Dried Fruit Moth

The moth is a brown-gray color. The top portion of its wings have a darker-peppered appearance, while the bottom portion is a lighter gray shade and more translucent. When the wings are folded in, the bottom portion is hidden such that the moth has a mostly dark and peppered look. Its abdomen is thin and segmented, approximately 10 mm in length. The female is larger than the male with a wingspan of 19–23 mm, while the wingspan of the male is 17–21 mm. Meyrick - 18–22 mm. Forewings with costa more arched posteriorly, in male with costal fold small, loosely scaled; fuscous, irrorated with fuscous whitish and dark fuscous; lines pale, first posteriorly dark edged, angulated near costa, twice indented beneath, second dark-edged, strongly indented near costa; two dark fuscous transversely placed discal dots. Hindwings fuscous-whitish, termen fuscous, in male with subdorsal whitish-ochreous basal hair-tuft. Larva pinkish-whitish; dorsal line darker; spots brown; head and plate of 2 dark brown: on cork, dried figs, currants, etc.

The moth mostly presides in Mediterranean countries, although it can be found in other parts of Europe due to the transport of the carobs and dried fruits on which it feeds. It can also be found in Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Transcaucasia, Caucasus, and the western part of Russia. It thrives at temperatures above 14 °C. The optimal temperature ranges from 25–29 °C. The larva will enter diapause when temperatures have dropped below 24°, and will spend the winter months in hibernation. Its habitat range is limited by this temperature sensitivity.

Cadra calidella (Guen.) feeds on ripe carob pods and dried fruits before harvest. It will also feed on nuts and seeds. It commonly feeds on dates, thus lending to its common name, the "date moth". It is considered in Mediterranean countries, such as Cyprus, to be a storage food pest and a threat to that industry. As part of this problem, the moths have been imported to other European countries such as Britain in fruit storage crates. During infestation, the larva will burrow a small hold, typically near the stalk of the fruit. The feces of the larva can be identified at the entrance of the hole. The fruit will appear not only smaller in size, but also discolored from a green shade to a gray-brown one. Once the larva have finished feeding, they will emerge from their feeding tunnels and begin wandering on the surface of the fruit, an indication that pupation and diapause will begin soon.

Their feeding period lasts for 20 to 21 days, during which the young larvae will tunnel into the food, lining the feeding-tunnels with thick layers of silk. While the tunnels may initially be 2 cm deep, later instar larva will tunnel deeper. In experiments they have been found to tunnel up to 6 cm deep.