Who’s Eating Your Cereal: Pantry Pest Control
No one likes to open a box of cereal and discover that bugs have already started eating it. There are many types of pests that can infest pantries and feast on your stored food. They’re usually not noticed until they become abundant, at which point, you may need help from a pest professional.
Common Pantry Pests
Weevils are a type of small beetle that can be found living in flour, cereal, and similar foods. They can also infest dog food, bird feed, dried fruits, and even chocolate. Saw-toothed grain beetles feed on cereals, pasta, flour, and meal. Other types of beetles are occasional pests in pantries. These include cigarette beetles and drugstore beetles. Both types are interested in herbs, spices, and other dried plant materials.
Various types of moths, like flour moths, can infest your food, too. These moths like to feed on flour and other milled products and can be very destructive.
How Insects Get into the Pantry
Sometimes, insects can enter your home from outdoors and then start eating your stored foods. Most of the time, pests are brought inside through infested food products. These products can become infested with pests at any point in the supply chain, such as in factories, warehouses, delivery trucks, or stores. The longer a food product is stored in the same location, like a grocery store, the higher the chance that bugs will find it.
Tips for Controlling Pantry Pests
To avoid bringing pantry pests into your home, inspect food products in the grocery store before you buy them. Even slight signs of damage to the packaging could be a sign that bugs are present. Before you bring any bags or boxes into your house, check them for bugs.
It’s also a good idea to store your pantry items in plastic or glass containers with tight-fitting lids. These secure containers can prevent pantry pests from getting to your food. They can also help contain an infestation. If you purchase something that turns out to be infested, the bugs will be trapped within the jar.
If you discover an infestation in your pantry, get rid of all the infested foods. This should reduce the number of pests quickly. Vacuum and wash your cupboards and pantry shelves to ensure no spilled food or bugs are left behind. Avoid using insecticides to control pantry pests since they can contaminate your foods and cupboards.
The food in your pantry belongs to you, not to creepy bugs. If you find beetles or moths infesting your food, take steps to get them under control. When in doubt, call the experts at Apex for help.
Apex Pest Control is one of the most trusted Orlando pest control companies in the state. We’re proud of the work we do to help keep the homes, landscape, and businesses in our community free from harmful plants, insects, and animals, while also striving to maintain a balance with the ecosystem as a whole. Check out our blog or contact us today to learn more!
