Species Pyralis farinalis - Meal Moth - Hodges#5510

5510

FARINALIS: from the Latin "farina" (ground corn) - Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1983

wingspan 18-30 mm

larvae to 20 mm

Adult: forewing crossed by two white lines, the basal line curved in an arc, and the distal line wavy; area between the lines is light yellowish-brown; areas outside the distal line and inside the basal line are darker brown; hindwing pale brown, crossed by two wavy white lines; distal half of wing with several dark patches

adults rest characteristically with the tip of the abdomen curved up at right-angles to the body

Larva: body cream-colored, hairless; head brown

worldwide

mainly in homes, barns, warehouses and other buildings where grain or processed grain products are stored

adults fly from May to August outdoors, and may be found any time of year indoors

larvae (caterpillars) feed on stored grain and grain products

a pest of stored grain and grain products throughout the world

Ragweed Flower Moth (Schinia rivulosa) has a similar forewing pattern but its colors are blackish-gray and lighter gray, and its hindwing is unmarked

Moth Photographers Group - species page with photos of living and pinned adults.

pinned adult image by John Glaser (Dalton State College, Georgia)

adult images and other info (Larry Line, Maryland)

BOLD - Barcode of Life Data Systems - species account with photographs of pinned adults and DNA sequence