This is a moth which lays its eggs in a bumble bee nest, or more rarely in a wasp nest. There the larvae feed on any organic material, e.g. the wax cells and their con- tent of nectar and pollen in a bumble bee colony, but they may also attack the bee larvae. When fully […]
Tapestry moth
Latin: Trichophaga tapetzella This is the largest of the moths that attack textiles, and it has a tendency to• feed more on coarser materials than the other textile moths, including such things as horse hair, coarse furs and skins. Like the preceding species it thrives in humid conditions, and nowadays it is found especially in […]
Brown house moth
Latin: Hofmannophila pseudospretella This is another moth that is very similar to the clothes moth, but it is larger (up to 1.5 cm long). Under favourable conditions the female can lay 500-600 eggs and the larvae feed on many different types of material. They are found in stores of cereals and seeds and may attack […]
Case bearing clothes moth
( Latin: Tinea pellionella) Unlike the common clothes moth this is an insect which does live outside in temperate regions. For instance, it is not uncommonly found in birds’ nests. The adult case bearing clothes moth is very similar in appearance to the common clothes moth. The larvae of the case bearing moth are, however, easy […]
Wine moth
( Latin: Oinophila v-flavum) This is not really a food pest, but it is somewhat of a specialist, that i often found in wine cellars where the larvae gnaw holes in the corks. They thrive particularly in damp cellars, feeding on the mould growing on the walls and on the wine corks, and what is […]
Brown house moth
( Latin: Hofmannophila pseudospretella) The larva of this moth is sometimes to be found in grain warehouses or among foodstuffs, but it is primarily a pest of textiles
Indian meal moth
( Latin: Plodia interpunctella) This is a particularly serious pest in stores of food in warm regions of the world. It mainly infests dried fruit, nuts and almonds, and the larvae are also found in chocolate, and sometimes in cereal products. Under the most favourable conditions (at 25° C) development from egg to adult takes […]
Dried currant moth
( Latin: Ephestia cautella) This is very similar to the preceding species and it has the same habits. Also known as Cadra cautella.
Mill or flour moth
( Latin: Ephestia kuehniella) This moth came originally from India. It was first found in Europe in about 1877 in American wheat. Nowadays there are few concerns dealing with flour and cereals which do not suffer from time to time from the depredations of this kind of moth. It may also become a menace in private […]
Small moths
( Latin: Microlepidoptera) Although one does not generally associate moths with foods, there are in fact some species which exploit foods and some of them are among the serious pests in stores and factories.