''Ephestia'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of small

moths Moths are a group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies. They were previously classified as suborder Heterocera, but the group is paraphyletic with respect to butterflies (suborder Rhopalocera) a ...

belonging to the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Pyralidae The Pyralidae, commonly called pyralid moths, snout moths or grass moths, are a family of Lepidoptera in the ditrysian superfamily Pyraloidea. In many (particularly older) classifications, the grass moths (Crambidae) are included in the Pyr ...

. Some species are significant pests of dry plant produce, such as

seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...

s and

cereal A cereal is a grass cultivated for its edible grain. Cereals are the world's largest crops, and are therefore staple foods. They include rice, wheat, rye, oats, barley, millet, and maize ( Corn). Edible grains from other plant families, ...

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 climat ...

(''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 In taxonomy, the scientific classification of living organisms, a synonym is an alternative scientific name for the accepted scientific name of a taxon. The botanical and zoological codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. ...

. Several of these moths are variously assigned to one or the other genus, in particular in non-

entomological Entomology (from Ancient Greek ἔντομον (''éntomon''), meaning "insect", and -logy from λόγος (''lógos''), meaning "study") is the branch of zoology Zoology ( , ) is the scientific study of animals. Its studies include the ...

sources.

Diversity

Species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of ''Ephestia'' include:''Ephestia''.
Fauna Europaea. * ''

Ephestia abnormalella ''Ephestia abnormalella'' is a species of Pyralidae, snout moth in the genus ''Ephestia''.

'' Ragonot, 1887 * ''

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 country spanning Eastern Europe and ...

'' K.Nupponen & Junnilainen, 1998 * '' Ephestia callidella'' Guenée, 1845 * '' Ephestia calycoptila'' Meyrick, 1935 * '' Ephestia columbiella'' 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 win ...

'' (Hübner, 1796) – cacao moth, tobacco moth, warehouse moth * '' Ephestia inquietella'' Zerny, 1932 * ''

Ephestia kuehniella 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 climat ...

'' (Zeller, 1879) – Mediterranean flour moth, Indian flour moth, mill moth * '' Ephestia laetella'' Rebel, 1907 * '' Ephestia mistralella'' (Millière, 1874) * '' Ephestia parasitella'' Staudinger, 1859 * '' Ephestia rectivittella'' Ragonot, 1901 * '' Ephestia subelutellum'' (Ragonot, 1901) * '' Ephestia unicolorella'' Staudinger, 1881 * '' Ephestia welseriella'' (Zeller, 1848)

References

Phycitini Pyralidae genera {{Phycitini-stub