Grain moth

Biology:

The grain moth (Fam. Gelechiidae, palm moths) has a wingspan of up to 18 mm. The wings are elongated, pointed and have long fringes on the rear edge. The forewings have a cloudy clay-yellow color with black dots, the head is smoothly scaled. The larvae, which are up to 7 mm long, are initially yellowish red and later turn white. They live in cereal grains and are therefore difficult to detect. The caterpillars eat the grain completely and pupate in it. In southern Europe, infestation of the unripe grains already takes place in the field.

Damage:

The main damage consists of eating out the grains. All types of grain are infested, especially wheat and maize, but also rice, millet, legumes, sweet chestnuts and cocoa beans. The smell and taste of the infested goods are significantly impaired by the infestation.