It’s a small one gray and brown butterfly no larger than 20 mm, with a dark band on the wings: the flour moth (Plodia interpunctella), also called pasta moth The banded wheat moth is a pest insect of the Lepidoptera order capable of causing serious damage to our pantries. Their larvae are in fact very greedy for flour and other things dry wheat-based productssuch as pasta and biscuits, but also seeds and dried fruit. A flour moth infestation is easy to recognize by the presence of adult butterflies in the kitchen, usually on furniture and curtains. The silky filaments produced by the larvae, as well as their excrement and moulting shells they contaminate the food, which can no longer be consumed and must be thrown away: However, there are methods to get rid of moths and prevent their spread in the home, such as frequently ventilating pantries, using plastic and glass containers or special products to capture them.
Where moths come from, why they enter the house and what damage they cause
Related to clothes moths, from which they differ only in their diet, flour moths are pest insects that have adapted to rich sources of food produced and conserved by us human beings. The damage to the food industry are huge: it is estimated that moths, together with other pests, are responsible for the loss of food every year 10% of global grain stocks. There are different species but the most common in Italian homes is the Plodia interpunctellawhile other species such as Ephestia kuehniella cause problems to millsinfesting warehouses and in some cases blocking them machinery gears. As the moth larvae move, they produce silky filaments which clog surfaces: the presence of these filaments is an unmistakable sign that our pantries are infested.
Attracted by the smell of food and warm, humid environments, the adult specimens fly from the outside and enter the house they puncture the packages of pasta or biscuits depositing hundreds of eggs inside them. Holes and other obvious damage to a package of food stored indoors is another possible clue to the presence of moths. Upon hatching, the small white and elongated larvae with dark heads take over our supplies. In addition to the presence of filaments, excrements and exuviae (the exoskeleton remains of their moult), moths they contaminate food with pathogensbacteria, mould, fungi and yeasts, with the risk of irritations and allergic reactions. This is why when there is an infestation of flour moths, the food goes disposed of for hygienic reasons.
How to eliminate pasta butterflies
If we discover or suspect the presence of flour moths in our pantry, the best thing to do is get rid of not only contaminated food, but also of all the dry goods in its vicinity. The larvae and especially the eggs are very small and difficult to see, and can easily nest on nearby packages. A few eggs left out are enough to start a new infestationwhich is why it is best to be on the safe side by removing all suspicious food. Then it is necessary clean all surfaces thoroughly to eliminate possible eggs and let them dry thoroughly: moths prefer damp and dark environments. There are also specific sprays on the market against these insects in case of massive infestations.
How to prevent a moth infestation
Once present, moths are difficult to eradicate; the most effective strategy against them is therefore prevention – prevent them from depositing their larvae in the first place. As anticipated, adult butterflies, active especially in summer, have strong mandibles capable of piercing the fabric and paper of food packages, but they are not capable of drilling plastic, glass and metal: move your supplies of flour, pasta, biscuits and dried fruit inside rigid containers It’s a great way to ward off an infestation. Air frequently a dark, damp pantry makes the environment less hospitable to grain moths. There are also specifications insecticidal papers against these insects: by attracting only male moths thanks to reproductive pheromones, they limit the proliferation of these species.
