| So... What's a Meal Moth? Meal moth larvae can cause considerable damage in your kitchen, as well as grocery stores, food mills, restaurants, and other food processing plants. The adult meal moth is about 3/8" in length and has a brownish-red body with wings tipped in bronze. The larvae and eggs are both an off-white color. Reproduction Patterns of Meal Moths The life cycle of the meal moth can vary greatly in its length, depending on temperature and environmental conditions, and can range anywhere from a few weeks up to 3/4 of a year or more. Adult female moths will deposit up to 300 eggs in or near food products so that when the eggs hatch, the emerging larvae will have food. Each larva will create a tunnel with its silk and droppings. It will feed for up to 6 weeks on food products before crawling off to pupate in a crack or along the edge of a ceiling or cupboard. It will then construct a cocoon, pupate, and emerge as an adult winged moth ready to mate and lay eggs (the adult moth usually dies about a week later) and the cycle continues. If conditions are ideal, there can be up to 5 generations in a year. Meal Moth's Habitat Meal moths may enter a home by flying through an open window, open door or hole in a screen. The most common method of entry for a meal moth, however, is by hitching a ride in packaged foods and groceries. Once there, the larvae feast on grain products, seeds, dried fruits, animals foods and many other consumables. Meal Moths can be extremely difficult to get rid of. Using a pantry moth trap such as the Safer® Brand The Pantry Pest® trap can keep your pantry and food supply free from moths and provide you effective moth control. Safer®Brand brings you a variety of effective insect control products that are gentler on the environment! Most of them proudly display the OMRI Listed® organic seal and comply for use in organic gardening! 
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