No one wants bugs in their home. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about ants, pantry bugs, or even rodents. Your home is your castle and you don’t want to share it with bugs. The good news is that you don’t have to!
All you have to do is understand the different types of pantry bugs that exist, keep your eyes open, and then eliminate them when you see them. If you’re dealing with a pantry bug issue or are not sure if you currently have pantry bugs then you should get your local pest control company to inspect your home. They’ll identify any issue and help you to deal with it.
Common Pantry Bugs
The first step is to know your enemy. This will help to ensure they are eliminated and for you to know what you’re dealing with:
- Indian Meal Moths
These look like elongated flies with coppery wings. They’ll create silk webs in your pantry and their larvae feast on the flour, cereal, and other goodies in your pantry.
- Cockroaches
These eat rotting food and trash, are surprisingly tough, and can contaminate the rest of the food in your pantry.
- Sawtoothed Grain Beetles
These are tiny and look a little like black ants. They have teeth that stick out between their head and their stomach. These bugs will feed in your dried fruits, pasta, and even jerky.
- Spiders
In most cases spiders are harmless and they’ll eat the flies. Of course, having spiders means you have flies or the spiders wouldn’t be there.
- Flies
Flies are attracted to any food waste and they carry an array of diseases. They are also highly annoying.
- Rice Weevils
Rice weevils eat plants, specifically rice and other grains. If they get in they can consume a large amount in a surprisingly short space of time.
- Flour Beetles
These beetles eat flour, grains, nuts, and a variety of other foods. It’s normal for them to make food smell and go moldy.
It should be noted that this list is not exhaustive, keep your eyes open for anything moving in your pantry and then click here to find out how to deal with it.
Eliminating Pantry Bugs
The good news is that it’s relatively straightforward to eliminate pantry bugs and prevent them from returning. The key is cleanliness. For more serious infestations, Contact https://www.pestcontrolexperts.com/local/massachusetts/ or similar who can work to eradicate those pests for you.
Start by emptying your pantry completely. You’ll then want to wash all the shelves down and vacuum the floor. You don’t need any special chemicals when washing the shelves and walls down, warm soapy water will do;
It’s important to scrub all the surfaces and then eave the pantry to dry completely.
While it’s drying, transfer all your foods into sealed containers. This will prevent bugs from getting into it. But, the real key to preventing them from returning to your pantry is to take food in and out in the kitchen area. Only sealed containers go in and out of your pantry, eliminating food waste and, therefore, any invitation to pantry bugs.