found infested. The best approach is to discard all infested food. Indian Meal Moth control Vancouver may involve a number of procedures. The eggs and larvae can not tolerate drastic cold or heat. If possible, the food items can be frozen for a week or heated in microwave for short duration. There is a limitation to this technique, only food can be saved whereas it does not result in total Indian Meal Moth elimination. Similarly glue boards with pheromonesare another option in many places, however, it has limited application as it only lures males. It is good for monitoring and identifying areas of infestation but not for total eradication or control. Careful and appropriate use of pesticides is available as an effective proven tool in controlling Indian Meal Moth infestation when applied by professionals. Even the eggs and larvae hidden in crack, crevices and dark places will be destroyed. As always, the help is available just a phone call away, from the fully trained and experienced team of experts from Advance Pest Control Vancouver.