About Pyralis manihotalis Guenée, 1854
Pyralis manihotalis Guenée, 1854, commonly has a wingspan ranging approximately 12–20 mm, as cited in multiple sources including Robinson et al. 1994, Weinstein & Edwards 1994, and Wang 2000. One source from Goater 1986 lists a broader, larger range of 24–37 mm for the species' wingspan. This species is a widespread pan-tropical moth, with confirmed records from Africa, India, Sri Lanka, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Australia, Samoa, Hawaii, South America, and the West Indies. Occasional records of the species in Europe come from accidental importation on bones and animal hides. The larvae of Pyralis manihotalis feed on a wide variety of dead and decaying organic materials. Known larval food sources include stored grain, meal, pulses, dried fruit, bones, animal hides, and chocolate. Adult moths are primarily nocturnal, but can be easily disturbed during the day when they are present in warehouses. They are also attracted to ultraviolet light. In 1994, Weinstein and Edwards documented a self-sustaining population of this moth that feeds on bat guano inside a cave.
