Tropical Warehouse Moth, Ephestia cautella
Tropical warehouse moth, Ephestia cautella is a major pest of stored food products worldwide. It is originated from tropics or subtropics but it disperses through imported food cargoes. Infestations have been reported in cereals and chocolate manufacturing zones and facilities. It infests dried fruit and nuts, cereals, oil seeds, oil cakes and chocolate products. This insect pecies, Ephestia cautella is also known as almond moth or cocoa moth.
Biology of Ephestia cautella
Adults are 8-10 mm in length with roughly a 10-18mm wingspan. Forewings are grey-brown and banded with lighter and darker colours. Adult female lays 300-400 eggs during the first week, usually starting 20-25 days after adult emergence.
The larvae are dirty white and have purple spots. Larval growth depends on temperature. At 25°C they will be fully-grown in 25 days. When pupation draws near, they generally migrate away from the foodstuff, and climb walls in search of crevices to pupate. Pupae period is completed with in 12-15 days in the vicinity of food. Tropical warehouse moth overwinters as larvae in low temperature.
Nature of Damage of Ephestia cautella
The larvae of tropical warehouse commonly attack grains, nuts, dried fruits and a great variety of other stored products. Larvae can chew through foil wrapping, cause damage by contaminating foodstuffs with frass, webbing or silk making. Silk webbing produced by the caterpillars can block machinery of flourmills and food processing plants.
Pheromone for Tropical Warehouse Moth, Ephestia cautella
Russell IPM manufactures and supplies pheromone lure, traps and complete monitoring systems for Ephestia cautella, Tropical warehouse moth or almond moth. Pheromone trap provides warning of the infestation and alerts the pest controller before infestation become serious.