Pantry Pests: A Nuisance and an Embarrassment

From holidays and family gatherings to office parties and cookie parties we are all cooking, baking and transporting food non-stop. Nothing could be more embarrassing than showing up for an occasion with food and finding a bug baked in. Unfortunately, this could happen. Pantry pests are both a nuisance and an embarrassment, but there are two important steps you can take to keep your pantry pest free.

There are several different “pantry pests” or “stored product pests” but two of the most common are the merchant grain beetle and the Indian meal moth. The merchant grain beetle has a dark brown body that is approximately one-eighth of an inch long and very flat. What makes them look distinct is they have six saw-like teeth on each side of their body. The name of the merchant grain beetle is a bit misleading since they are not typically found in grain but instead in cereals, cake mixes, and pasta. The Indian meal moth is copper reddish in color and can grow up to three-fourths of an inch long from wing tip to wing tip. Although the descriptions of these pests are what they look like in adult form, it is important to remember that they can be present in your home in any of their life cycle stages (egg, larva, pupa, and adult).

The first step you should take to keep your baking and cooking pest free is to inspect your food. You should inspect it carefully when you first bring it into your home, and inspect it carefully right before you use it. Unfortunately, even high-quality food may contain pantry pests. If you do find any of the pests during your inspection, throw the whole container away in an outside receptacle. Many people suggest that if you are not a regular baker, you should get rid of older pantry products, like flour, and buy new ones before this holiday season. If you take this advice, remember to still inspect your new pantry staples before you use them.

The next step after you inspect your pantry items is to make sure they are properly stored. Pantry pests thrive when they can find opened packages of food that are stored for long periods of time. Unless you are using a pantry staple right away, it is best to remove it from its original packaging and place it in either a plastic or glass container with an airtight lid. The paper and plastic sacks that flour and grains are commonly sold in are usually not a sufficient deterrent for pantry pests. Make sure to thoroughly wash containers with warm soapy water before you put new flour, rice, etc. into them.

Because pantry pests are found around food, it's not a good idea to try to exterminate them yourself with chemicals from a big box or hardware store. If you have followed these tips and still have problems with pantry pests, it is best to give us a call.