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Pantry moths, weevils, Indian moths, mealy bugs, or pantry pests...whatever you call them, they are unwelcome guests in your home. An infestation of pantry moths is not a sign that you are a bad housekeeper. All it takes is one egg laden female to be carried in with your groceries to begin a problem that will last for months. You don't need to use toxic chemicals or pesticides to eradicate pantry moths, you can use natural methods to get rid of pantry moths organically. This page will teach you how to get rid of pantry moths once they've set up housekeeping in your kitchen.
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Tips on Getting Rid of Pantry Moths
- Find and get rid of any food infested by the pantry moths
- Check everything in your cabinets or pantry; consider throwing out everything but cans or unopened jars
- Place food in the freezer to kill the moths
- Thoroughly clean cabinets and/or your pantry using soap and hot water
- Put out pheromone traps to get rid of any remaining pantry moths
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Step 1: Get Rid of Infected Food
- The first thing to do is to dispose of all infected food. This is more easily said than done, as tiny eggs may be difficult to detect. If you have an infestation, consider all food suspect. Everything in your cabinet, with the exception of canned food or jarred food that has never been opened might contain moths, eggs, or larvae. Signs of moth presence include small holes in the package, or sticky webs, but food can be infected even without visible signs. There are several approaches you can take.
- Throw everything out, except cans or unopened jars.
- If you want to check to see if food is infested before discarding it, you can place packages in sealed plastic pages,remove them from the home, and watch to see if larvae develop. This may take a while as the moth's life cycle is four to six weeks. Any food that has not exhibited signs of insect activity within a month should be safe.
- Moths cannot tolerate extreme temperatures, so placing food in the freezer for four days, or baking it at 130 degrees for two hours will also kill any insects that are present. Remember if you take this approach, however, that the deceased insects will still be in the food.
- Carefully examine cookbooks, as moths lay eggs between pages of paper, as well.
Introduction
- Pantry moths can enter your kitchen in numerous ways. Flour, cake mixes, or dog food may be carrying unwelcome guests. Larvae may be cocooned in the crevices of grocery bags. Even spices and jarred foods may be infested. However they arrive, its disconcerting to see a moth fly out of your cabinet, or a white larvae slithering around on your shelves. Take action to eliminate the pests and keep them from coming back by using organic methods that avoid introducing toxic chemicals into your kitchen.
Step 2: Clean Your Cabinets
- After everything is out of the cabinets, you want to thoroughly clean them. Your objective here is to eliminate any eggs that may have been laid in cracks or crevices.
- Vacuum the cabinets thoroughly, and then wash them with soap and hot water.
- Wash any cans or unopened jars that you are replacing back in the cabinets. Check carefully to make sure there are no eggs or larvae under the labels.
Step 3: Prevent Moths from Coming Back
- After cleaning the cabinets, invest in a few pheromone traps. These contain no pesticides, so they are safe to use around food, but will attract any moths that make their way into your home. If you see even a single moth, act aggressively before they get a chance to multiply.
- Carefully inspect all food you bring into your house, for signs of insect activity.
- Some people store flour in the freezer, to prophylactically kill off any insects it may contain.
- Store pet food in the garage.
- Bring your own bags to the grocery store, as moths lay eggs in the seams of brown paper bags.
Conclusion
- While pantry moths do not carry or cause diseases, no one likes to think that their food may be carrying an unexpected source of protein. While pantry moths are disturbing, they are not dangerous to people, so it doesn't make sense to use toxic chemicals to get rid of them. Fortunately, the most effective means of ridding your home of these pests are also organic. Act quickly at the first sign of insect activity, to prevent a small problem from becoming a big one.
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