Top Results for Pyralidae

The cactus moth, Cactoblastis cactorum, is a South American moth in the family Pyralidae whose caterpillars feed inside prickly pear and other Opuntia cacti. It was introduced into Australia in the 1920s as a biological control agent against invasive prickly pear, where it contributed to the reducti...

The almond moth is Cadra cautella (Walker), a small moth in the family Pyralidae and a stored-food pest found worldwide. Adults have gray forewings and a wingspan of about 16 to 30 millimeters, while larvae prefer dried fruit but also feed on flour, grain, dates, cocoa beans, nuts, and seeds. Infest...

The tobacco moth (Ephestia elutella) is a small pyralid moth and a cosmopolitan pest of stored products. Its larvae damage harvested tobacco leaves and can also infest cocoa, cereals, dried fruit, rice, dehydrated vegetables, green coffee beans and oilseed products. The species is important to wareh...

The sunflower moth, Homoeosoma electellum, is a small pyralid moth native to North America whose caterpillars develop in sunflower flower heads. Larvae can web together parts of the head, feed on florets and developing seeds, and contaminate or weaken the crop, which makes the species an agricultura...

The Mediterranean flour moth (Ephestia kuehniella) is a small pyralid moth found worldwide as a pest of stored foods. Its larvae feed on flour, meal, and other milled grain products while spinning dense silk webbing that binds food particles and can clog machinery in flour mills, bakeries, and wareh...

The lesser wax moth, Achroia grisella, is a small moth of the family Pyralidae found in association with honey bee colonies across warm regions of the world. Its larvae feed on beeswax, pollen, and other debris, tunnelling through and damaging the comb; they chiefly attack weakened colonies and stor...

Galleria mellonella, the greater wax moth, is a moth of the family Pyralidae whose larvae, known as waxworms, feed on beeswax and honeycomb inside honey bee colonies, destroying comb in weakened hives and stored frames and making the species a significant apicultural pest worldwide. The larvae are w...

The meal moth (Pyralis farinalis) is a pyralid moth whose larvae feed on stored, dry plant material. It has a cosmopolitan distribution and occurs in places such as mills, warehouses, and household pantries, where it can infest flour, grain, and other milled foods. Adults have brown forewings with c...

The Indian mealmoth (Plodia interpunctella) is a small moth of the family Pyralidae and among the most widespread pests of stored food in homes worldwide. Adults are recognized by their two-toned wings, with a coppery or bronze band across the outer portion and pale grey inner sections. Its larvae f...

Greater wax moth is the common name for Galleria mellonella, a pyralid moth associated with honey-bee colonies. Its larvae feed on beeswax comb and also consume material such as cocoons, cast skins, and pollen, while spinning silk-lined tunnels through the comb. Infestations are most damaging in wea...

The dried fruit moth is a common name used for stored-product pyralid moths, most specifically Cadra calidella, also known as Ephestia calidella. Its larvae feed on dried fruit, dates, nuts, carob, and other dry plant products, where they can contaminate food and reduce its marketability. The name i...

Tropical warehouse moth is the common name for Cadra cautella, a small pyralid moth also called the almond moth; older references may use the scientific name Ephestia cautella. It is a stored-product pest distributed across tropical and subtropical regions and can persist in heated buildings in temp...