What Every Souderton Resident Ought To Know About Food-Infesting Insects

There are few pests that are as disturbing as pantry pests because these insects can come into your home already infesting your pantry foods. That's right. You can purchase products from the store with eggs, mealworms, pupae, or insects already inside them. Fortunately, pantry pests aren't known to cause sickness. They're just gross. Here are a few more things you should know about pantry pests.

What is in my pantry?

Pantry pests fall into three categories. They are beetles, weevils, or moths. While these are certainly not the only pests that can infest your foods, they are the pests that lay their eggs in or around pantry foods, and they are the pests that can hitchhike into your home.

Beetles — Some of the beetles that infest pantry foods are sawtoothed grain beetles, drugstore beetles, flour beetles, merchant grain beetles, cigarette beetles, and spider beetles. These beetles come in many shapes and sizes.

Weevils — Some of the weevils that get into pantry foods are rice weevils, bean weevils, maize weevils, and granary weevils. You can recognize weevils by their pointed snouts.

Moths — There is only one type of moth that gets into pantry food; it is the Indian meal moth. This insect is recognizable by its rusty orange and tan coloration.

What do pantry pests eat?

These pests target a wide range of foods. Some of the common foods you can expect to find them crawling in are:

• Flour

• Rice

• Cereal

• Meal

• Pasta

• Nuts

• Seeds

• Seed dust

• Grain

• Rye

• Beans

• Millet

• Corn

• Cake mix

• Dried fruits

• Dry pet food

• Candies

• Powdered milk

• Crackers

• Ginger

• Raisins

• Pepper

• Spices

Can I get rid of pantry pests with a vacuum?

No. If you suck up some beetles, weevils, or moths, you're only getting rid of the warning sign. The real infestation you should be concerned about are the larvae of these pests. They're feeding on your food and you may not realize when you eat that food. Some larvae are the same color as the food they eat. If you eat brown rice, you could eat brown larvae. If you eat white rice, you could eat white larvae. And some larvae feed on the inside of grain and other products. This will make them hard to see.

Is there a way to detect pantry pests?

Yes. These pests can give themselves away. One warning sign you may see inside your food is the appearance of webbing. This webbing is created to protect cocooned pupae as they develop into their adult form. Most of the time, however, it is the adult form that you will see.

Is there a way to make detection easier?

Yes. If you store your pantry foods in sealed glass or plastic containers, it will make it easier for you to see insects, worms, webbing, or eggs inside your food products. These containers can also prevent an infestation from spreading. It is well worth the money to invest in containers for all your food products that come in paper, cardboard or thin plastic. Some pantry pests can chew through these materials and move between food packages.

How can I get rid of a food-infesting pest?

We offer many guides for pantry pest identification and prevention but, when it comes to eliminating these pests from your pantry, the best solution is to have a licensed pest control professional do the job. Not only is it a lot of work to get rid of pantry pests, but you could still have pantry pests after you do all of that hard work. A professional will do the hard work and give you the results you're looking for.

If you live in Souderton, or somewhere else in our extensive service area, let the pest-management professionals at Moyer Pest Control take care of the food-infesting pests for you. We use trusted methods and EPA approved products to systematically address infested foods and the local area around your stored foods. Contact us today and request an inspection. We'll send an experienced professional over to have a look and guide you in selecting the right pest control solution for your specific needs. With over 150 years of experience, you can trust Moyer with all your pest control needs.