First record of the Indian meal moth <i>Plodia interpunctella</i> (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) at a research station in Antarctica

Abstract We report the first formal record of Indian meal moth Plodia interpunctella from a location within Antarctic Treaty area, with capture live adult male Brazilian Comandante Ferraz research station on King George Island, South Shetland Islands. This species is well-known pest stored products and widely recorded in synanthropic situations such as food stores globally. No other adults or immature stages have been observed station. While there no suggestion that P. could survive establish natural environment beyond station, this observation highlights ever-present threat unintended anthropogenically assisted transfer non-Antarctic into human facilities continent, some proving extremely difficult to eradicate if they successfully these facilities.