''Ephestia'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

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 Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

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

seed A seed is an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer covering, along with a food reserve. The formation of the seed is a part of the process of reproduction in seed plants, the spermatophytes, including the gymnosperm and angiospe ...

s 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 ''Ephestia elutella'', the cacao moth, tobacco moth or warehouse moth, is a small moth of the family (biology), family Pyralidae. It is probably native to Europe, but has been transported widely, even to Australia. A subspecies is ''E. e. pterogr ...

(''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 ''Cadra'' is a genus of small moths belonging to the family Pyralidae. The genus ''Ephestia'' is closely related to ''Cadra'' and might be its senior synonym. Several of these moths are variously assigned to one or the other genus, in particular ...

'' 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 In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of ''Ephestia'' include:''Ephestia''.
Fauna Europaea. * '' Ephestia abnormalella'' Ragonot, 1887 * '' Ephestia animella'' K.Nupponen & Junnilainen, 1998 * ''

Ephestia callidella ''Ephestia'' is a genus of small moths belonging to the family (biology), family Pyralidae. Some species are significant pest (organism), pests of dry plant produce, such as seeds and cereals. Best known among these are probably the Ephestia elut ...

'' Guenée, 1845 * '' Ephestia calycoptila'' Meyrick, 1935 * ''

Ephestia columbiella ''Ephestia columbiella'' is a species of snout moth in the genus ''Ephestia''. It was described by Herbert H. Neunzig in 1990 and is known from North America, including Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and West Virginia West Virginia is a ...

'' Neunzig, 1990 * '' Ephestia cypriusella'' Roesler, 1965 * '' Ephestia disparella'' Hampson, 1901 * ''

Ephestia elutella ''Ephestia elutella'', the cacao moth, tobacco moth or warehouse moth, is a small moth of the family Pyralidae. It is probably native to Europe, but has been transported widely, even to Australia. A subspecies is ''E. e. pterogrisella''. The w ...

'' (Hübner, 1796) – cacao moth, tobacco moth, warehouse moth * '' Ephestia inquietella'' 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'' (Millière, 1874) * ''

Ephestia parasitella ''Ephestia parasitella'' is a species of snout moth in the genus ''Ephestia''. It was described by Staudinger in 1859, and is known from Spain, France, the Benelux, Croatia and Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a tran ...

'' Staudinger, 1859 * '' Ephestia rectivittella'' 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'' Staudinger, 1881 * '' Ephestia welseriella'' (Zeller, 1848)

References

Phycitini Pyralidae genera {{Phycitini-stub