Indian Meal Moth Plodia interpunctella (Hübner, 1813)Non-native    Synonyms: Ephestia glycinivora, Ephestia glycinivorella, Hodges #6019, Indian-Meal Moth, Indianmeal Moth, Tinea castaneella, Tinea interpunctella, Tinea zeae, Unadilla latercula.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Arthropoda   >   Class Insecta   >   Order Lepidoptera   >   Family Pyralidae   >   Genus Plodia   

Status:

This species is native to South America but is now found worldwide. Larvae infest a great variety of food products (e.g., cereal, flour, bird seed) and adults can be found indoors year-round. Only member of its genus in North America.

Glaser (Micromoths) notes that "It is questionable whether the species can survive outdoors in this climate because none have been taken at light, unlike Meal Moths or Greater Wax Moths."

There are 51 records in the project database.

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An Indian Meal Moth in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/4/2014). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

An Indian Meal Moth in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/4/2014). Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

An Indian Meal Moth in Cecil Co., Maryland (8/13/2015). Verified by Roger Downer/BAMONA. Photo by Shannon Schade. (MBP list)

An Indian Meal Moth in Prince George's Co., Maryland (8/2/2016). Verified by Roger Downer/BAMONA. Photo by Robert Aguilar, SERC. (MBP list)

Indian Meal Moth in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (9/14/2020). (c) Sergei Drovetski, all rights reserved. Photo by Sergei Drovetski. (MBP list)

Indian Meal Moths in Prince George's Co., Maryland (9/5/2019). Photo by Barbara Thurlow. (MBP list)

Indian Meal Moth in Carroll Co., Maryland (3/18/2023). Photo by Barbara Witty. (MBP list)

An Indian Meal Moth in Prince George's Co., Maryland (9/24/2014). Photo by George Harley. (MBP list)

Indian Meal Moth in Prince George's Co., Maryland (9/5/2019). (c) Barbara Thurlow, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Barbara Thurlow. (MBP list)

An Indian Meal Moth in Prince George's Co., Maryland (4/29/2005). Photo by Bob Patterson. (MBP list)

An Indian Meal Moth indoors in Howard Co., Maryland (1/14/2007). Photo by Larry Line. (MBP list)

Indian Meal Moth in Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Timothy Reichard, all rights reserved. Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)

An Indian Meal Moth in Odenton, Maryland (3/15/2013). Photo by Timothy Reichard. (MBP list)(More of this species)

An Indian Meal Moth. Photo by John Glaser. (MBP list)

An Indian Meal Moth in Allegany Co., Maryland (6/27/2019). Photo by Mark Eanes. (MBP list)


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