Pantry Pests

Since you’ve made it to this page, there is a good chance that you’re dealing with a pantry pest invasion. You may suspect that you can fix the problem without assistance, but this might not be the case. Our company is eager to help you put a stop to the invasion within days. Pantry pests or stored product pests will sneak into your home and consume processed and dried food products. For instance, they’re going to eat dried fruit, nuts, birdseed, crackers, spices, powdered milk, pet food, pasta, flour, cereal, and more.

There are several members of the pantry pest category. However, the most common pantry pests in our area are cigarette beetles, Indian meal moths, and saw-toothed grain beetles. These pests can be found in kitchens and pantries in your city. Pantry pests can thrive easily since they live in the food that they hide in. These pests reproduce rapidly and can create a few generations each year.

Pantry Pest Appearances

It is pertinent to learn more about the appearances of pantry pests so you’ll know what to look for. Below, you’ll learn more about the most common pantry pests and their appearances.

Indian Meal Moths

First and foremost, you’re going to encounter Indian meal moths. They are small moths with a reddish-brown hue on the front. On the other half, they’re white and gray. Indian meal moths are difficult to eliminate. They will build cocoons across your kitchen and pantry. Although the moths are problematic, the larvae are responsible for damaging the food products in your home.

Saw-Toothed Grain Beetles

The slender, brown beetles in your food could be saw-toothed grain beetles. These pantry pests can grow up to a tenth of an inch. If you look closely, you’ll see six tooth projections on each side of the pest’s thorax. They look similar to saws. Saw-toothed grain beetle adults and larvae will feed on the dried foods found in your home. These pests will consume a variety of household food products, including flour, dried fruit, cereal, candy, and more.

Surprisingly, they’ll eat rodent bait too.

Cigarette Beetles

Cigarette beetles are small, brown beetles that have a humped back. These pests are roughly an eighth of an inch and they smooth wing coverings. Since they have body hairs, they look fuzzy. As you can guess, cigarette beetles love eating tobacco products. They’ll eat cigars and cigarettes. When living in residential dwellings, these pests will consume cereal, nuts, pet food, and candy. They can also consume spices.

Why You Have Pantry Pests

Although you may blame yourself, you shouldn’t. A pantry pest invasion has nothing to do with you. It wasn’t something you did. Even if you clean your home twelve times a week, you might experience a pantry pest invasion. There is a slim chance that they’ll enter your home from outside, but it doesn’t happen often. Instead, most pantry pest invasions begin after someone purchased contaminated food products. You likely purchased an infested food item from the store and brought the bugs home with you. An infestation may begin with a few pantry pests but it’ll quickly spiral out of control. Again, these pests live in their food so they can reproduce rapidly. They can breed constantly.

Signs Of Pantry Pest Infestations

Most people will overlook a pantry pest infestation because the pests are so small. They tend to blend in with their surroundings and this makes them hard to spot too. Most people realize they have a problem when they find small moths flying around their pantry or kitchen. Once this happens, it is time to get help.

Health Risks & Pantry Pests

Since pantry pests live in your food products, you’re likely worried that they’re going to make you sick. Although there are risks involved, pantry pests generally aren’t dangerous. Although you want to avoid it, pantry pests can be swallowed without risks. You can swallow these pests and their eggs without developing serious illnesses. Ultimately, your primary concern is your wallet. If you don’t take care of the problem, these pests are going to destroy your food products.

Get rid of them by calling our office and letting us fix the issue for you.

Preventing Invasions Of Pantry Pests

You can’t be positive that you’re never going to experience a pantry pest invasion. However, you can decrease the risks involved. For starters, you’ll want to make sure that your food products are stocked in excellent containers. Use durable containers that cannot be chew through. Durable plastic or metal is better than paper or cardboard. Use the other tips below to keep these pests out.

• Try to clean your pantry several times a week. Get rid of small food bits to decrease the likelihood that these pests will find food in your home.
• When purchasing new food products, never pour the food into containers with old food. If you’re going to do this, make sure that the old food is free of pantry pests.
• Before using old food containers again, clean them thoroughly. Doing so will help you avoid contaminating new food products.
• Try checking to see if one of your food products is contaminated. Place the food in a plastic bag and place it on the counter. Make sure the bag is sealed and wait for a month or so. After a month, you might see pests in the bag. If you do, the product contains pantry pests. Get rid of it.

Properly Dealing With Pantry Pests

Ultimately, dealing with a pantry pest infestation will be difficult. These pests aren’t tricky or fast but they are difficult to eliminate. The biggest issue is that pantry pests blend in with their environment exceptionally well. Once you’ve found out that you have a problem, find a solution. You may consider experimenting with do-it-yourself methods but you should reconsider. These products do not work well so you should look for a better, more reliable solution. Try using the tips below.

• Start by getting rid of any food products that contain pantry pests. Once you’ve found pantry pests in your food, throw out the bags.
• Next, begin cleaning your pantry. Remove all items from the pantry shelves and clean them with your vacuum cleaner. Once you’ve finished, dispose of the vacuum’s content in a plastic bag.
• Finally, wash the walls and shelves. Be sure to get all cracks and corners.

Be cautious when using over-the-counter products to wipe out the infestation. They might help, but they could expose you and your loved ones to dangerous chemicals. Work with a qualified pest control technician to protect the people you love.

When Can Your Technicians Arrive?

Call us to get started immediately. We’ll contact you back and help you schedule an appointment with one of our qualified experts.

Our Technicians Provide Safe Treatments

Our technicians pride themselves on being able to fix the problem while protecting the client. When possible, we’re going to use EPA-registered products to remove the pantry pests from your home. We prefer using products registered with the EPA because they’re safe and reliable. If any precautions need to be taken, our exterminator will let you know.

Avoiding Pantry Pest Invasions

Pantry pests can be difficult to keep out of your home. When you return home with grocery bags, check them carefully. Make sure that the food products do not contain pantry pests. If they do, don’t bring the bags inside. However, there is always a risk that the pests are going to sneak in anyway.

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