Adult : about 10mm long; upper forewings grayish with spots or streaks, hind-wings satiny white with prominent fringe. Larvae : 13mm long when fully grown, caterpillar-like with brown head, clearly defined forelegs and pro-legs and four rows of purple spots on back.

Eggs (up to 350 per female) are laid near food. Entire life cycle takes three to four months.

A pest of most stored products, particularly fruit and especially grapes and figs. It prefers grapes that are already damaged and still moist. It also attacks dried fruits and cereal products where its webbing causes matting or lumping