Finding bugs in your food is one of the most disgusting things imaginable, and this is what happens when pantry pests invade your Quad City home. Pantry pests is a term that refers to a group of insects that commonly invade cupboards and cabinets as they lay their eggs in stored food products, such as flour and sugar.
While there are quite a few specific species of pantry pests, some of the most common in Quad City include Indian meal moths, drugstore beetles, and rice weevils. Here is how you can identify them:
Indian meal moths: These moths have reddish-brown bodies and prominent antennae. Their wings are tan with black and orange markings.
Drugstore beetles: This species is round and a light reddish-brown color. They have a characteristic beetle shape and three-segmented antennae.
Rice weevils: This species is only about ⅛ of an inch long. They are brownish red to black, and they have a long “snout” that sticks out of their faces. They are able to fly.
One thing to keep in mind is that most of these species don’t stay in stored food products when they are fully grown. Instead, they lay their eggs there so that their larvae can consume these nutrients.
Ways To Avoid Buying Pantry Pest Infested Food
Often, pantry pests are brought into home when items that are already full of eggs are purchased. Discovering that these insects are inside the food you just got at the grocery store can be quite unsettling. Luckily, there are some indicators you can look out for to avoid bringing home these items.
Here’s what to do:
Look at food packaging, especially of things like rice, grains, sugars, and flours, and check for a powdery look or clumps.
Next, see if you can find any small webs inside.
After purchasing these items, keep them stored in airtight containers. This way, if you buy an infested product, the insects won’t spread.
Regularly rotate food in your pantry and cupboards so any older, potentially infested items will be found and thrown away before the infestation gets bigger.
These pests are small and can easily grow their populations undetected so it is important to keep a close eye on stored food.
Four More Pantry Pest Prevention Tips
While one of the main ways these bugs get inside is by buying items with the eggs inside, pantry pests can also enter a home through other ways. The adults can come in from outside and slip through windows or doors. So, to seal up these entry points, make sure to follow these four steps:
Repair and replace broken or ripped screens in doors and windows.
Install door sweeps and weather stripping around your property.
Ensure that doors and windows fit tightly in their frames and are correctly sealed.
Check for holes in the walls and foundation and seal these up with caulk or foam insulation. Make sure to look for tiny cracks and openings as these insects are rather small.
Monitoring for pantry pests and limiting their access points into your home are great steps in prevention, but they may not be enough to eliminate an existing population.
Removing Pantry Pests In Quad City
If you are already dealing with an infestation of pantry pests, the professionals at Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators are here to help. We will remove the offending pests and then work with you to provide treatment plans, so they don’t return.
It’s simple to get started protecting your Quad City home from pantry pests. Just give us a call today to request a quote.