Table of Contents
Pantry pests are regularly called stored product pests because they’ll break into your home and live in your stored products. They have an insatiable appetite for processed and dried foods. Although they’ll consume other foods, they love dried nuts, powdered milk, flour, dry pet food, and cereal. In our area, our clients often have to eliminate cigarette beetles, Indian meal moths, and saw-toothed grain beetles. These pests can be found hiding in pantries around our city.
One of the worst things about pantry pests is the fact that they breed constantly. Since they live in the food they eat, they can breed and eat around the clock. Suffice to say, your minor infestation will soon spread and worsen. Call us so our professionals can rectify the problem before it spirals out of control.
Appearances Of Pantry Pests
It is essential to learn more about pantry pests and their appearances. Once you’ve learned what they look like, it’ll be easy to identify what you’re dealing with. Use this to your advantage to tackle the problem much quicker.
About Indian Meal Moths
These small moths are regularly found in our area. They have multiple colors, including reddish-brown wings on the front and white or gray color on the other half. While the moths are annoying, you primarily have to worry about the larvae. They’re responsible for damaging the food products in your home. Once the moths have invaded, getting rid of them will prove to be immensely difficult. They’re fast and build cocoons throughout the dwelling.
Call us and we’ll spend a professional to help you deal with these pesky pests.
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetles
While they sound frightening, you can rest comfortably knowing saw-toothed grain beetles aren’t physically dangerous. Still, they’re annoying and destructive. They’re only a tenth of an inch in length although they can destroy your food products swiftly. As the name suggests, these beetles have tooth projections on both sides of their thorax. They resemble saws. Saw-toothed grain beetles are scavengers that will feed on loose and open foods. They prefer cereals, dried fruit, candies, and more.
Cigarette Beetles
Cigarette beetles commonly impact locals. We understand that pantry pests better than anyone. When they invade your home, they’re going to lead to major issues. These pantry pests like consuming loose tobacco products. They’ll also devour your cereal, pet food, candy, and nuts. They’re an eighth of an inch and have a hump on their backs.
Causes
Remember that the pantry pest infestation has nothing to do with you. Even if you cleaned your home thoroughly every hour, you may get pantry pests. In all likelihood, you accidentally brought these pests home with you. It happens. Many products at grocery stores have pantry pests. If you buy a box of food, you might bring the pantry pests home with you. Most people won’t realize that they have an infestation until small moths show up in their kitchens.
Dangers
The good news is that pantry pests are not dangerous. It might sound disgusting, but you can eat pantry pests and pantry pest eggs without getting ill. Another good thing to remember is that these pests aren’t going to bite, scratch, or transmit illnesses. They also won’t destroy your home. The biggest issue is that they’ll destroy your food products. If you have to keep replacing your food, it will become expensive soon enough.
Prevention
It is wise to find ways to prevent future infestations. If you can keep these pests out of your home, you can avoid future problems. You can also avoid hiring a professional exterminator. Unfortunately, it isn’t that easy. There is always a risk that you’re going to buy a box of food that has Indian meal moth larvae. It happens. Regardless, you should try using the tips below to keep these pests out.
- Begin storing your food products in durable, sealed containers. Don’t use weak materials because pantry pest larvae can easily chew through cardboard and paper. Make sure the lid is sealed securely.
- Try cleaning your pantries once or twice a week. Get rid of crumbs so these pests can’t find anything to eat in your home.
- When purchasing new food, put it in a clean container. Don’t combine your new food with old food. If you do this, you’re likely going to contaminate both products.
- You can always test to see if something has been infested. Place the food in a plastic bag and let it sit for a few months. After a few months, you may see small bugs in the bag. If so, you’re dealing with pantry pests.
- Always clean old food containers before using them again.
Wiping Them Out
You must discover a way to wipe out these pests quickly. Otherwise, they’re going to spread and destroy more food products in your home. DIY methods can help, but you may need professional assistance. Try using the advice below before calling our office. Regardless, we’re always here to help.
- Be sure to throw away any food products that are infested by pantry pests.
- Clean your pantries thoroughly. Use a vacuum to clean up food crumbs. Once you’ve finished vacuuming, seal the contents in a plastic bag and dispose of the bag.
- Wipe down the walls, shelves, and other surfaces.
You can try using over-the-counter pesticides although they’re risky. Be cautious to avoid exposing yourself and your loved ones to dangerous pesticides. You don’t want to use these products around your kitchen because doing so could lead to health problems.
Arriving Soon
We’re here to help. Call our local office to schedule an appointment. Our rep will call you within 24 to 48 hours.
Safe Treatments
We offer the safest solutions to our local clients. We’ll help you protect the ones you love. For instance, we’ll eliminate your pantry pests using the safest EPA-registered products. You can sleep soundly knowing our technicians are skilled and experienced. They know how to use these products without exposing anyone to dangerous chemicals. Call to find out more about our methods and how we put your safety first.
Preventing Additional Infestations
Be sure to keep pantry pests out of your home. It is impossible to keep them out forever. After all, they could enter your home by accident. Always check your food packages before storing them in your home. Be diligent to keep them out.
If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.
