This pest is also known as Indian meal moth and mealy moth and they are found across Canada.

Meal moth

There are three stages to the meal moth’s life cycle and they are the eggs, larvae, adults. The moth eggs are laid in clusters of 12-30 and are always in or near a suitable food source for the larvae. The eggs hatch in 2 to 14 days.

The larvae are typically a dirty white colour although they can take one a coloured tint depending on what their food source is. The growth and development of the larvae depends on the temperate and environment and it can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 years (depending on the conditions).

At the end of the larvae stage, the larvae will pupate into a silken cocoon. The moths will emerge 4-30 days later and these adults will be about 10-12 mm long with a wingspan of about 2 mm.

Larvae will feel on foodstuffs such as cereal, bread, pasta, rice, couscous, spices, dried fruits, nuts, etc. Infested foodstuff will typically be covered in a silky webbing and excretion from the larvae.

After larvae or moths have been found, you really have to throw out all food sources that are not in very tightly sealed containers.

Meal moths are able to get into tight spots, including sealed bags and storage containers. They are also extremely difficult to get rid of, and they are able crawl on ceilings and and pupate in rooms other than the kitchen or pantry where they hatched.

If you are having a pest problem, remember it is better to deal with is sooner rather than later as it can quickly become a very expensive problem to deal with. To book an appointment with Cottage Country Pest Control, give us a call at 705-534-7863 or email us today.