Indian-meal moths have been observed in the building and treatments / preventive treatment against Indian-meal moths is going to be carried out.


Your home must be treated all three times regardless of whether you have observed Indian-meal moths or not. The treatment does not cause unpleasant smells and it is safe for humans and pets. However, humans and pets must not stay in the home during the treatment itself, and you must wait 20 minutes after the treatment is completed before re-entering your home.

It is essential that Absolut Pest Control has access to all homes within the specified time period. If you cannot be home yourself, please make sure someone is there to let us in. The key could possibly be left with a neighbour or a caretaker or maybe it can be placed in a caretaker mailbox.

Treatment of Indian-meal moths

See this video that shows how the treatment is done.

Læs om arter af kakerlakker man typisk møder i Danmark

When your home is being treated for Indian-meal moths

You must empty your kitchen cabinets – and drawers for foodstuffs and kitchen utensils before we arrive. (Items can be placed on the kitchen or dining room table and put back in the cupboards after the treatment.)
Kitchen cabinets and drawers must be cleaned before we arrive. Pay special attention to shelf holes in the cabinets. These can be cleaned properly with a cotton bud.
Infected foodstuffs are discarded or placed in the freezer at minus 18 degrees for a minimum of 72 hours.
We must have access to all pipe penetrations.
Do not clean thoroughly immediately after the treatment. Do not wash or clean the treated areas.
You should completely refrain from using other insecticides during the weeks when the pest control is carried out.

Information on Indian-meal moths

The Indian-meal moth (Plodia Interpunctella) is closely related to butterflies and certain nocturnal moths. The Indian-meal moth has a characteristic two-coloured elytra that is light grey at the front and a reddish-brown colour elsewhere. The fully-grown moth is about 1cm long and has a wingspan of 15-20 mm. The larvae can reach a length of approx. 12-13 cm long before they pupate. They are yellowish-white in colour with a dark brown head.

Just a few days after transitioning from pupa to fully-grown moth, the moths breed, and the female lays her 400 eggs within a couple of weeks. They are laid directly on or in the food, but sometimes also in cracks in the packaging, where the larvae can enter the item and live off of the food. The amount of time it takes an Indian-meal moth to develop from egg to fully-grown varies considerably. Under optimal conditions (at temperatures of approx. 30 degrees Celsius) it will only take 25 days, so within the space of just a year many new generations of Indian-meal moths are created.

Moth larvae can damage food

Indian-meal moth larvae cause damage to food by gnawing at it, but also by contaminating the food with their droppings. In addition, the white web they weave around themselves also causes more damage. This causes food to clot and stick, significantly lowering the quality of it.

Indian-meal moths often crawl up along walls and ceilings until they find a crack. Here, the larvae pupate in their own web and they shape this into a white silk cocoon that is about 7 cm in length.

In private households, Indian-meal moths can be found in bags of flour, nuts and raisins, as well as in other flour and grain products and bird seeds. Storing food in airtight containers or plastic bags can help eliminate the spread of moths between food sources. You can also avoid this by checking foods you do not use very often, so any potential infestations can be discovered early and limited. Infested foods should be thrown away immediately and the kitchen should be treated.

Combat pests effectively with our professional solutions.

We can address any pest problem for both individuals and businesses.

We take care of clearance and disinfection of apartments and other residences, whether it’s due to death, neglect, or other forms of contamination.

You are always welcome to call us and let us assess the problem. You are not obligated to anything by making the call, unless we agree otherwise.

Professional assistance right at your doorstep.