Definition

Noun: - A small moth (Ephestia elutella) whose larvae are a pest, feeding on and damaging stored dried plant products such as tobacco, cocoa beans, nuts, and dried fruit.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The warehouse manager set traps to monitor for the cacao moth, as an infestation could ruin the stored cocoa beans.
  • Stored tobacco is particularly vulnerable to damage from the cacao moth larvae.

Advanced Usage

• As a pest species in entomology: The term is used specifically in agricultural and storage contexts to identify this particular insect pest.
  • Effective fumigation is required to control cacao moth populations in food storage facilities.

Variants and Related Words

• Tobacco moth: A common alternative name for the same species (), reflecting another one of its primary food sources.
• Warehouse moth: Another general term sometimes used for moths of the genus that infest stored goods.

Synonyms

• Tobacco moth (): The direct synonym, referencing the same species.
• Stored product pest: A broader categorical term for insects, including this moth, that infest stored dry goods.

Related Phrases / Terms

• Cacao moth infestation: Refers to a situation where these moths are present in damaging numbers.
  • The cacao moth infestation led to a significant economic loss for the exporter.

Noun

1. small moth whose larvae feed on tobacco and other dried plant products