Continued
It is generally similar to E. elutella (which we haven't covered yet), but larvae become pupae within the food. Eggs are laid near the products where they feed. Larvae move quickly, feeding and producing silk, creating webs. The product also acquires an unpleasant smell and a grey/brown colour due to the faeces. They grow completely and form pupae within the same products they infest. Silk may form compact masses (webbing) that may obstruct tubes and shoots in wheat mills, in fact it has been known to bring machinary to a standstill, and serve as an undercover for other insects that damage grains and stored products.

Adults are short lived (approximately 14 days), do not feed and usually fly near the roofings. They fly more actively at the early morning and late afternoon.

Mill moth larvae prefer wheat flour, but will also feed on all sorts of grains, cereals, seeds, macaroni, dried fruits, cocoa, nuts and almonds.

Treatment:
The treatment is as for all stored product pests, scrupulous housekeeping, regular pest control inspections which give detailed feed-back, so that any problems can be spotted early and dealt with. If the problem gets bad, then the only way is to fumigate allied with a spraying program of alighting surfaces, cracks and crevices, (where the larvae and pupa may be residing). There are developments at various establishments, which are using the biological approach, use of other insects including mites fungi which are showing prospects, but these are in the future and we are still using gases.