Meal Moth vs Four-spotted Footman Moth
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Meal Moth | Four-spotted Footman Moth |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Pyralis farinalis | Lithosia quadra |
| Order | Lepidoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Pyralidae | Erebidae |
| Size | 10-14 mm body; 18-30 mm wingspan | 35-55 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Indoors | Woodlands |
| Diet | Seed Feeders | Omnivores |
| Regions | Worldwide | Europe, Western Asia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Meal Moth
A distinctive moth with olive and reddish-brown banded wings that infests stored grain and flour. Larvae live in silken tubes within infested food products.
Did You Know?
Its larval silk tubes can form dense mats in stored grain, binding the product into solid masses.
Four-spotted Footman Moth
A large footman moth with strong sexual dimorphism; males are grey with two forewing spots, females yellow with four large blue-black spots. Females are significantly larger than males.
Did You Know?
When handled, it can exude a yellow fluid from its thorax that stains skin.