Origin:
Not mentioned in the literature, but found throughout North America and Europe.
Biology:
The larvae are not serious pests in general, but they do infest stored food products such as a variety of seeds and grains as well as processed vegetable-based foods. They may also attack tobacco and have been found burrowing into corks in wine bottles. The life cycle can be completed in less than 6 months, and there often will be two generations per year in indoor infestations.
Identification:
This is a small moth, with a wingspan of about 10 to 13 mm and a length of about 7 mm. Adults have a white head, forewings mottled brown and white, and the hind wings gray with a fringe of long hairs along the lower margin. They may be confused with the Angoumois Grain Moth, but do not have the thin extension at the outer end of the hind wing, although they are narrowed to a point.
Characteristicts Important to Control:
Typical of most stored food moth infestations, an inspection must be made to determine which materials are infested, including areas of the structure where foods may not typically be found, such as garages or closets. Disposal of the infested material, followed by a thorough cleaning of the area and possible application of a residual insecticide to intercept any larvae that may have left the food material are needed.
