Description

Adult

Wingspan of 18-27 mm. Forewings long with somewhat rounded tips, pale grey to brownish-grey in colour with 2 dark zig zag bands, sometimes indistinct. Hindwings white with veins and terminal line greyish-brown. Head, thorax and abdomen grey.

Larvae

Final instars reach a length of 20 mm. Body pinkish white or yellowish-white. Head brown, thoracic and anal plates yellowish or reddish brown. Pinacula usually dark brown and indistinct.

Eggs

Oval, greyish white with surface sculpturing. Ca. 0.57 x 0.3 mm in size. Laid in rows or randomly on or near a suitable food source.

Distribution

Cosmopolitan.

Economic Host(s)

A wide variety of cereal based products including wheat products, maize, sorghum, oats and barley.

Symptoms/Signs

The larvae burrow into the stored product to feed within a silk woven feeding den, which expands as the larvae grows. Webbing, heaps of flour dust, frass and exuviae are signs of infestation.

Generations:

1-3