Do you have pantry pests? It can happen if you brought home a bag of birdseeds, rice, or flour and attract an invasion of tiny beetles or flying insects. If you have this common household issue, take a look at everything you need to know about pest control.
What Are Pantry Pests?
This general term includes a variety of pests that commonly invade kitchen pantries and other areas where you may store grains. Pantry pests may include:
- Merchant grain beetles. Found across the United States, this pantry pest enjoys (as the name implies) stored grains. The beetle will lay eggs in packaged grains, such as cereal, cookies, baked goods, and other similar products.
- Indian meal moths. These pests also enjoy grains. The Indian meal moth will feed on anything from cereal and pet food to dried fruit and chocolate.
- Weevils. The snout-nosed weevil will find its way into pantry products such as flour, cornmeal, and rice. Unlike grain and other pantry beetles, the adult weevil lives in and eats the products.
- Drugstore beetles. Often confused with grain beetles, these small flying bugs also lay eggs in pantry products.
Even though your pantry products are sealed in plastic bags or cardboard boxes, many of these pests can easily eat through the packaging. This means the pests can get into the products during the manufacturing process or while sitting on store shelves. If you unknowingly bring pantry pests into your home, a professional exterminator can help you to eliminate the issue and prevent future problems.
How Can You Remove Pantry Pests?
The first step to removal is identification. With a wide variety of pantry pests possible, you need to know which one is in your home. From identification to extermination, a pest control professional can:
- Inspect your home. An exterminator will inspect the kitchen (and other areas of your home) to find the cause of the infestation.
- Identify the pantry pest. After the exterminator finds the source, they'll expertly identify the invader as a merchant grain beetle, Indian meal moth, or other pests.
- Remove the pest. The specific removal process depends on the pests, the location, and your family's needs. Discuss pest control options with the contractor to better understand what method is right for your home.
The pest control professional can also recommend prevention methods to stop a future invasion. These may include ways to store your food/grains, cleaning techniques, and routine pest extermination or maintenance services.
If you need help getting rid of pests, contact companies such as Insecta X.
Pest control is a complex topic. To really master the subject, you need to know about many different pests, how they all react to different control measures, and how to prevent pest infestations in the first place. It's really helpful to break this topic down into smaller chunks. That's what we aim to do on this website. We offer a wide range of articles on particular pest control subjects. No one article will teach you everything you need to know, but they all include bits and pieces of knowledge which, when added together, will teach you quite a lot. Start reading to learn more about pest control and pests.