Identification

Adult pantry moths are small, typically ½ to ⅝ inches long with a wingspan of about ¾ inch. Their wings are distinctive, with the basal third being grayish or yellowish and the outer two-thirds being reddish-brown or coppery with darker bands.

The larvae (caterpillars) are creamy white with a brown head and are usually found in the infested food. They can grow up to ½ inch long. You might also notice silken threads or webbing in the food, which the larvae produce as they move and feed.   

Life Cycle

The pantry moth life cycle consists of four stages:   

• Egg: Female moths lay between 100 and 400 tiny, whitish-gray eggs, usually directly on or near a food source. These eggs hatch in 2 to 14 days.   
• Larva: The larvae are the feeding stage and cause the most damage. They consume a wide variety of dry goods for 2 to 14 weeks, depending on the food source and temperature.   
• Pupa: Once the larvae are fully grown, they leave the food source to find a sheltered place to pupate, such as crevices in pantry shelves, walls, or ceilings. They spin a silken cocoon and remain in the pupal stage for 1 to 3 weeks.   
• Adult: Adult moths emerge from the pupae. They live for about 1 to 2 weeks and do not feed. Their primary purpose is to mate and for the females to lay eggs, starting the cycle anew. The entire life cycle can be completed in as little as 30 days under ideal warm conditions or may take up to 300 days in less favorable environments.