''Ephestia'' is a genus of small

moths Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

belonging to the family Pyralidae. Some species are significant

pest Pest or The Pest may refer to: Science and medicine * Pest (organism), an animal or plant deemed to be detrimental to humans or human concerns ** Weed, a plant considered undesirable * Infectious disease, an illness resulting from an infection ** ...

s of dry plant produce, such as seeds and

cereal A cereal is any Poaceae, grass cultivated for the edible components of its grain (botanically, a type of fruit called a caryopsis), composed of the endosperm, Cereal germ, germ, and bran. Cereal Grain, grain crops are grown in greater quantit ...

s. Best known among these are probably the cacao moth (''E. elutella'') and the

Mediterranean flour moth The Mediterranean flour moth or mill moth (''Ephestia kuehniella'') is a moth of the family Pyralidae. It is a common pest of cereal grains, especially flour. This moth is found throughout the world, especially in countries with temperate clim ...

(''E. kuehniella''). The genus '' Cadra'' is closely related to ''Ephestia'' and might be a

junior synonym The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. * In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linna ...

. 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''.
Fauna Europaea. * ''

Ephestia abnormalella ''Ephestia abnormalella'' is a species of snout moth in the genus ''Ephestia''.Ephestia animella ''Ephestia animella'' is a species of snout moth in the genus ''Ephestia''. It was described by Kari Nupponen and Jari Junnilainen in 1998 and is known from Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental ...

'' K.Nupponen & Junnilainen, 1998 * '' Ephestia callidella'' Guenée, 1845 * ''

Ephestia calycoptila ''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 Mediterran ...

'' Meyrick, 1935 * '' Ephestia columbiella'' Neunzig, 1990 * ''

Ephestia cypriusella ''Ephestia cypriusella'' is a species of snout moth in the genus ''Ephestia''. It was described by Roesler in 1965, and is known from Cyprus, Greece and Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye C ...

'' Roesler, 1965 * ''

Ephestia disparella ''Ephestia disparella'' is a species of snout moth in the genus ''Ephestia ''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 kn ...

'' Hampson, 1901 * '' Ephestia elutella'' (Hübner, 1796) – cacao moth, tobacco moth, warehouse moth * ''

Ephestia inquietella ''Ephestia inquietella'' is a species of snout moth in the genus ''Ephestia''. It was described by Hans Zerny, in 1932. It is found in Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb ...

'' Zerny, 1932 * '' Ephestia kuehniella'' (Zeller, 1879) – Mediterranean flour moth, Indian flour moth, mill moth * ''

Ephestia laetella ''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 Mediterran ...

'' Rebel, 1907 * ''

Ephestia mistralella ''Ephestia mistralella'' is a species of snout moth in the genus ''Ephestia''. It was described by Pierre Millière in 1874, and is known from France, Germany, Denmark, Fennoscandia, Estonia, Latvia and the Iberian Peninsula. The wingspan is 14� ...

'' (Millière, 1874) * '' Ephestia parasitella'' Staudinger, 1859 * ''

Ephestia rectivittella ''Ephestia rectivittella'' is a species of snout moth in the genus ''Ephestia''. It was described by Ragonot in 1901, and is known from Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan ...

'' Ragonot, 1901 * ''

Ephestia subelutellum ''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 Mediterran ...

'' (Ragonot, 1901) * ''

Ephestia unicolorella ''Ephestia unicolorella'' is a species of snout moth in the genus ''Ephestia''. It was described by Staudinger in 1881, and is known from Iran, Turkey, Morocco, Azerbaijan and most of Europe. The wingspan The wingspan (or just span) of a b ...

'' Staudinger, 1881 * ''

Ephestia welseriella ''Ephestia welseriella'' is a species of snout moth in the genus ''Ephestia''. It was described by Zeller in 1848. It is found from the Iberian Peninsula north to France and Germany and east to Ukraine and southern Russia Russia (, , ), ...

'' (Zeller, 1848)

References

Phycitini Pyralidae genera {{Phycitini-stub