Small moths in the kitchen cupboard or webbing in a bag of flour almost always mean food moths. The moths themselves eat nothing; their larvae are in your food. Find the infested pack, clear the cupboard properly in one go, store dry food in airtight containers from now on and hang a pheromone trap to check that they stay away.
How do you recognise food moths?
The moth is about a centimetre long and folds its wings over its body like a roof when resting. The part nearest the body is pale grey, the tips are copper brown. The signs are even clearer: fine webbing in packets, clumps in flour or muesli and small white caterpillars with a dark head. If you see caterpillars crawling up the cupboard wall or across the ceiling, they are looking for somewhere to pupate.
Where do food moths come from?
Almost always from something you bought. Flour, rice, pasta, nuts, dried fruit, spices, chocolate and pet food can already contain eggs or larvae without you noticing. In a warm cupboard they hatch and spread to other open packets. Occasionally a moth flies in through an open window.
What should you do straight away about food moths?
- Empty the cupboard completely and check every packet, including sealed ones.
- Throw away anything with webbing, clumps or caterpillars, tied up well and straight into the outside bin.
- Not sure about a packet? Put it in the freezer for three days.
- Vacuum the shelves, corners, joints and the holes for the shelf pins and wipe them with vinegar and water. That is where the caterpillars pupate.
- Put your food back in glass jars or tightly closing containers.
How long does it take to get rid of food moths?
Allow a few weeks. At room temperature a full cycle from egg to moth takes six to eight weeks, and pupae hidden in a crack still hatch after cleaning. If you see the odd moth in the first weeks, that is not a new infestation. A pheromone trap shows whether it is really over: if it catches nothing for weeks, you are rid of them.
How do you stop food moths coming back?
Store dry food and pet food airtight, check new products before putting them away and keep stores cool where you can: below about 15 degrees food moths barely develop. A pheromone trap in the cupboard catches the males and gives you an early warning. The Super Ninja pantry moth trap works for up to 3 months per trap and without insecticide. Find it under get rid of pantry moths.
Want to know more? Our guide explains how the pantry moth life cycle works and where they lay their eggs.
