How to prevent 3 grocery store invaders

Abell Pest Control

Grocery stores have an obligation to keep their produce sections clean and pest-free. It can be a struggle to keep away ants, fruit flies and cockroaches, especially in the warm summer months. Accidental food scraps, over-ripe fruit and puddles of water can all attract these three invaders. They may be small, but they can become big problems and potentially ruinous to a store.

  1. Ants
    The University of Guelph identified over 100 species of ants living in Canada and said that nearly all of them consume the same food sources that humans do. Sharing a menu with these pests means they can easily become a nuisance. In a grocery store, spilt food products and spoiled fruit and vegetable matter can act as a homing beacon for ants. Once they've consumed the food source they won't necessarily move on - ants like to establish a home near food supplies. Their nests can cause problems with a store's electrical wiring and lead to further structural damage. The university recommended using toxic bait when the nest is too hard to find - but store owners must take special care not get this bait anywhere near their products or in areas that children might go.

  2. Fruit flies
    Learning how to prevent fruit flies will save store owners money by keeping produce from being devoured by these tiny pests. Fruit flies lay their eggs in rotting or fermenting fruit, and, according to the University of Kentucky, one adult fly can lay as many as 500 eggs. If left untreated, a fruit fly infestation could quickly grow into an unwieldy problem. To prevent fruit flies, store owners must be vigilant about removing overly ripened fruit and damaged produce. A single overlooked item of fruit could be the starting point of an infestation.

  3. Cockroaches
    These pests are notoriously hard to kill and they are some of the most determined pests out there. They're also extremely hazardous to have around food. In an interview with Dateline NBC, Jeffrey Nelken, an expert on food safety, said that cockroaches can carry 30 different kinds of diseases. The University of Purdue recommended cleaning floors frequently and eliminating any sources of standing water. Fixing leaky pipes or clogged drains will keep the roaches from invading a store in search of a drink.


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