Getting rid of pantry pests - delete if not interested

[Guest guest]

Several members have asked for this information so I'm posting it to the

group. Delete it if you are not interested in reading it.

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HOUSEHOLD TIPS: PANTRY PESTS

Today we are talking about pantry pests---Indian meal moths,

grain/flour beetles and many other bugs that infiltrate our

pantries, cupboards and storage areas.

Pantry moths most likely got into your house with some type

of purchased food. They are found in flour, dog food, biscuits,

pasta, cereal, dried beans, bread, spices, cookies and very often

in bird seed, because it's not regulated the same as food. Store

birdseed, dog food and that type of thing in a shed or garage if

possible. Many times the eggs hatch after you bring these items

home, and before you realize it, you have a problem.

The larva are very small, not much bigger than a piece of rice.

The moths are small too, but easier to see and identify.

If you see small moths flying around, especially near or in

your cupboards or pantry, then you need to start searching!

Look everywhere--grains, nuts, spices, dried peppers, and

even things you wouldn't consider suspect. If you find it,

you'll know. Most likely you'll see webbing, or larva. If you

throw out that item--outside in the trash-and use a few of the

following tips you may get on top of it quickly. A note on

the Indian meal moth---they may not be limited to kitchen

areas if you've had them for awhile. Check all dark places

for the webbing.

Traps: Buy non-toxic moth traps that use pheromones to lure

the moths. One trap per room is all you need-more than that

will confuse the moths and it won't be effective. Usually this

method will work if combined with cleaning and finding the

source of the moths.

Alternative trap: Mix boric acid with cornmeal-at a 1 to 3 ratio.

Place mixture in jar lids or washed tuna cans in pantries and

cupboards. Keep this away from kids and pets.

Clean: Remove everything from cupboards or pantries. Vacuum

out every nook and cranny-top and bottom! Take the vacuum

outside, remove the bag, and place it in a garbage bag. Tie and

place in the trash can---don't keep it near the door. Afterwards,

wipe down the cabinets with a vinegar solution. Use a sponge

or a rag, but make sure it's really saturated. You want to get in

all the crooks and crannies.

Essential oils: consider washing everything down once a month

or so, and putting cotton balls with 10 to 15 drops of Eucalyptus

essential oil in the corners of the cupboards, pantry and closets.

Extreme cases: IF your moth infestation is really bad, you will

need to throw out all items made of grain and the other things

we've talked about today. Get rid of it all and clean, clean, clean.

I came close to having to do this, but managed to limit it to one

cupboard that I knew was the problem. I also had them in the

basement and discovered it was birdseed I was storing. I now

store that in the garage in a large can with a tight lid.

PREVENTION

What can you do to prevent pantry moths? Sometimes nothing,

but you can follow these tips to minimize the chance.

-When you purchase items that I've mentioned today put them

in the freezer for 3 days to kill anything that may have come

home with you.

-Store your rice, flour and cornmeal in the refrigerator or freezer.

I do this mostly when I buy a lot of extra that doesn't get used right

away. Don't mix old and new grains or flour. Use up the old, then

wash and dry the container before storing the new batch.

-Place bay leaves in your grains--but this is only prevention. It won't

kill the eggs or larva, but it will usually keep them away. Use 2-3

leaves in each container.

-Watch your rodent population. The pantry pests can breed in their

nests AND in the bate traps for rodents.

[Guest guest]

ERWachter@... wrote:

>Several members have asked for this information so I'm posting it to the

>group. Delete it if you are not interested in reading it.

>

Thanks for this info. My mother has a major problem with weevils. Can't

seem to get rid of them. It's so bad I won't eat anything from her home.

And I hate to say that I've found them in my cupboards. Thanks for

sharing this info with the board. I'll have to share it with my Mom too.

[Guest guest]

I think the best way to get rid of them is to get rid of all the food in your

cupboards that they exist on/in. Clean the cupboards well afterwords. When you

re-purchase, think about what you really use the most. If you only use rice

once every 3 weeks, for example, then I would keep that in the freezer or

fridge.

My Mom had an encounter with these things. We threw everything out, cleaned

the cupboards, and re-purchased only small amounts for replacements. She never

had a problem again.

Fawnee

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

<voice family= " Gilda Radner " >

I just use a little bleach and soap powder.

Oh.... pantRy pests .... Nevermind!

</voice>

ERWachter@... wrote:

> Several members have asked for this information so I'm posting it to the

> group. Delete it if you are not interested in reading it.

>