Rice Weevil vs Mediterranean Flour Moth
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Rice Weevil | Mediterranean Flour Moth |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Sitophilus oryzae | Ephestia kuehniella |
| Order | Coleoptera | Lepidoptera |
| Family | Curculionidae | Pyralidae |
| Size | 2-3.5 mm | 10-14 mm body; 20-25 mm wingspan |
| Habitat | Indoors | Indoors |
| Diet | Seed Feeders | Seed Feeders |
| Regions | Worldwide | Worldwide |
| Conservation | Not Evaluated | Least Concern |
Rice Weevil
A small reddish-brown weevil that is one of the most destructive stored grain pests worldwide. Adults bore into kernels to lay eggs inside.
Did You Know?
A single female can lay up to 400 eggs in her lifetime, each deposited inside an individual grain kernel.
Mediterranean Flour Moth
A major pest of flour mills that produces dense silken webbing that clogs milling machinery. It is pale grey with zigzag markings on the forewings.
Did You Know?
It was the first insect used to demonstrate biological pest control with parasitoid wasps in the early 1900s.