Common name : Tropical warehouse moth
Scientific name : Ephestia cautella
Family : Pyralidae
Native to : Worldwide distribution
Interesting fact : Since it infests grains and dried fruits, this moth has become widespread across the globe due to transport of grains.
2 cm in length, the tropical warehouse moth is very often confused with the dried fruit moth. However, the adults and the larvae of this species are mottled greyish colour. They are a huge infestation problem, especially since the female lays eggs on a large variety of food products including cocoa, grains, nuts, flour, oats, bran, chocolate products, etc. Typically, a female can lay about 260 eggs in her life. Once these eggs hatch, the larvae cause damage to products through infestation, faeces, fungi, etc.
