*4.4.1 Indian meal moth (*Plodia interpunctella *(Hübner, 1813) Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)*

*Distribution:* Indian meal moth is found all around the world especially in countries that have temperate climates.

*Host range:* They are mainly damaging dried fruits, nuts, cashew nuts, almonds, etc.

*Bionomics:* The Indian meal moth is a reddish-brown having peculiar markings on its forewings (**Figure 5**). Females lay 300–400 eggs on food grains either singly or in groups. Eggs, later on, hatched into whitish and sometimes into greenish or pinkish caterpillars that feed voraciously on stored grains, dried fruits, nuts, and many other foodstuffs. Larvae spin a silken cocoon and transform into a light brown pupa from which the moths emerge later on.

*Damage symptoms:* Full-grown larvae leave behind silken threads wherever they crawl, as well as the presence of greenish or pinkish caterpillars.

*4.4.2 Mediterranean flour moth (*Ephestia kuehniella *Zeller, 1879 Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)*

*Distribution:* Being cosmopolitan in nature, the Mediterranean flour moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is found all around the world especially in countries

**Figure 5.** *Dorsal view of adult of* Plodia interpunctella*.*

that have temperate climates. It mainly prefers warm temperatures for rapid development.

*Host range:* The larva of the Mediterranean flour moth mainly prefers flour meal, whole grain, and grain residues. This pest shows exception in a way of feeding on cereals rather than feeding on dried fruits.

*Bionomics:* The Mediterranean flour moth is one of the most serious pests of flour mills, storehouses, granaries, and bran mills that has pale leaden gray fore wings with transverse wavy black markings. Hind wings remain inside fore wings during rest and are white in color (**Figure 6**). They produce such dense webs with flour or meals that can eventually clog mills and the machinery have to shut down thorough cleaning processes. Females lay small whitish eggs in the accumulation of flour, kernel, meal, or waste and crushed grains. Larvae that emerged from these eggs are small, white, or pink in color with a few small black spots on the body. Reddishbrown pupae are formed inside the silk cocoon formed by the full-grown larvae.

*Damage symptoms*: The infestation can be seen during the production of dense webs with flour or meals inside bins. These can eventually clog mills and the machinery have to shut down for thorough cleaning processes. This species particularly enjoys inhabiting flour mills and bakeries due to the heat, which allows it to breed year-round.
