If it’s been a while since you last baked goodies – Hello, Covid? – closely inspect ingredients before use.
Why? Items stored in cupboards and pantries may have become infested with common pantry pests, like weevils, beetles or moth larvae. It’s also possible to bring home new ingredients that were infested at the store.
Don’t fret. It’s easy to make sure your dry ingredients are pest-free. The experts at Pest HQ share how:
- Look before you cook. Closely inspect flour, seeds, cocoa, graham crackers, spices, dried fruit and other dry ingredients for tiny worms or bugs. Small moths found near your stored goods are a sure sign of a pantry pest infestation.
- Pitch, clean and store properly. Get rid of ingredients showing signs of insect activity. Thoroughly clean out cupboards and containers with disinfectant. Store remaining ingredients in air-tight containers or the freezer to protect them from insects. Beetles, weevils and moth larvae can chew or crawl through the seams of cardboard, paper and thin plastic packaging.
- Get rid of moths. Unless you eliminate them, pantry moths will continue lay eggs near your food. The eggs will hatch into larva that eat your dry ingredients. Pheromone traps are a highly effective way to get rid of pantry months. (Learn how to effectively use pheromone traps.)
- Don’t forget the pet food. It’s not uncommon for dried dog food, cat food and bird seed to become infested with pantry pests. The risk increases when packaging is left open, and items are stored in the garage. To prevent infestation, always store these products in a tightly sealed container, like a plastic tub with locking lid.
Questions about pantry pests? Contact the experts at Pest HQ. They have more than 100 years of combined experience to help you win at DIY pest control in Ontario.
Read more:
DIY Inspection at Home
About Moths in the House
Understanding Moth Pheromone Traps
