Indianmeal Moth - Description and Life Cycle

Description and Life Cycle

Adults are 8–10 mm in length with 16–20 mm wingspans. The outer half of their forewings are bronze, copper, or dark gray in color, while the upper half are yellowish-gray, with a dark band at the intersection between the two. The moth larvae are off-white with brown heads. When these larvae mature, they are usually about 12 mm long.

The entire life cycle of this species may take 30 to 300 days. Female moths lay between 60 and 400 eggs on a food surface, which are ordinarily smaller than 0.5 mm and not sticky. The eggs hatch in 2 to 14 days. The larval stage lasts from 2 to 41 weeks, depending on the temperature.

  • Mating adults

  • Freshly laid eggs

  • Larva on sprinkles

  • Empty pupal case

Read more about this topic:  Indianmeal Moth

Famous quotes containing the words description and, description, life and/or cycle:

    He hath achieved a maid
    That paragons description and wild fame;
    One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens.
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

    He hath achieved a maid
    That paragons description and wild fame;
    One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens.
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

    Where is the Life we have lost in living?
    Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?
    Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?
    —T.S. (Thomas Stearns)

    Only mediocrities progress. An artist revolves in a cycle of masterpieces, the first of which is no less perfect than the last.
    Oscar Wilde (1854–1900)