Seq # 490840010

Pyralis farinalis Linnaeus, 1758 Species

Last modified: April 19, 2024, 2:59 p.m.


A common species throughout Belgium, well distributed in the northern part.


Details

Classification
Family: Pyralidae > Subfamily: Pyralinae > Tribus: Pyralini > Genus: Pyralis > Species: Pyralis farinalis
Vernacular names
Grote meelmot (NL), Meal moth (EN), la Pyrale de la farine (FR), Mehlzünsler (DE)
First mention in Belgium
De Sélys-Longchamps E. 1844. Énumération des insectes Lépidoptères de la Belgique. — Mémoires de la Société royale des Sciences de Liége 2: 1–35. On page 19 (as Pyralis farinalis Wv.). view page
Status

Native


Distribution


Imago

Wingspan 18–30 mm. Ground color ochre-brown to pinkish-brown, varying in intensity. White transverse bands, the first curved, the second very sinuous, base of forewing as well as distal area purplish brown, hindwings whitish gray.

Museum specimens


Specimens in nature


Egg

The adult female lays about 200 – 400 eggs laid in piles of grain or accumulations of plants. They hatches after a few days.

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Caterpillar

The larval stage takes as little as 6 weeks. It is cream-colored and hairless.

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Bionomics

The larvae spin tough silk tubes or gallery that are coated or mixed with food particles, firmly attached to a structure. They stay in these tubes and feed from the open ends. When fully developed, the larvae leave these tubes and spin silken cocoons in which they pupate.
They rest characteristically with the tip of the abdomen curved up at right-angles to the body. The adults are active at night and comes occasionally to light and sugar. Rarely seen outside his preferred habitat such as warehouses and other grainstores.

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Flight periods

They are observed practically all year round, especially indoors. Main flightperiod from May till October.


Observed on

Substrates:
Stored products (grain, rice, nuts, etc.)

The phytophagous larvae live on stored products like stored grain, flour, corn meal and other milled grain products, household foodstuffs and dead or wilted plant material.

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Habitat

It inhabits homes, bakeries, silos, haystacks, grain stores, barns etc...

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