How do I tell an Indian meal moth from a clothes moth?

Indian meal moths have copper-red wings with a cream-coloured lower half. Clothes moths are golden-buff or light tan with a fuzzy head. Indian meal moths fly around kitchens. Clothes moths crawl along fabrics.

Where do Indian meal moths come from?

They usually enter your home inside infested food products like rice, flour, cereal, pet food, or dried herbs. Check the pantry for old or poorly sealed packages.

Where do clothes moths lay their eggs?

Clothes moths lay eggs on natural fibre fabrics like wool, cashmere, silk, cotton, and feathers. They avoid synthetic fabrics unless they are blended with natural fibres.

Do pheromone traps work for both moth species?

Pheromone traps work for Indian meal moths and can help reduce the population in your kitchen. For clothes moths, pheromone traps are less useful because the adults do not fly far from where they hatched.

How do I get rid of a moth infestation in my pantry?

Throw out all open food packages in your pantry. Vacuum the shelves thoroughly. Wash surfaces with soapy water. Then set pheromone traps and store all dry goods in airtight glass or plastic containers.

Indian Meal Moth vs Clothes Moth in the GTA

By PestRecord Editorial Team

You see a moth in your home. Is it eating your sweaters or your cereal? The answer matters because these two moths require completely different treatments.

Indian Meal Moth

Indian meal moths are the most common pantry moth in the GTA. They have distinctive copper-red wings with a creamy white lower half. If you see moths flying around your kitchen, especially near the pantry or under cabinets, you likely have Indian meal moths.

Indian meal moths lay eggs in dry food products. Their larvae feed on rice, flour, cereal, dried fruit, nuts, pet food, and spices. You may see the worms crawling up kitchen walls before they turn into moths.

To treat an Indian meal moth infestation, throw out all open dry goods. Vacuum pantry shelves thoroughly. Wash surfaces with warm soapy water. Set pheromone traps to catch adult males. Store all remaining food in airtight containers. A licensed operator can apply IGR products in pantry crevices to stop the life cycle.

Clothes Moth

Clothes moths are golden-buff coloured with a fuzzy head. Unlike Indian meal moths, they do not fly well and you will usually see their larvae crawling on fabric rather than moths flying through the kitchen.

Clothes moths lay eggs on natural fibre fabrics. Their larvae eat wool, cashmere, silk, cotton, leather, and feathers. They avoid synthetic fabrics unless they are blended with natural fibres.

To treat clothes moths, inspect all wool and natural fibre items. Freeze susceptible items for 72 hours or have them professionally dry cleaned. Vacuum closets and storage areas thoroughly. Store clean items in airtight bags.

Which Moth Do You Have?

If the moth is flying around your kitchen near food storage, it is an Indian meal moth. If you find small worms crawling on sweaters or fabric in your closet, it is a clothes moth. Get free quotes from licensed moth control operators for accurate identification and targeted treatment.