How conscientious are you about what you eat? Do you check labels every time you go to the store, or is what is in your food more of an afterthought? Now, before you click away, we aren’t here to talk about your eating habits but rather about a secret ingredient that is slipping its way into packages of food here in Monroe. It's nothing that will seriously hurt you, but it is quite disgusting. If you have never heard about pantry pests, we have some information you should know. Here is how pantry pests get into homes, and what you should be doing to stop them.
What Are Pantry Pests?
Pantry pests are insects known for invading boxes of stored food. There are several different species of these pantry insects. Three common pantry pests here in Monroe are cigarette beetles, Indian meal moths, and saw-toothed beetles. These three pests are known for invading boxes or bags of dried foods and laying their eggs inside them. As disgusting as this is, having larvae crawling around inside your food after these eggs hatch is much more disturbing.
How Pantry Pests Start And Spread
Pantry pest infestations start in one of two ways. The first way pantry pests invade is by sneaking into boxes or bags of food before you buy them. This typically happens at food processing plants or grocery stores. The other way pantry pests get inside is through a crack, gap, or opening in your home’s exterior. Once indoors, pantry pests will simply look for storages of food to invade.
After pantry pests have gotten into a home, spreading is not a difficult task. All they need is a way out of the box they are in, and a way into another box nearby. As long as you open new boxes of food, pantry pests will have no problem spreading their larvae throughout your food storage areas.
Prevention Tips For Pantry Pests
To prevent pantry pests, there are three things you have to do:
- Create new habits
- Seal your home
- Make sure your food is safely stored
Here are ways our experts recommend you do this.
- Use a caulking gun to fill in gaps, openings, and cracks in your home’s exterior foundation and around window and door frames
- Make sure all of your home’s weatherstripping is in good condition
- Repair or replace window/door screens that are damaged
- Install door sweeps under all exterior doors
- Turn off exterior lights at night
- Store leftover food inside airtight containers after every meal
- Repackage dried food into larger sealable containers
- Inspect packaged food for damages or broken seals before buying
- Regularly throw away food that has passed its expiration date
The Most Effective Way To Prevent Pantry Pests
One thing you should keep in mind is that only eggs and larvae live inside stored foods. Adult pantry pests, on the other hand, are found living throughout homes. This means even if you discard all of your food and start fresh, hidden pests might just re-lay their eggs and restart your infestation. The only way to effectively remove pantry pests from your home is with the help of a professional.
At Guard Pest Control, we understand pantry pests. We know what foods they like to infest and where they are most likely to hide around homes. Using only the most advanced solutions, our team will give pantry pests the boot. Don’t waste money or effort trying to handle pests on your own, but instead let our team do what it does best.
Give us a call today to find out more about Guard Pest Control prevention services or to get a quote for your Monroe home.