Page 328 - The Book of Caterpillars: A Life-Size Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World

MOTH CATERPILLARS

FAMILY Tortricidae
DISTRIBUTION Every continent, except Antarctica
HABITAT Stored grain or nut facilities, households, warehouses;
can survive and breed outdoors among nut trees

HOSTS Foodstu s, including our, cereals, dried fruits, nuts,
and chocolate
NOTE Common household pest that gives caterpillars a bad name
CONSERVATION STATUS Not evaluated, but abundant

ADULT WINGSPAN
½–¾ in (13–20 mm)
CATERPILLAR LENGTH
⅜–½ in (10–12 mm)
PLODIA INTERPUNCTELLA
INDIAN MEAL MOTH
326
(HÜBNER, [1813])

Indian Meal Moth caterpillars can be found year-round indoors,
and in food processing and storage facilities. The life cycle can
be completed in three weeks under optimal temperatures—
86–95°F (30–35°C)—so there may be more than 12 generations
Actual size
annually. Females lay 60 to 400 pinhead-sized, white, sticky
eggs on food surfaces, which hatch in 2 to 14 days, depending on
temperature. The caterpillars feed on the surface of grain, nuts,
and our, trailing silken threads that bind food, frass, and cast

skins together. There are ve to seven instars, and last instars
pupate in a thin, white cocoon from which adult moths emerge
The Indian Meal Moth caterpillar is generally in about seven days.
white with a pinkish or greenish tinge. Its setae
are sparse, pale, and relatively long. The setal

bases are dark and sometimes appear as distinct Adult moths y at night, are non-feeding, and live only seven
spots. The head and true legs are reddish brown,
as are the dorsal collar on segment one and the to ten days. After emergence, females produce a pheromone to
small dorsal shield on the posterior segment. attract males for mating, usually at dusk. Last instar caterpillars
are capable of entering diapause, allowing them to survive the
winter in unheated conditions.