Most homeowners are concerned with keeping bugs and other pests from entering their home and out of the yard or garden. But there's a much easier, and more troubling way for insects and other small creatures to infest your house.
Pantry pests or stored product pests can stow away in dried or canned food goods. From there, they can emerge and wreak havoc on you and your family. Here are some of the most common types of stored product pests and what you need to know about them:
Flour beetles
According to the University of Florida, the red flour beetle and the confused flour beetle are among the most troublesome pests you may unwittingly be bringing into your home. These bugs can find their way into canned goods, dried food such as pasta or cereal, spices or even pet food.
Food distributors and vendors spend lots of time and energy ensuring food is safe and devoid of any issues, but because these bugs are very small and inconspicuous, they can still end up in your stored goods. Flour beetles may cause an allergic reaction, although they are usually benign. Regardless, finding bugs in your food is an unpleasant affair.
Because flour beetles and their larvae can happily survive in a bag of grain or can of dried goods, an infestation can take months to present itself. Be sure to call a pest removal professional right away if you think you have flour beetles in your pantry.
Weevils
There are a number of species of weevils found throughout the world, and the University of Minnesota reported that this is another common stored product pest. At barely 1/8 of an inch long, these brown or orange bugs target grains and seeds but can also be found in pasta or flour. Some species may enter your home through acorns or hickory nuts laid out as a decoration during autumn.
Weevil larvae will borrow into kernels or grains, leaving little trace that they are there at all. This is a rare but harrowing problem that can lead to a large infestation.
Moths
Adult moths may be found in your home during colder months and might not signal a pest outbreak in your food. That being said, because these insects can lay eggs in dried goods, these too are worrisome pantry pests. As the larvae grow into caterpillars, they will leave the food source and look for a place to spin a cocoon before becoming an adult moth.
Some of the most common species include the Indian meal moth, which is narrow and covered in brown and orange coloring. Although it is from a different families than the Indian meal moth, another species, simply known as the meal moth, causes similar problems. These are a little larger and usually have a yellow or olive coloration.
If you find moths in your home, there could be a number of issues to address. Investigate your closet as well as your pantry to look for damage. From there, you can decide on the best step to eliminate these pests.
Dealing with these pests
Stored product pests can be difficult to prevent, but they reinforce that you should never buy food items with damaged packaging. If you do have an infestation, call a pest removal specialist as soon as possible.
In the mean time, be sure to empty your kitchen of any food or dried goods. Store items in the refrigerator or freezer if possible. Thoroughly inspect any dried foods, and place anything you plan on keeping in plastic bags or containers. Wash your pantry or cupboard to remove any larvae or eggs.
You probably already know that most people are repulsed by the simple sight of cockroaches. If you are personally dealing with a cockroach infestation, the feelings of disgust are probably even more intense. Unfortunately, the cold winter weather tends to be one of the reasons this pest ends up in your home in the first place, according to Any Pest. While you may know that you don't want to share your home with cockroaches this winter, there are a number of interesting facts about this pest that you've probably never heard.
Because of the high amount of traffic and the versatility of the facilities, pests are naturally attracted to long-term care institutions. Many nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other care facilities include on-site kitchens and cafeterias as well as private rooms and common spaces. All of these places are susceptible to attracting pests because of the presence of food, water and viable habitats.
During the summer months, some people love to go camping with family and friends. Yet this fun trip can be ruined with a few unwanted visitors, most notably different types of bugs. Crawling spiders, hungry mosquitoes and buzzing flies can become annoying quickly. How can you avoid these pests when you're outdoors? Consider these tips to keep bugs out of your campsite.
Carpenter ants can chew through the strongest studs and stringers in a house as they hollow the wooden beams out for nesting. The resulting damage can weaken the home's structural support and require expensive repairs. Professional pest control workers can remove a colony of ants, but the best practice for homeowners is to learn the best ways to keep out an ant colony and prevent the problem before it begins.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
