Eliminating Indian Meal Moths from Pantry and Garage

Indian meal moths infest stored bird seed, grains, and dry goods. A thorough cleanup and monitoring program eradicates them.

Steps to Control

1. Empty and clean all cabinets/pantry surfaces.
2. Seal cracks with caulk (egg-laying sites).
3. Wipe cans and jars, especially lid rims.
4. Transfer all boxed foods to resealable plastic bags.
5. Check bags weekly for a month; discard any with moths.
6. Use pheromone traps (Pantry Pest Traps) in kitchen and garage to monitor.
7. After two weeks with no catches, the infestation is cleared.

Store bird seed in sealed plastic bags inside containers and use promptly.

Indian meal moth image courtesy of Gary Alpert. Note that a moth is only 1/4" long.