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You have meal moth in your seed.
You have an infestation of the gray or white meal moth. They can infect your stored seed during the warm days of spring, summer and fall. There are four moth species commonly found in grain: Indian Meal Moth, Almond Moth, Warehouse (Cocoa) Moth or Mediterranean flour moth. To understand how to control the moth you need to know something about its life cycle. The meal moth lays an egg in a grain product; a larva develops and eats a small portion of grain (especially sunflowers). Following the larva stage (web worm) the insect goes into the pupa stage. To enter the pupa stage the larvae creates webbing medium, almost like spider webs in the grain. From the pupa comes a small moth. The moth mates and the cycle begins again. Meal moth can be controlled at two stages of their developments. Prior to the moth stage and after the moth stage. All bird seed suppliers are aware of the problems of the meal moth and take steps in the storage and packaging phase of their operation to prevent it from coming into your home. However in all fairness it is almost impossible to prevent some infestation. The egg is found inside the grain. You need to be especially watchful in the late summer and early fall for this insect. If you have the ability - the quickest way to avoid meal moth is to freeze the bag of bird seed for 48 hours prior to opening the bag. This kills the moth,,the larva and the pupa. However if the moths have already hatched and are in the larvae stage you need to take immediate action. Look for the small worm at the sown edge of a bag. Vacuum them away. Then purchase a "Hot Shot No-Pest Strip and put it in the bottom of your seed storage can under a piece of wood. It will kill the moth, larva and pupa for up to 4 months (Be sure to read and following the direction on the package.) If you are at the stage where the moths are flying around the house or garage again take immediate action, There are some very effective, ecological and environmentally safe, ways to eliminate the flying meal moth. One is to use a Pantry Pest Trap. This trap contains a ‘Biolure’ which attracts grain moths, flour moths, meal moths and seed moths. These disposal traps capture these pests and keep them out of sight. The lure in these traps lasts up to 16 weeks. In this answer I have tried to suggest only those methods which will not harm you, your pets, the birds, or the environment. Anyone with a better suggest should email me) eMail John
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. | ![]() ![]() John Gardner The Backyard Birder
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