Advice
Pantry moths: life cycle, eggs and how to get rid of them
Pantry moths almost always come into the house with an infested product, such as flour, nuts or muesli. It is not the moths that eat your food but their larvae: they leave webbing in open packets and pupate in cracks in the cupboard. That is why you should clear out both your food and the cupboard. A full cycle from egg to new moth takes six to eight weeks, so allow at least that long before the infestation is really over.
In this article
Straight to the solution: Get rid of pantry moths or go directly to the Super Ninja Food Moth Trap.
What attracts pantry moths and where do they come from?
Pantry moths look for dry food: flour, pasta, rice, muesli, nuts, dried fruit, spices, chocolate and pet food. Usually the eggs or larvae are already in the product when you buy it. In a warm food cupboard they hatch and spread to other open packets. Less often, the moths fly in through an open window.
What is the life cycle of the pantry moth?
The life cycle has four stages: egg, larva, pupa and moth. A female lays 100 to 400 eggs directly on or in food. After a few days the larvae hatch; they feed for several weeks and spin webbing as they go. Then they pupate, often in cracks and corners of the cupboard, and a few weeks later the next moth emerges. At room temperature a full cycle takes about six to eight weeks, much longer in the cold. The adult moth lives only one to two weeks and exists mainly to reproduce.
Where do pantry moths lay their eggs?
Directly on dry food and in open or thin packaging, preferably in flour, cereals, nuts and dried fruit. The eggs are so small you can hardly see them. Warning signs are fine webbing, clumps in the flour and small white larvae. Also check cracks and the holes for shelf supports in the cupboard, where the larvae like to pupate.
Are pantry moths harmful or dangerous?
Pantry moths do not sting and do not transmit any known diseases. Infested food is, however, contaminated with droppings, webbing and larvae and belongs in the bin. The real damage is the food you have to throw away.
How do you catch pantry moths?
With a pheromone trap. The Super Ninja Food Moth Trap attracts the males with the pheromone of their own species and holds them on a sticky surface. Fewer females are fertilised, and you can see early on whether there are still moths about. The trap catches males only: you need to remove infested food, eggs and larvae yourself.
The trap works on the two species you are most likely to find in the food cupboard: the Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella) and the Mediterranean flour moth (Ephestia kuehniella). Hang it in or near the food cupboard, and keep the food itself in airtight containers. The pheromone stays active for three months; after that, replace the trap. Unopened, it keeps for three years.
How do you keep pantry moths away?
- Store dry food properly. Keep rice, pasta, flour and nuts in airtight jars or tins.
- Throw away infested food at once. Ideally seal it in a bag and take it straight to the outside bin.
- Clean thoroughly. Empty the cupboard, vacuum corners, cracks and holes and wipe down with vinegar and water.
- Remember the pet food. Keep dry pet food and bird seed airtight as well.
- Keep supplies cool. Below about 15 °C pantry moths hardly develop.
Is a moth trap enough on its own against pantry moths?
No. The trap mainly shows whether there are still moths about; the larvae live in the food. Without clearing out and airtight storage, the infestation will come back.
