Indian Meal Moth is the most common moth we run into in the Northwest. Most times infesting grain bi-products with pet food/bird feeds being favorites. Samples should be taken to ensure they are Indian Meal Moths as sometimes they are mistaken with a Clothes Moth.

The Indian meal moth at rest is about 3/8  inch long and its wing spread is 5/8 inch. They have bronze colored wings. When at rest the wings are folded together along the line of the body. The front half of the forewings is a grayish white color, and the lower half is a rusty red-brown color.

The adult moths usually fly at night and lay eggs on food such as grain, dried food, and especially pet food. Eggs are laid on or near the food. A female moth may deposit from 40 to 350 eggs. After hatching, the small caterpillars begin spinning silken threads in the infested food material. They feed for about 2 weeks before becoming full grown. They crawl up to the surface of the food material or often up walls and pupate within a cocoon. The adult emerges in about 30 days. The entire cycle requires about 6 weeks and there are from 4-6 generations per year.

 INTERESTING FACTS:

 - Adults fly in a zigzag fashion if disturbed during the day.

 - Their lifespan is one to two weeks.