The document discusses the Indian meal moth, a common pest that infests stored food products. It describes the moth's life cycle, which includes laying 400 eggs that hatch into larvae in 2-14 days. The larvae then develop through 4-7 molts over 30-35 days before forming a pupa and emerging as an adult after another 4-35 days. As both larvae and adults, they feed on dried goods and infest grain stores worldwide. The document outlines measures to control infestations through inspection, cleaning, sealing food containers, and freezing or heating goods to kill all life stages.

2. ENT-508
STOREPRODUCTSPESTANDTHEIR
MANAGEMANT

3. PERSENTATIONTITLE
INDIANMEAL MOTH

4. SUBMITTEDTO: DR. MUHAMMAD ASIF FAROOQ
PREPARED BY:
MUHAMMADIJAZ
Universityof Agriculture, Faisalabad
Burewala-Campus

5. Indian Meal
Moth

6. Indian Meal
Moth
Scientific Name : Plodia
interpunctella
Family : Pyralidae
Order : Lepidoptera

7. Life Cycle
Fecundity: 400 eggs
Incubation Period : 2-14 days
larva: Full-fed 30-35 days
Moults : 4-7, ready to mate
after 16 days
Pupa : 4-35 days
5-6 WEEKS

8. Indian Meal
Moth
Adults

9. Indian Meal
Moth
Eggs

10. Indian Meal
Moth
Larvae

11. Indian Meal
Moth
Pupa

12. Distribution
widely distributed in stores of world-
wide especially South East Asia ( Pakistan
, India, Bangladesh etc.
Status
Potential pest of store grains .

13. Life History
ActivePeriod
Breeds from March to October and
throughout year where favorable warm
conditions prevail
InactivePeriod : In cold weather , short photo
period , unheated buildings , and overcrowding ,
some strains of this pest undergo diapause as
fully grown larvae from November to February
Optimumdamage: July to October
No.ofGeneration/year: 4-6

14. Characteristics
 Adult has hind wing that is broader than the front
wing and fringed with long hair-like scales.
 Larva has 5 pairs of well-developed prolegs on
abdomen, each with hooks.
 The Indian meal moth originated in the Old World, but
now occurs around the world.
 The Indian meal moth larva's home is your food!
 The adult moths usually fly at night and lay eggs on
food such as grain, dried food, and especially pet food
.

15. Indian Meal
Moth Habits
• Nocturnal: They are nocturnal, flying at night.
They have a zigzag pattern.
• Lay Their Eggs: They lay their eggs in foods like
flours, cereals, grains, grain products, dried
fruit, dried food, seeds, powder milk,
chocolates, candy, chocolates, and specially dry
pet foods.
• Webs: They make a lot of webs in the food
stuff that Indian Meal Moths infest.
• Larvae: The larvae may be found far away from
infested foods. They crawl to a hidden area to
make cocoons in which to pupate.
• Cloth Moths or Indian Meal Moths? The
Clothes moth have no distinctive markings, and
the wing span is only 1/4th inch.

16. Detection of
Indian Meal
Moths
Besides spotting this flying insect weakly
flying in its zigzag pattern.
 you can detect webbing in your foodstuffs.
 Looking inside the food containers, many
times you will see their larvae.
Their larvae is pale. The larvae will cause
the food to clump together, which is easier
to see with the naked eye.

17. What Do They
Eat?
Indian Meal moth larvae can infest a wide range
of dry foods, which explains why they are
considered by many experts to be the most
common stored-food pest in homes and grocery
stores. Commonly infested foods include:
Birdseed
Breads & grains
Cereal
Dried fruits & nuts
Dry pet food
Flour
Pasta
Rice
Spices

18. Mode of Damage
Only larva cause damage only.
The larva attack store grains, eating the
embryo and milled cereal.
They completely web over the surface of
the heap of grains with silken thread.
The mature larva are very active and
migrate from the food to find a pupation
site .
The adults can fly from one store to the
other for spreading infestation.

19. Damage

20. Damage

21. How Do I Get Rid
of Indian Meal
Moths?
• What You Can Do?
Controlling Indian Meal moths starts with a careful
inspection to identify all the infestation’s food sources.
Pay particular attention to items that have remained in
the cupboard for long periods or foods that are loosely
sealed or are in thin wrapping. Some additional
ways of handling these pests include:
 Inspection
 Thorough Cleanup
 Seal Holes
 Proper Storage
 Remove Infested Foodstuffs & Clean
 Freezing (0°F (-18°C))
 Heating ( 130°F to 150°F (54°C to 66°C) are maintained
for 24 hours in infested facilities)

22. Control
Bio-control
 Larval parasite, Bracon
hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
 Egg parasite, Trichogramma
pretiosum (Hymenoptera:
Trichogrammatidae)
Chemical control
Insect Growth Regulator, it was found that at
rates of 5 and 10 ppm no control of fifth
instar larvae was accomplished. Only at 20 to
30 ppm was control of fifth instar larvae
observed.
 Resistance was also observed in studies
performed with the microbial
insecticide Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).