Tropical Warehouse Moth

Tropical Warehouse Moth (Ephestia cautella) has brown-grey forewings with a darker band running across the middle and far edges. The wingspan is approximately 15 – 20 mm and when at rest its length is between 10 – 12 mm. The yellow-white larvae grow up to 14 mm long, have a brown head and a dark spot at the base of the back hairs. Pest status is major widespread, not affecting field grown crops, only stored cereal grain, oilseeds and flour. Larvae feeding on the grain in heavy numbers produce very large quantities of webbing over the surface of the grain and adjacent parts of the storage structure.