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Pantry Pests

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Pantry pests are regularly encountered in Bowling Green KY. Some people know them as stored product pests. These pests are named after the fact that they have an appetite for processed and dried food. When they enter your home, they will begin searching for dried, processed food such as flour, dry pet food, bread, spices, dried nuts, dry pasta, and more. Suffice to say, they’ll have no trouble finding suitable food in your residence.

The term pantry pest is used to describe a wide variety of pests. However, the most common pantry pests in our area include Indian meal moths, cigarette beetles, and saw-toothed grain beetles. These pests are regularly found in kitchens and pantries across our service area. Unfortunately, pantry pests are not easy to deal with.

You have to remember that they’re going to reside in the food they consume. Therefore, they’re going to continue eating and reproducing around the clock. Putting an end to the infestation will not be easy. We recommend working with a qualified exterminator to rectify the issue. Rest assured knowing that your housekeeping has nothing to do with the infestation.

Appearances Of Common Pantry Pests

What do pantry pests look like? Find out below.

Indian Meal Moths

Bowling Green residents may encounter Indian meal moths. These moths are difficult to ignore because they’ll fly around your home. The small moths are easy to identify since they have reddish-brown wings. Their backside has a coppery appearance. Indian meal moths start as larvae. Surprisingly, the moths are not going to attack your food. Instead, the larvae cause all the food damage in your home.

The larvae can be found in your dried foods. As for the moths, they’re going to fly around your kitchen and pantry. Since they’re fast, they’re difficult to eliminate. A professional can help you resolve this issue promptly.

Saw-Toothed Grain Beetles

You may have to eliminate an infestation of saw-toothed grain beetles too. These pests have slim, brown bodies. They’re only a tenth of an inch in length making them difficult to see. They have tooth projections that look like saws. The projections are located on both sides of their thorax. In some ways, these beetles are going to cause more food damage. Adult beetles and larvae will feed on the dried foods in your home.

They can eat a variety of products, including flours, dried fruits, candy, and cereal. You may find them eating your dog or bird food too.

Cigarette Beetles

Cigarette beetles are sometimes found in Bowling Green KY homes. These beetles are an eighth of an inch in length and light brown. They have smooth wings and a humped back. One unique thing about cigarette beetles is that they have body hairs. Therefore, they look fuzzy. As you’ve likely already guessed, cigarette beetles are going to target tobacco products. They can consume cigars, cigarettes, and cured tobacco.

However, they’ll also destroy your food products. They’ve been known to consume cereals, candies, nuts, wreaths, spices, and more.

What Causes Pantry Pest Infestations?

You may encounter pantry pests. When this happens, you must find out why they’re entering your home. Ultimately, it isn’t a secret. You’ll find that pantry pests want to enter your home to access your food products. Once pantry pests enter a home, they’ll have access to viable food sources such as cereal, bread, crackers, and more. In some cases, the victim will purchase a bag of food that is already infested with pantry pests.

It only takes a few pests to trigger a larger infestation. Once these pests have invaded your home, they’ll begin eating and reproducing rapidly. Before you know it, the infestation will spiral out of control. Pantry pests live in the food they eat. It is easy for them to thrive and reproduce.

Common Signs Of An Infestation

How can you be positive that you have pantry pests in your home? Unfortunately, it is easy to ignore this problem because pantry pests hide in the food they eat. They often blend in exceptionally well. Therefore, you may not notice that you have a problem until the larvae transform into adults. Once you’ve found small moths in your kitchen, you must remember that it could be a pantry pest infestation.

Dangers Associated With Pantry Pests

It is easy to be afraid of pantry pests since they’re going to infest your food. Nevertheless, you can sleep soundly knowing that these pests are not going to harm you. You can likely eat pantry pests and eggs without getting sick. Regardless, most people don’t want to do this. They’d prefer to get rid of the pests and replace the impacted food. The biggest problem is the cost of replacing the food in question. Pantry pests are not going to transmit illnesses, inject venom, or bite people.

Working with a professional is the best way to eliminate them.

Preventing Infestations Of Pantry Pests

Take steps to ensure that pantry pests do not enter your home. Try using the advice below to achieve this goal.

  • Store your food in high-quality containers. Don’t use paper or cardboard because the larvae can chew through these materials. Make sure the lid is properly sealed to prevent bugs from easily accessing the food.
  • Regularly clean your shelves and pantries. If pantry pests can find food crumbs on your shelves, they will stay around.
  • When bringing home groceries, never mix new and old foods. Unless you’re positive that both are free of pests, don’t mix them.
  • Are you worried that one of your foods could be infested? Place it in a plastic bag and wait. If you notice small bugs in the bag, the food is infested. Otherwise, it is pest-free and you can eat the food in question.
  • When storing new food in containers, be sure to use new containers. If you’re going to use old containers, clean them thoroughly first.

Dealing With Pantry Pest Infestations

Don’t delay dealing with the infestation in your home. These bugs are not going to disappear unless you get rid of them. Therefore, you should pick a reputable exterminator and let them resolve the problem. Since the task is difficult, DIY methods might not work. They might, but some are ineffective. If you wish to eliminate the bugs without a professional, try using the advice below.

  • Start by getting rid of any food products that are infested with pantry pests. Place everything in a plastic bag, seal the bag, and throw the bag away.
  • Thoroughly clean your pantries and shelves. Remove all items before doing so. If you use a vacuum, place the contents in a plastic bag before throwing the bag in the garbage.
  • Wipe all shelves and walls to ensure that you’ve eliminated all eggs.

While certain over-the-counter materials claim to eliminate pantry pests, you have to be careful about using them. They could be dangerous to humans and pets. You don’t want to use potentially harmful chemicals around your food products because that could make someone sick. If you’d like to resolve the issue swiftly, call our office. We can help you fix this problem before it worsens.

When Can A Technician Arrive?

We’re ready to begin helping you. After you’ve called our office, you can expect to hear from us within 24 to 48 hours.

Only Safe Treatments

While you want to get rid of the pantry pests swiftly, you don’t want to harm anyone. We understand this. We only use safe products that are approved by the EPA. Therefore, you can rest assured knowing that you’re going to be okay. Once we’ve finished, you can return to your home immediately. We’ll even clean up the mess. Call our office to learn more about our EPA-approved treatments.

Preventing Invasions Of Pantry Pests

It is wise to do what you can to keep pantry pests out of your home. If you can achieve this goal, you can avoid using our services. While this sounds easy, it isn’t. Pantry pests are sneaky so it is difficult to keep them out. In particular, you should be careful when buying bread, birdseed, crackers, spices, and similar products from a grocery store. Check the food carefully to make sure it is free of pests before bringing it into your home.

If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.

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