Pantry Moth Facts & Information

While they do look like clothes moths, there are some distinctive features that make pantry moths stand out. With a wingspan of 5/8-inch, they are pretty small. Their wings have a pale greyish tint, and some outer wings are more reddish brown. A black band connects the upper and lower wings. Because they’re so small it’s easy to overlook pantry moths until your kitchen storage space is overwhelmed by them.

Pantry moths are found almost everywhere in the U.S. These pests will feed on almost any dry foods, especially raw and processed grain products, cereals, pastas, and dog and cat food. An infestation is not a sign of your own poor housekeeping, because in most cases the initial infestation occurs at a commercial food processing or packaging facility and comes into your home from packaged foods.

The hundreds of tiny white eggs laid by adult female moths will hatch in a few days into small white caterpillar larvae, less than 1/2 inch long, which spend the next several weeks spinning webs and eating your stored foods before forming pupae that will hatch into more moths. The entire process can take from 1 to 10 months, so by the time you find visible moths, there is a good chance you have a bad infestation in any dry food containers that are not sealed tightly.

It is often the webbing in the corners of pantries and cupboards that are the first indications of pantry moths—but at least this is better than pouring a cup of flour filled with squirming white worms.

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