INSECTS INJURIOUS TO CEREALS 253 



Distribution and food. — The Indian-meal moth is 

 widely distributed in the United States and Canada and 

 is found in different countries in Europe. 



As Holland says, this insect "has a propensity to feed 

 upon almost anything edible that comes its way." In 

 this country one of our earliest accounts of it was by Fitch, 

 in 1856, who called it the Indian-meal moth because he 

 found the larvae feeding in corn-meal. The larvae evi- 

 dently are very fond of corn-meal, but they do not refuse 

 grain of any kind, ground or whole. As we have already 

 noted, we have found the larvae feeding on oatmeal, 

 graham crackers, and raisins. Our department records 

 also show that the larvae live upon and do much damage to 

 stored peanuts. Popenoe records the same injury on 

 a wide scale in Virginia and North and South Carolina. 

 In addition, the insect has been recorded as feeding upon 

 prunes, currants, dried apples, flour, beans, English wal- 

 nuts, pecans, almonds, chocolate beans, dried peaches, 

 plums, cherries, clover seed and other seeds. 



Appearance of the different stages. — The moth is some- 

 what smaller than the Mediterranean flour moth and 

 differs considerably in appearance when examined closely. 

 The wings expand about five-eighths of an inch and the 

 fore wings are dull white or cream-colored on their basal 

 parts, while the outer parts of these wings are reddish- 

 brown in color with irregular markings of blackish bands 

 and patches. The hind wings are dusky gray with quite 

 a long fringe of hairs (Plate IV). 



The larva is whitish or flesh-colored and often with a 

 rosy or yellowish tint (Fig. 78). The head of the larva is 

 yellowish or reddish-brown and the thoracic shield is very 

 pale brown with a distinct pale line through the middle 



