Species Details

ABH: 62.062

BF: 1479

Family: Pyralidae

Subfamily: Phycitinae

Taxon: Plodia interpunctella

Authority: (Hübner, [1813])

Vernacular: Indian Meal Moth

Account: Local in barns, warehouses and granaries, also sometimes in and around houses, throughout the British Isles, rarely recorded in the wider countryside. Thoroughly naturalised, through accidental introduction in dried goods, and now a frequent, often abundant, pest of warehouses, first recorded in Britain in 1847. Distributed erratically across Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight, where often found in bird seed and similar products, from pet shops. Wingspan 14-20 mm. Larva feeds on dried goods, cereals, grain, dried fruit, nuts and dead insects, causing sufficient damage to be a serious pest in some areas.

Accounts provided by and used with the kind permission of Mike Wall, Hampshire County Moth Recorder. These will in due course be gradually replaced with species accounts with a Surrey context.

Wingspan: 14 — 20 mm

Surrey Flight Period: 30 Jan (2020) — 14 Sep (2001)

The flight period of overwintering adults are not given. See the flight chart below the distribution map.

Foodplant:

Foodplant accounts are from the HOSTS database — Natural History Museum, London, UK. (CC0).

Status: Local

UK BAP:

WCA:

Click here to view the full geology map of Surrey.

Verification Grade: 1 — Relatively easily identified 👌

Further Information: https://www.ukmoths.org.uk/species/plodia-interpunctella/

Statistics

* Based on adult records only.

Records: 17

Individuals: 1

Earliest Year: 2000

Latest Year: 2024

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