1 micro moth for ID please

Johnny81 · #1 (**permalink**) 20-03-2011, 05:54 PM

Taken today in my house in Northampton, I only have a macro moth book!

nightshade · #2 (**permalink**) 20-03-2011, 06:14 PM

I only have a few in the Collins Complete British Insects and its not one of those ,sorry

aeshna5 · #3 (**permalink**) 20-03-2011, 07:10 PM

Looks like an Indian Meal Moth, Plodia interpunctella. These can reach pest conditions indoors + infest unsealed food stuffs I had an episode of these a few years back + came with bird food. It took ages to get rid of them.

Johnny81 · #4 (**permalink**) 20-03-2011, 07:14 PM

Certainly fits other pictures on a google search, I shall keep my eye out for any more of them, if it is this species. This was my first moth of the year though

aeshna5 · #5 (**permalink**) 20-03-2011, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny81

Certainly fits other pictures on a google search, I shall keep my eye out for any more of them, if it is this species. This was my first moth of the year though

Hopefully your last too of this species!

Johnny81 · #6 (**permalink**) 20-03-2011, 07:22 PM

From your experience, you said it came with bird food? We keep a couple of bags of seed in the house.... is that what you meant?

aeshna5 · #7 (**permalink**) 20-03-2011, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny81

From your experience, you said it came with bird food? We keep a couple of bags of seed in the house.... is that what you meant?

I think mine came in with peanuts, though could come in with seed I guess. They will certainly infest ceral boxes + the like. Often found larvae in cereal boxes + the like.

paulewatts · #8 (**permalink**) 21-03-2011, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Looks like an Indian Meal Moth, Plodia interpunctella. These can reach pest conditions indoors + infest unsealed food stuffs I had an episode of these a few years back + came with bird food. It took ages to get rid of them.

I agree. It's on the UK Moths website. It has emerged early for the UK but if it's arrived in nuts from overseas it could have emerged at the right time wherever it came from. Alternatively, the pupa may just have encountered a nice warm environment and decided it was time to emerge. Here's the link to the UK Moths page Indian Meal Moth Plodia interpunctella - UKMoths

Paul Watts
Shrops

nightshade · #9 (**permalink**) 21-03-2011, 10:37 AM

That is a good Moth id site. I think I recognise the moth now (not definitely) but I think they called it the cocoa moth at Fry's chocolate factory and it cost a fortune to control.