Question: What is the best way to get rid of the indian meal moth?
ANSWER The caterpillars of these moths infest stored food materials, such as flour, meal, mixes, cereal, spices, birdseed, dry pet food, dry flowers, and other similar material. You can identify the infested material by the webbing over the surface. The caterpillars often move out and crawl on walls and the ceiling when they are full grown.
The adult moths live for about three weeks, and can persist after the caterpillars have been controlled.
The best control method is to remove everything from kitchen cabinets and pantries. Discard what is infested; then vacuum the area very well. After vacuuming, replace the material, and vacuum again in about a week.
There are some commercial pheromone (scent) traps for these moths. They act by attracting the male moths to a scent of the female; control is achieved by removing the males and preventing females from mating and reproducing. You might find these traps at the local home or hardware store or maybe the garden center.
