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Learning More About Pantry Pests
Have you ever heard the term pantry pests? If not, you’ll want to learn as much as you can about them. You never know when you’re going to become a victim of pantry pests. First, the name pantry pest is given to a group of pests that primarily consume dried and processed foods. They’re also referred to as stored product pests. Pantry pests can consume many food products in your home, including flour, dry pet food, cornstarch, crackers, bread, dried fruit, dry pasta, and more.
Our service area is home to many pantry pests, but the most common as saw-toothed grain beetles, cigarette beetles, and Indian meal moths. Pantry pests are worse than many other pests because they’re constantly eating and reproducing. They live in their food source, so they have constant access to food. Unfortunately, they create a few generations each year. Even if you clean your home every hour on the hour, you might become a victim of pantry pests.
Appearances Of Common Pantry Pests
Indian Meal Moths
You’ll likely encounter Indian meal moths because they’re common in our service area. These small moths have several colors. For instance, they are reddish-brown on the front, copper on the back, and light gray elsewhere. Although Indian meal moths will create issues for you, you primarily have to worry about their larvae because they’re responsible for damaging your food. They will consume various food products.
Indian meal moths are hard to eliminate because they can crawl on your ceiling. They’ll also spin cocoons in the kitchen and other rooms in your home.
Saw-Toothed Grain Beetles
Saw-toothed grain beetles are very small with most rarely reaching a tenth of an inch. They have tooth projections that resemble saws on both sides of their thorax. Adult and larvae saw-tooth grain beetles will consume the products stored in your pantry. Don’t be surprised if you find them consuming rodent bait, dog food, or birdseed. In addition to this, they’ll also consume dried fruit, flour, and cereal.
Cigarette Beetles
Cigarette beetles are an eighth of an inch and light brown, and they have a unique hump-backed appearance with smooth covers on their wings. They look fuzzy thanks to the hairs covering their body. Although they prefer consuming cigarettes, cigars, and cured tobacco, they’ll also eat food stored in your pantry. They will consume cereals, candy, and nuts.
Why Do Pantry Pests Invade Homes?
If you have pantry pests, it was likely nothing you did. Instead, the pests invaded your home because you purchased food that was infested. For instance, you might’ve bought a box of cereal that contained Indian meal moths. They can enter your home from outside as well. A pantry pest infestation sometimes starts with a handful of insects before it quickly spirals out of control. It doesn’t take long for the infestations to grow since they breed constantly. They live in their food source so they can produce several new pantry pest generations each year.
Common Signs Of Pantry Pests
Are you concerned that you might have pantry pests in your home? You could and you might not realize it yet. Identifying an infestation will be difficult because pantry pests are small and blend in well with their food source. When you have pantry pests, you’ll likely have small moths flying in your pantry. They’ll stay close to the food source. Furthermore, some pantry pests are attracted to lights. You’ll want to look closely at the lights in the pantry to see if moths are flying around them.
Dangers Caused By Pantry Pests
How dangerous are pantry pests? You already know that they can contaminate your food sources. Once they’ve done that, you’ll need to dispose of the food and replace it. Could you get sick if you ate the food in question? Ultimately, the answer is likely no. Even if you consume contaminated food, saw-toothed grain beetles, or pantry pest eggs, you likely won’t get sick. The biggest concern is that you’re going to waste a lot of money replacing the food they’ve destroyed.
Stopping Pantry Pests From Infesting Your Home
One of the best ways to deal with pantry pests is to keep them out of your home. If you can keep them out of your home, you won’t need to hire an exterminator, and you won’t have to replace contaminated food. Use the tips below to avoid becoming the victim of a pantry pest infestation.
- Store your food products in suitable containers. Make sure that the containers are airtight and made of durable materials. Don’t use paper or plastic because pantry pests will chew through these materials.
- Be sure to clean your pantry regularly. Get rid of food crumbs and leftovers because pantry pests could eat them.
- You can test to see if a food product is infested. Place it in a plastic bag and put it on a counter. Leave it there for a few months to see if moths grow inside of the bag. If you don’t notice any pests in the bag, it is likely free of pantry pests.
- When disposing of food products that are contaminated by pantry pests, make sure that you clean the containers thoroughly. Never add new food to the old food because this will only feed the pests. Instead, clean the container thoroughly after throwing away the old food.
Ways To Deal With A Pantry Pest Infestation
Once you’ve found out that pantry pests have invaded your home, getting rid of them should be your biggest concern. Failing to do so will only let the problem get worse. The only downside is that eliminating pantry pests is a difficult task to accomplish. You can find several DIY treatments for pantry pests, but they may not work for you. Furthermore, they could be dangerous. You can try using the tips below to eliminate the infestation.
- Are you using reusable containers? If so and the food is contaminated, place the food in plastic bags. Then, throw the bags into the garbage outside.
- Be sure to clean the containers thoroughly before using them again.
- Clean your pantry from top to bottom. Vacuum the pantry’s shelves and wipe down the walls. Once you’ve finished vacuuming the pantry, place the vacuum’s contents into a plastic bag and throw it in the trash.
Unfortunately, some pantry pest chemicals are unsafe, and others are ineffective. With that being said, we believe it is best to work with a qualified pest control expert. Our company is here to help. Contact us so we can rectify your problem quickly.
How Soon Can You Arrive?
Schedule an appointment with us today. Once you’ve called, you’ll hear from us in 48 hours or less. In general, you’ll contact you in 24 hours or sooner. We have exterminators dispatched in your city so we can respond to your call quickly.
Will My Assets Be Exposed To Harmful Pesticide Chemicals
No, we utilize special techniques to protect our client’s furniture, carpet, cabinetry, bedding, dishes, décor, and drapery from pesticide exposure. If you are concerned about toxic ingredients, we recommend eco-friendly, natural, and organic pesticide formulas.
Our suppliers only handle pesticides, traps, and insecticides approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). EPA-approved pesticides have undergone extensive safety testing. All manufacturers based in the United States are required to register their pesticides and active ingredients with the EPA.
How To Prevent A Repeat Pantry Pest Infestation In Las Vegas?
We can help you develop a pantry pest prevention strategy that is guaranteed to offer 100 percent effectiveness. The strategy will combine a custom pest control treatment – pesticide and traps – and regular visual in-home inspections. Our exterminators have years of pest control experience. So, they can help you obtain a pest-free status for your home and stave off future infestations.
If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.
