Most of the caterpillars we see are the larvae of moths. In Australia, there are over 20,000 species of moths, of which only 10,000 species have been studied and named.

Moth adults fly mainly at night, but are usually attracted to light. Most caterpillars or larvae blend in very well with their surroundings so they can be difficult to locate. The presence of moth larvae is often evident from the damage they cause to plants and foliage making several species agricultural pests.

Finding moths inside a home can often be a symptom of another pest problem such as stored product pests in their larval stage. These pests might be found inside food items stored in a pantry such as; rice, cereal, flour, oats etc.