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Pantry Pests

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Pantry pests are also referred to as stored product pests. The pests in this group enter homes and consume the products stored inside. Although they’ll eat other foods, they tend to consume flour, dry pasta, powdered milk, crackers, bread, spices, birdseed, and fruit. In our area, the most common pantry pests are saw-toothed grain beetles, cigarette beetles, and Indian meal moths. Once they’ve snuck into your home, you’re going to find them around your kitchen and pantry.

Pantry pests live in the food they consume allowing them to breed constantly. As a result, a pantry pest colony can easily produce a new generation every year. Rest assured knowing that the infestation has nothing to do with your housekeeping practices.

Pantry Pests In Our Area

Indian Meal Moths

The Indian meal moth is one of the most common pantry pests in our area. They’re small with a handful of colors. For instance, their back half is coppery while their front half is white or gray. While the adult moths will be a handful to deal with, the larvae are responsible for damaging your food products. Either way, you’ll need to eliminate both from your home. The adult moths will build cocoons in your kitchen and pantry.

Saw-Toothed Grain Beetles

Saw-toothed grain beetles enter residential structures in our area. They have slender, brown bodies, and often reach a tenth of an inch. If you look closely, you will find small tooth projections on both sides of their thorax. These saw-like teeth are used to chew through the dried food products in your home. Saw-toothed grain beetles are scavengers that will consume flour, candy, dried fruit, and more. They can eat pet food and rodent bait as well.

Cigarette Beetles

If you smoke or use other tobacco products, you may encounter cigarette beetles. These beetles are light brown and an eighth of an inch in length. They have a distinct humped back along with smooth wing covers. Since they have body hairs, they look fuzzy. They’re called cigarette beetles because they’ll consume tobacco products. They’ll also eat cereal, pet food, spices, and candy.

Reasons Pantry Pests Are In Your Home

Pantry pests enter homes because they’re looking for food to consume. These pests tend to hide in food packages in your local grocery store. If you buy the wrong food, there is a risk that you’re going to open your door to these pests. Once a few pantry pests have invaded your home, the infestation will quickly worsen. Again, they live in the food they consume so they can reproduce rapidly.

Notables Signs Of Pantry Pests

It is vital to learn more about the signs of pantry pest infestations. If you don’t know what to look for, you’ll likely miss them until the infestation spirals out of control. Most people identify an infestation when they find small pantry pests around their food packages. They may find moths flying around their pantry or beetles in their food bags. The moths tend to be attracted to lights, so you’ll find them circling the lights in your kitchen.

Pantry Pest Health Hazards

The good news is that most pantry pests are not dangerous. Indian meal moths, cigarette beetles, and other pantry pests are not physically dangerous. Instead, they’re going to create a wealth of other problems. Their presence will be enough to make your skin crawl. Plus, they’re going to damage your food products. Once this happens, you’ll have to pay to replace the food and that can get expensive.

Preventing Pantry Pest Infestations

Use the tips below to keep pantry pests away from your dwelling.

  • Make sure your food products are stored in durable containers with tight lids. Don’t use paper or cardboard because the pests will be able to chew through these materials.
  • Don’t forget to clean your pantry regularly. Your vacuum can help remove leftovers and crumbs.
  • Never combine old food products with new food products. Doing so could lead to both being infested.
  • Always clean food containers before using them.
  • You can test to determine whether a food item is infested. Place it in a plastic bag and wait for a month or so. If you see small bugs in the bag, it is infested with pantry pests.

Eliminating Infestation Of Pantry Pests

Work swiftly to remove the pantry pests from your dwelling. Working quickly will prevent the infestation from spreading and worsening. Although you can try using do-it-yourself techniques, they’re not recommended. Instead, you should use the advice below.

  • Get rid of any food products that are contaminated with pantry pests. Place them in a plastic bag before throwing them away.
  • Thoroughly clean your pantry and shelves. Remove all items from the shelves and vacuum them. Place the vacuum’s contents in a plastic bag before dumping it outside.
  • Finally, be sure to wipe down your pantry walls and shelves.

Some DIY pesticides pose dangers to people and pets. Therefore, it is often best to let a professional deal with this problem for you. If you suspect that you have a problem, be sure to call us.

When Can Someone Arrive?

Contact our office immediately. After your first call, we’ll make sure our representative calls you back within 24 to 48 hours.

Safe Pantry Pest Treatments

When you work with us, you can sleep soundly knowing you’re going to receive safe, reliable treatments. Our technicians have trained thoroughly to ensure they can fix your problem without putting anyone in a risky situation. Plus, we’re going to use EPA-registered products to eliminate the pests. Work with us and put your family in good hands.

Preventing Future Issues

Unfortunately, pantry pest infestations are not easy to prevent. When shopping for groceries, be sure to carefully check your food packages before bringing them inside.

If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.

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Pantry Pests