Field plate · Plodia interpunctella
Indianmeal moth
The pantry moth: small, two-toned, fluttering at the kitchen light while its larvae web through flour, cereal, and bird seed.
Plate 18 of 28. Drawn in profile to the identification marks named below; the scale rule is a drawing convention — sizes are given in the text.
Identification marks
Adults 8–10 mm long with a wing pattern in two clear halves — pale grey near the body, coppery-bronze toward the tips. Larvae are off-white caterpillars, about 12 mm, with brown heads, leaving silk webbing in food.
Look-alikes it is confused with
Clothes moths (smaller, plainer, in closets not kitchens), Mediterranean flour moths, and the harmless drain flies and fungus gnats that get blamed for every small flying thing.
Where it hides in a house
The food itself: flour, cornmeal, cereal, nuts, chocolate, dried fruit, pet food, and bird seed — including the bag in the garage. Mature larvae wander to ceiling corners and cupboard tops to pupate, which is why moths appear far from the source.
Health & property risk, stated plainly
Food loss and contamination rather than disease. Webbing, larvae, and cast skins render infested goods unusable, and an ignored bag of seed can seed the whole pantry repeatedly.
What actually works
Find and discard the source — inspect every dry good, including pet food — then vacuum cupboard cracks, wash shelves, and store replacements in hard, sealed containers. Pheromone traps monitor the result and catch stray males; they are gauges, not the cure.
What doesn't
Spraying cupboards while the infested seed bag stays in the garage, and keeping 'probably fine' flour that shares a shelf with a webbed box.
When to call a licensed pro
Call a pro when the source cannot be found after a full clean-out, or in a bakery, pantry business, or large stored-goods space.