Pantry moths can infest and wreak havoc in your pantry all year long. Once they infest your Everett home, they multiply rapidly due to their short life cycle, and within a short time, they increase their presence in your food storage containers.
Pantry moth removal is not hard but is tedious, so you need to involve Everett pest control professionals to keep the pests under control. Effective pantry moth control in your Everett home involves checking your kitchen for a moth nest, inspecting dry foods in storage, and replacing infested food. A pantry moth infestation is a real hygiene concern for your kitchen and comes with the risk of food contamination.
Why Are There Pantry Moths In My Pantry?
Unfortunately, pantry moths hitch a ride to your home through food products from infested storage facilities and warehouses that you then bring home from the grocery store. While they can enter your home through doors and windows, most infestations start when caterpillars and eggs end up in your home through dried foods.
Spilled food and unsealed containers give the female moths ideal conditions to lay eggs. They thrive in the summer, as the females lay more eggs in warmer temperatures. The caterpillars develop more quickly and are likely to become adults in warmer temperatures.
Can Pantry Moths Eat Through Plastic?
These tiny insects create moth holes through cardboard and soft plastic. The real danger is pantry moth larvae, as they can chew through your plastic storage containers to reach stored food. It can leave you frustrated and wondering how to keep them out. Plastic containers may, therefore, not be the best for food storage, and it is best to use glass or metal storage containers.
Where Do Pantry Moths Lay Their Eggs?
Pantry moths lay eggs in stored grain, pet food, and dry food. Adults can also lay eggs near food sources; they can lay up to 400 eggs at once, which hatch in a week. When they become larvae, they start attacking food storage containers and eating the food surrounding them.
What Should I Do To Make Pantry Moths Go Away Permanently?
Pantry moth infestation in your Everett home brings kitchen hygiene concerns and poses the risk of food contamination with their exoskeleton and feces. Here are steps to get rid of pantry moths in your home:
- Dispose of moth-infested foods: Dispose of foods and other items infested with pantry moths in their original packaging. To prevent re-infestation, dispose of the foods outside your home in tightly secured bags.
- Clean containers: Clean reusable containers immediately on a hot setting in your dishwasher or the sink with soapy water.
- Clean the kitchen cabinets: Clean the cabinets and shelves to eliminate spilled food, eggs, and moth webbing.
- Dispose of shelf liners: Get rid of them, as they may have a pantry moth nest, eggs, or larvae. If you have plastic shelf liners, wash them thoroughly in soapy water.
- Replace food: Replace non-infested food in clean containers and provide airtight seals to keep moths out of your food and potential grounds for laying eggs.
To keep pantry moths out of your pantry permanently, be vigilant. Inspect and monitor your cabinets regularly so you can take proactive steps to exterminate them in case of an infestation. Review out-of-date food for infestation and replace it with new food.
Store your food in airtight, hard glass or metal containers that the moths cannot chew through. It will save you a lot of work. Inspect packaging before buying flour, grain, and other food items.
Call Professionals When You See A Pantry Moth In Your Home
A pantry moth infestation is a risk to your kitchen hygiene. While there is a lot of work to prevent an infestation and exterminate invading pests, it will prevent the invasion from going out of control.
Reach out to a pantry moth control expert to handle the pantry moth problem effectively. Guard Pest Control pantry moth exterminators will inspect your kitchen for signs of an infestation and execute pantry moth treatment to eliminate the problem. We will also suggest strategies for removing pantry moths and preventing re-infestation.
Call us today to find out more about our home pest control options.