Getting Rid of Pests that Invade Pantries



Finding pests in your panty can be quite frustrating. A lot of pests carry and transmit diseases and consuming that these pests may have in contact with can be quite dangerous. Cupboards and pantries are quite susceptible to pest infestation since their content is not moved around very much. As a result, pests can lie undisturbed here and grow in numbers. Local pest control is important to keep your food safe for consumption and prevent pests from feasting on it. 

Common Pests that You May Find in Your Pantry

If you find holes gnawed into your food containers, you may have a house mouse in your home. These rodents will nibble through grains and are especially fond of anything sweet or fatty such as cereal, cheese, and biscuits. 

A lot of commercial solutions are available to help you dispatch a few rodents at home. If you think you may have a serious infestation, you must contact a reputable pest control company to help you eliminate those unwanted visitors. 

But, when it comes to pantry pests, you may be dealing with tiny bugs that will infest leftover baking ingredients, dried grains, and other foodstuff. These include dermestid beetles, weevils, cigarette beetles, flour beetles, larder beetles, and others. 

How to Know You Have an Infestation

Often, you will know you have pantry pests until you use the foodstuff that has been infested. But, you may find small brown beetles, moths, or worms on your work surfaces, around any cracks or crevices near the food storage, and on cupboard shelves. Other signs of infestation are not obvious; however, many of them include flour discoloration, flour and grain mold, small holes in packages in grains, as well as tiny flour tracks. If you notice these signs, undertake a thorough inspection of the pantry and the food inside. Pantry pests can infest even unopened packages since they can chew through paper, cardboard, and even foil. 

How to Eliminate Pantry Pests

If you spot pests in any food package, seal it in a plastic bag and throw it away in an outside bin. The bugs may return if you just toss the infested package in your kitchen bin. Clean the shelves and cupboard or pantry walls. Perform checks continuously even after you remove all visible signs of an infestation. 

To ensure the problem does not happen again, transfer your dried foods into sturdy plastic or glass containers with secure seals. This way insects can’t easily access any food sources. Also, consider contacting a pest control expert to give you advice and more long-lasting treatments.