How to eradicate an invasion of Indian pyrals

There are several kinds of pyrals: the almond borer, the Mediterranean pyral, etc., and the Indian pyral.

Also known as the Flour Or Indian Flour Pyral,the Indian pyral is present across Canada.

It is a real scourge for large food chain stores, warehouses, silos, bakeries, pastries, attics and our homes. An infestation of these insects can cause the destruction of whole stocks of grains, cereals and other foodstuffs.

When one imagines that a single female of this grain pest can lay up to 400 eggs and produce 6 generations per year, it is easy to understand that only a professional exterminator will rid you quickly and efficiently. But what do we recognize the latter?

And first of all, what does the Indian pyral itself look like? What is its life cycle? What are his habits? How can we anticipate an invasion of these grain and grain pests?

Animal Alert answers these questions for you.

Infestation of Indian pyrals: what do we recognize them for?

The Indian moth is a butterfly that measures between 5 and 8 mm long, sometimes 10. This insect is a food moth, not to be confused with the moth of clothes.

Its wings have a wingspan of 15 to 20 mm. The anterior ones have two distinct colors: whitish grey with dark spots near the body, and reddish brown with coppery highlights, crisscrossed with irregular stripes at the end.

As for the hind wings, they are silvery grey. The larvae have a brown head.

Indian pyrals spread: how do they reproduce?

Indian pyrals are insects that breed with lightning acceleration. Females can lay up to 400 eggs. Depending on environmental conditions and food availability, they can produce up to 6 generations and a laid egg may take up to 6 weeks to become an adult.

The young adult will reproduce and his female will in turn lay up to 400 eggs; and the cycle will start again.

The Indian pyral develops in four stages:

• Egg

Indian pyral eggs are often deposited in cereals and other food sources for larvae. Females sometimes lay eggs inside cereals.

• Larva

The egg turns into a larva. With a brown head, Indian pyral lavas have a cream-coloured body. But the color of the rest of their body varies depending on the materials they consume. It ranges from white to pink beige, and can even turn pale green.

The larva is about 1.5 cm long. At maturity, it can be 2 cm long. He is owed the tangle of cereal seeds. This process is done thanks to a fluffy substance.

The environment in which the larvae are found can influence their development. This can take up to 35 days.

Indian pyral larvae move at a rate of 5 cm per minute or 3 metres per hour.

• chrysalis

The larva in turn turns into a chrysalis. The latter locks itself in a cocoon to take the shape of a butterfly that we know it.

• adult insect

The adult of the Indian pyral does not live more than two weeks.

Why is Indian pyrals harmful?

At the egg stage, Indian pyrals are not a problem. It is at the stage of larvae that they are formidable.

Indian pyral larvae feed on all kinds of seeds, cereals, flours, pasta, dried fruit and biscuits. But they also consume chocolate, powdered milk, dried plant and animal substances.

You’ll find them wherever there’s food. They can even puncture bags and packaging that are a little thick like cardboard boxes, for example.

The pyral leaves its feces and silk cloths in food; which changes its colour and is a source of food poisoning.

This insect also causes enormous damage to attics, food processing warehouses and stores.

The Indian pyral, in adulthood, does not cause any problems.

How to anticipate an infestation of flour pyrals?

With a little prevention and discipline, it is possible to prevent Indian pyrals from infesting us:

• Plug all holes to block passage to any animal or insect.
• Water areas targeted with insecticides. Focus on the perimeter of the house, the swimming pool, the vegetable garden and others.
• Check to see if packages from the grocery store do not have holes or traces of silk.
• Make sure the food you buy is fresh. Buy cereals only in small quantities, preferably in summer.
• Keep leftover food in a tightly sealed container.
• Use plastic containers sealed with a rubber band to store food properly.
• Regularly inspect the contents of the pantry because the Indian pyral lays a lot of eggs and their development can take place in a very short time.

Professional exterminator solutions

The Indian pyral exterminator will use solutions deemed effective in the destruction of all grain pests: thermal treatment eradication, pneumatic conveyor elimination, sticky trap eradication with pheromone, and chemical eradication.

1. Thermal treatment eradication: Exterminators use grain dryers to subject grains to high temperatures. At the end of this heat treatment, the exterminator immediately cools the grain. This prevents it from heating, degrading or being invaded again by Indian pyrals.

The exterminator can also expose the grains to very low temperatures. For example, exposure of grains to -5oC eliminates these pests at all stages of their development.

1. The extermination by use of grain vacuum cleaners or pneumatic conveyors type cyclone: the percussion effect generated by the cyclone kills the Indian pyrals.
2. Destruction by chemical treatment: here, the Quebec exterminator uses insecticides. It can use:

• Diatom soil: it kills the insect by dehydration,
• Malathion: it kills the insect by impeding the functioning of its central nervous system,
• Phosphine: It is found in forms such as aluminum phosphorus, magnesium phosphorus and gaseous phosphine. The exterminator applies them by fumigation. This well-used product is effective against all stages of Indian pyral development.
• Carbon dioxide: it is applied to the grain in the gaseous state.
• Methyl bromide: used as a pre-shipment treatment and quarantine of import/export foodstuffs.

Visit this page of the Canadian Grain Commission. Learn more about these different solutions.

However, beware! Know how to distinguish a professional exterminator from the amateur. For only he can guarantee you a definitive destruction of the Indian pyrals:

• He gets rid of these attackers in compliance with Environment Canada regulations, as attested by his permit from the Quebec Ministry of Sustainable Development with the inscription C5: Extermination.
• He worked like this: his certified professional extermination technicians quickly arrived at the site of the invasion.

Their goal: to confirm that this is indeed an invasion of Indian pyrals, to measure the intensity of their aggression, and to determine the source to neutralize it.

He then offers you a treatment adapted to the strength of the invasion.

Finally, it informs you or trains you on the precautions to be taken to protect you from a future invasion of the Indian pyrals.

• It uses unidentified vehicles and remains discreet in all interventions.
• He’s offering you a written guarantee on the effectiveness of his treatment against themassive attack of Indian pyrals.
• It knows how to choose insecticides suitable for your infestation and makes it a safe use. Rest assured: if he has a permit from the Quebec Ministry of Sustainable Development, it means that he is paying attention to all of this.

And have you, your food supply ever been attacked by the Indian pyrals? How did you get rid of it? Tell us in the comments below.