Sitotroga cerealella

Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier, 1789)
(one synonym : Tinea hordei)
Angoumois Grain Moth
CHELARIINAE , GELECHIIDAE

Don Herbison-Evans ( donherbisonevans@yahoo.com )
&
Stella Crossley

Sitotroga cerealella
(Picture: courtesy of Casa Bernardo, Brasil)

This Caterpillar is an agricultural pest overseas and in Australia. It particularly attacks grain: the seeds of plants in the family POACEAE, such as:

Maize ( Zea mays ),

Pearl Millet ( Pennisetum glaucum ),

Rice ( Oryza sativa ),

Sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ), and

Wheat ( Triticum species ).

as well as wild grasses.

The caterpillar bores into a seed, and feeds inside the seed covering. The caterpillars do not survive on ground grain such as flour. The caterpillar grows to a length of about 1 cm.

(Picture: courtesy of Casa Bernardo, Brasil)

The adult moths have a wingspan of about 1 cm. The forewings have a uniform colour, which can be between pale grey to dark brown. There are often one or two black spot on the forewings. The hindwings each have a fringe of hairs. The males and females come together using identified pheromones (specific aromatic attractant substances).

The species occurs world-wide, for example in :

Benin,

Brazil,

Indonesia,

Japan, and

U.S.A.,
and all over Australia, including:

Queensland,

Tasmania, and

Western Australia.