A pantry moth infestation often catches homeowners off guard, especially when they discover webbing in dry goods or larvae crawling inside sealed food containers. At Southern Pest Management, we specialize in targeted moth control services designed to eliminate pantry moths (also known as Indianmeal moths) and disrupt their life cycle at every stage. While some homeowners try DIY solutions, pantry moth infestations usually require a professional approach to fully remove the source and prevent re-infestation in stored food areas.

Pantry moths are not your average clothing moth. These pests are drawn to dried food products like flour, cereal, rice, nuts, and pet food—making your kitchen cabinets and pantries the perfect breeding ground. Once inside, they lay eggs near food sources, leading to larvae, cocoons, and eventually flying moths throughout your home. Whether you’re dealing with persistent pantry moths in Alpharetta, opening infested bags of rice in Cumming, or spotting adult moths fluttering through your kitchen in Dawsonville, our team offers proven solutions tailored to your space. We proudly serve Johns Creek and Suwanee with expert moth control that gets results.

The Pantry Moth Life Cycle

1. Egg: Moth eggs are extremely tiny and whitish-grey in color. An adult can lay approximately 400 eggs at a time, and they can hatch in just 7 days.
2. Larva: This is the stage that causes damage. Moth larvae are tiny worm-like eating machines. The casings they leave behind will contaminate food, making it unusable. The larval stage typically lasts 2-3 months depending on conditions.
3. Pupa: Moths in the pupal stage are in cocoons, usually hidden in cracks, corners, or crevices. Often identified by the cocoons buried underneath food, causing the matted webs. Moths usually take 15-20 days to develop from pupae into adults.
4. Adult:  The adults appear fully winged, they are attracted to light and fly around looking to reproduce.  Interestingly enough they do not have working mouthparts and cannot eat.  This means their sole objective is to reproduce.

MOTH CONTROL MEASURES

Prior to recommending a moth control solution, your Pest Control Tech will properly identify the moth species affecting your property. Different moth pest species require different treatment methods to effectively control them.

All factors need to be considered when trying to devise a strategy to eliminate the moths.  These factors can include; species, stored products, type of structure, etc.

Control measures for stored products moths (Indian Meal Moths, Mediterranean flour moth, etc.) include going through all of the pantry items and throwing away all open grain-type products, better storage containers, freezing existing packages to kill eggs, and spraying the closet to eliminate the problem.  However, for the fabric moth pests; vacuuming the entire closet including the walls, throwing away any paper items that could be harboring eggs, proper storage, and application of pesticides.  Monitoring using various traps including pheromone traps where applicable is done thereafter to ensure moth problems do not continue.

All our State certified technicians are highly-skilled and are required to participate in regular continuing education programs to keep them up-to-date with industry standards.

• Species: Plodia interpunctella
• Habitat: Indoors, in stored food products like grains, cereals, flour, dried fruits, and pet food.
• Appearance: Small, about 1/2 inch long, with reddish-brown and grey wings.
• Behavior: Indianmeal moths are one of the most common pantry pests in Georgia. Their larvae infest stored food items, spinning silk webs as they feed, contaminating food. Adult moths are typically seen flying around kitchens or pantries, but it’s the larvae that cause the damage by feeding on grains and other stored products.

• Species: Tineola bisselliella (Webbing Clothes Moth), Tinea pellionella (Case-Bearing Clothes Moth)
• Habitat: Indoors, in closets, wardrobes, and areas where wool, silk, fur, and other natural fibers are stored.
• Appearance: Small, about 1/4 inch long, with pale gold or tan wings. Case-bearing clothes moths may have darker spots on their wings.
• Behavior: Clothes moths are notorious for damaging fabrics, particularly wool, silk, and other natural fibers. The larvae feed on these materials, causing holes and damage to clothing, carpets, and upholstery. They prefer dark, undisturbed areas like closets and attics, and infestations can be hard to detect until damage is noticed.

• Species: Spodoptera frugiperda
• Habitat: Agricultural fields, lawns, and gardens.
• Appearance: Adult moths are brown or gray with mottled wings, about 1.5 inches across.
• Behavior: The real pest is the caterpillar, which is a serious threat to crops like corn, sorghum, and grasses in lawns. Fall armyworms feed on a wide range of plants, causing significant damage to both agricultural crops and residential lawns. The adult moth lays eggs on host plants, and the caterpillars form large feeding groups that can quickly defoliate plants.

• Species: Lymantria dispar dispar
• Habitat: Wooded areas, forests, and urban landscapes.
• Appearance: Adult males are brown with wavy dark markings, while females are white with dark spots, about 1.5 to 2 inches in wingspan.
• Behavior: Gypsy moths are a serious pest of trees, especially hardwoods like oaks. The larvae (caterpillars) are voracious feeders and can defoliate entire forests if infestations are large enough. While Georgia isn’t the epicenter of gypsy moth activity, localized infestations have been reported. Their spread can devastate native trees, affecting ecosystems and forestry.

• Species: Ostrinia nubilalis
• Habitat: Cornfields and other agricultural areas.
• Appearance: Light brown to tan with darker wavy markings, about 1 inch long.
• Behavior: The larvae of the European corn borer are a major agricultural pest in Georgia. They bore into the stalks and ears of corn plants, reducing yield and sometimes causing plants to collapse. The moths lay eggs on corn and other host plants, with the caterpillars causing the most damage by tunneling through the plants.

• Species: Ephestia elutella
• Habitat: Stored food products, particularly dried goods like tobacco, cocoa, nuts, and grains.
• Appearance: Small, grayish-brown, with a wingspan of about 1/2 inch.
• Behavior: Tobacco moth larvae infest stored products, especially those containing tobacco, cocoa, dried fruits, nuts, and grains. They can cause significant damage in warehouses and food storage facilities, contaminating products with silk and feces. Infestations can lead to costly losses in both food products and tobacco.

• Species: Crambus spp.
• Habitat: Lawns, golf courses, and grassy areas.
• Appearance: Small, tan or white moths, about 3/4 inch long.
• Behavior: The larvae (caterpillars) of sod webworms are pests of turfgrass, feeding on the grass blades and causing brown patches in lawns. They are especially problematic in well-maintained lawns and golf courses. The adult moths don’t cause damage, but they lay eggs on the grass, and the emerging larvae feed on the turf, particularly at night.

Q) What’s the difference between pantry moths and clothes moths?

A) Pantry moths (like Indian meal moths) infest dry food items, while clothes moths feed on natural fibers such as wool, silk, and fur. They look similar but target completely different materials.

Q) How do pantry moths get into sealed food containers?

A) Pantry moths often enter your home through contaminated products. Once inside, they lay eggs in food packaging, and larvae can chew through thin plastic, cardboard, or paper.

Q) What are signs of a pantry moth infestation?

A) You may notice webbing in dry goods, small moths flying in the kitchen, or larvae crawling in pantry corners. Pantry moths favor grains, cereal, flour, nuts, and pet food.

Q) Do clothes moths actually eat clothing?

A) It’s not the moths but their larvae that cause damage. Clothes moth larvae feed on animal-based fibers like wool, cashmere, feathers, and even leather, causing holes and weakening fabrics.

Q) Can I treat a pantry or clothes moth infestation myself?

A) DIY methods can help short-term, but full eradication often requires professional pest control, especially when moths are breeding behind walls, in ducts, or inside stored items.

Q) How do pest control companies treat pantry moths?

A) Professionals identify the source, remove infested items, and use targeted treatments such as insect growth regulators (IGRs), crack-and-crevice sprays, and monitoring traps to prevent reinfestation.

Q) What causes clothes moths to appear in clean closets?

A) Even clean homes can attract clothes moths. They’re drawn to natural fibers and will lay eggs on undisturbed fabrics, especially in dark, closed spaces. Sweat, hair, and food residues also attract them.

Q) How long does a moth control treatment take to work?

A) Most treatments begin reducing activity within days, but complete elimination of pantry or clothes moth infestations may take several weeks due to their egg and larval life stages.

Q) Are pantry or clothes moths dangerous to my health?

A) Moths don’t bite or spread disease, but pantry moths can contaminate food, making it unfit for consumption. Clothes moths cause costly fabric damage, especially to high-end materials.

Q) Why are pantry moths a recurring problem in my Johns Creek home?

A) Pantry moths often return if even one infested item or hidden egg cluster is missed. Homes in wooded or suburban areas like Johns Creek are especially prone due to stored birdseed, pet food, or bulk dry goods.

Q) How can I prevent pantry moths from coming back?

A) Store all dry goods in airtight glass or thick plastic containers, rotate older food stock, vacuum shelves regularly, and check new groceries for signs of contamination.

Q) What materials do clothes moths avoid?

A) Clothes moths avoid synthetic fabrics like polyester, nylon, or acrylic. However, they may still use these items for shelter if stored alongside wool or natural fiber items.

Q) Do pantry moth pheromone traps work?

A) Yes, they attract adult male moths, disrupting the breeding cycle. However, traps alone won’t eliminate eggs or larvae and should be used alongside professional treatments for best results.

Q) How do professionals treat clothes moth infestations in luxury closets or storage?

A) In upscale homes or specialty storage spaces, pest control companies use non-staining residual sprays, garment-safe insecticides, and may recommend freezing or dry-cleaning high-value fabrics.

Q) Are moth control treatments safe for pets and kids?

A) Yes. Licensed pest control technicians use EPA-approved products and will guide you on re-entry times. Treatments focus on targeted areas like pantries, baseboards, and closet crevices.