Almond Moth Larvae - Cadra cautella - Harmful Crop Pest

The almond moth or tropical warehouse moth (Cadra cautella) is a small, stored-product pest. Almond moths infest flour, bran, oats, and other grains, as well as dried fruits. It belongs to the family of snout moths (Pyralidae), and more specifically to the tribe Phycitini of the huge snout moth subfamily Phycitinae. Larval almond moths are hatched onto a variety of dry food products, which then serve as their primary food source. Almond moth larvae are mostly gray with darker heads. The caterpillar is 12-15 mm long and identifiable by the pattern of spots along its back. Almond moths are found around the world. Although it thrives best in tropical climates, it has spread too many regions around the globe due to its tendency to infest dry goods that are shipped internationally. For example, it has been transported across Polynesia with copra shipments. The larvae of Almond moths attacked ate and destroyed many dried garlic at Tehatta, West Bengal; India on 08/11/2024.