The Mediterranean Flour Moth does not cause near as much damage as the Indian Meal Moth and other product pest beetles, but it is still capable of clogging machinery with its webbing and sometimes causes grain mills to shut-down.
Mediterranean Flour Moth Identification
- The adult Mediterranean flour moth is a pale-gray color.
- Wingspread is about ½ inch long, and wings are marked with two fuzzy black zigzag lines. Hind wings are off-white.
- When at rest the Mediterranean flour moth has a distinct characteristic sloping appearance.
- Mediterranean flour moths and other grain moths are often mistaken for Clothes Moths- however adult Clothes moths are rarely seen flying around.
Feeding Preferences
Mediterranean Flour Moth feeding preferences include flour, grains, bran, breakfast foods and pollen in beehives.
Signs of Mediterranean Flour Moth Infestation
- Clumps in the infested food may be indicative of an Mediterranean Flour infestation. These are formed by groups of larva that are webbed together with strands of silk.
- Small Mediterranean Flour Moths may be seen flying around kitchens, pantries or other rooms in the home in a zigzag fashion. They fly mostly at night and are attracted to lights.
- Larva (white wormlike pests with brown heads) may occasionally crawl up walls to the ceiling and suspend themselves from a silken thread.
Prevention and Control of Mediterranean Flour Moths
- The best method to avoid stored-product pests is careful sanitation. Pantry shelves should be kept free of crumbs and stickiness.
- If you do locate an infested package, get rid of it immediately! The pantry or infested area can then be cleaned with soapy water, and the cracks and crevices vacuumed.
- Non-infested foods should be frozen if possible to prevent the infestation from spreading.
- When purchasing foods, check the packaging date to ensure freshness.
- Do not purchase food packages that look open or damaged.
- Utilize several pantry pest traps in and around the infested area.
We recommend a Pantry Pest/ Moth Trap for Mediterranean Flour Moth control.
Or save money with the Pantry Pest Kit.
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View our entire line of Pantry Moth Control products