“Can a pantry moth larva hurt you if you accidentally eat it?” asks this reader in her submission to us. She does not include more context than this, nor does she provide any pictures, but we will nonetheless do our best to answer our reader’s question.

To answer our reader’s question directly, no. Consuming a single pantry moth larva should not harm one in any significant way. Saferbrand’s page on pantry moth larvae contests this point.

According to them, pantry moth larvae do not carry any known diseases, pathogens or parasites, and thus are not dangerous to consume. That is not to say that they, or we, recommend consuming them, but our reader should not worry too much if she has consumed one.

That said, if our reader is experiencing a pantry moth infestation, and their larvae have infested food items in her kitchen, then we do not recommend eating any infested foods. If consumed in large amounts, infested foods could make the consumer feel ill as they will be littered with faecal matter and eggs. However, that will still not cause any long-term harm to the consumer.

Pantry moth larvae, otherwise known as Indianmeal moth larvae, are the immature form of a moth that commonly infest kitchens and pantries in the home. The larvae are an off-white color, with a light brown head and a segmented body (see photo above).

Their diet consists of grains, nuts, pet food and more, which is why they are referred to as ‘pantry moth larvae’. As mentioned previously, their presence does not pose a serious human health threat, but they do render infested foods inedible.

If our reader thinks her kitchen and/or pantry is infested with pantry moth larvae, then there are some simple steps she can take to control and prevent future infestations. Such steps include, but are not limited to: Throwing away infested foods, though not in garbage bins inside the home, as the infestation can then just continue. Storing cereals, pasta, rice and other grains in airtight containers, to prevent the escape and entrance of larvae. And the freezing of products (which are prone to pantry moth larvae infestations) upon purchase.

To conclude, consuming a single pantry moth larva cannot cause permanent or serious harm to a human. Even consuming multiple of them should not cause such harm. That said, we still do not advise eating them, nor do we advise eating any infested foods. We hope this article helps, and we wish our reader the very best!

Summary

Article Name

Is Consuming Pantry Moth Larvae Harmful?

Description

"Can a pantry moth larva hurt you if you accidentally eat it?" asks this reader in her submission to us. She does not include more context than this, nor does she provide any pictures, but we will nonetheless do our best to answer our reader's question.

Author

Worm Researcher Anton