Your pantry is filled with all of the food your family enjoys, but you aren’t the only mouths enjoying those snacks. Pantry pests are a chronic problem for many homeowners but understanding what type of pantry pest you have and what they’re feasting on is the first step in eliminating them. Controlling your pantry pest problem can be a frustrating process, but that’s why we’re here to help!
Types of Pests
Some of the most common types of pantry pests include:
- Cigarette Beetle – this pesky beetle is attracted to a variety of foods. Rice, spices, and seeds are the primary components that draw the cigarette beetle to your pantry.
- Flour Beetle – the flour beetle comes in two forms, confused or red. Both beetles are attracted primarily to cereal, meal, and flour, but they have a slightly different appearance.
- Rice Weevil – you’ve likely heard of this notorious pantry pest before. Whole grains, rice, and corn are the preferred meal of this pest.
- Indian meal moth – you’re probably familiar with moths in your closet, but what about in your pantry? The Indian meal moth will eat a variety of grain products, dried fruits, nuts, pet food, and much more. The options seem to be endless for the diet of this pest so it can be a challenge to narrow down what started the infestation.
Controlling the Pantry Pest
Once you’ve recognized and identified the presence of a pantry pest, your first priority should be controlling and removing them from your home. To begin the removal process, inspect the items in your pantry. Open items such as bags of flour or bird seeds could be the home and feeding ground to your pantry pests. Boxed cake mixes and other sealed items aren’t immune either, so be sure to check for signs of entry in the box. Once you’ve removed the infested items, place your remaining items into a sealed glass or plastic containers. The goal is to cut off the food source of your pests, causing them to look for another source or die on their own time. You may notice the pests in areas of your home outside of the pantry, especially those that are able to fly. That means that the bag of dry dog food in your laundry room or the extra cereal on top of your fridge needs to be inspected for signs of infestation too!
A & M Pest Control
If you feel like there are signs of infestation, don’t hold off and call a professional right away! A & M Pest Control’s team of experts are highly-trained and experienced in providing eco-friendly solutions to your pest problems! Call us now or visit our website to learn more.
