Ephestia is a genus of small moths belonging to the family Pyralidae. Some species are significant pests of dry plant produce, such as seeds and cereals. Best known among these are probably the cacao moth (E. elutella) and the Mediterranean flour moth (E. kuehniella).
The genus Cadra is closely related to Ephestia and might be a junior synonym. Several of these moths are variously assigned to one or the other genus, in particular in non-entomological sources.
Diversity
Species of Ephestia include:
- Ephestia abnormalella <small>Ragonot, 1887</small>
- Ephestia animella <small>K.Nupponen & Junnilainen, 1998</small>
- Ephestia callidella <small>Guenée, 1845</small>
- Ephestia calycoptila <small>Meyrick, 1935</small>
- Ephestia columbiella <small>Neunzig, 1990 </small>
- Ephestia cypriusella <small>Roesler, 1965</small>
- Ephestia disparella <small>Hampson, 1901</small>
- Ephestia elutella <small>(Hübner, 1796)</small> – cacao moth, tobacco moth, warehouse moth
- Ephestia inquietella <small>Zerny, 1932</small>
- Ephestia kuehniella <small>(Zeller, 1879)</small> – Mediterranean flour moth, Indian flour moth, mill moth
- Ephestia laetella <small>Rebel, 1907</small>
- Ephestia mistralella <small>(Millière, 1874)</small>
- Ephestia parasitella <small>Staudinger, 1859</small>
- Ephestia rectivittella <small>Ragonot, 1901</small>
- Ephestia subelutellum <small>(Ragonot, 1901)</small>
- Ephestia unicolorella <small>Staudinger, 1881</small>
- Ephestia welseriella <small>(Zeller, 1848)</small>
References