AVOIDING PANTRY PEST
Do you see small moths or beetles flying or crawling around in your pantry, or on your kitchen counter or shelves?
If so, you probably have a Pantry Pest infestation. These are small insects that live in and feed on the same foods people do. The most common problems are caused by Indianmeal Moths and Cigarette Beetles, but there are others that can infest our foods.
You can help avoid these pest by taking the following steps:
- First and most important is to find the source. Check foods such as cereals, grain products, nuts, flour, raisins, spices, dry pet food, and bird seeds.
- When the source is located, you should dispose of it immediately outside.
- Store your goods in tightly closed glass, plastic, or metal containers.
- Consider heating or freezing all susceptible food items you have had for 60 days or longer. Almost all pantry pest can be killed in the dry heat of an oven of 140 degrees F or by freezing the items at 0 degrees or below for at least four days or more.
- Most importantly, usually no pesticide treatment is needed for these type of pests. Finding the source and disposing of all infested items solved the problem.
