Samples of several pantry pests have been brought into the office lately. One that we normally get this time of year is the Indian meal moth. Damage is caused by the larvae spinning silken threads as they feed and crawl, thus webbing food particles together. Besides infesting all cereal food products and whole grains, larvae also feed on a wide variety of foods and feeds such as dried fruits, powdered milk, cornmeal, flour, raisins, prunes, nuts, chocolate, candies, bird seed, dog and cat food, fish food, crackers, pastas, etc.
Some adult moths do fly into the home during summer months through open doors or windows, but most hitchhike inside in packaged goods and groceries, as grocery stores, warehouses, pet stores, seed companies, mills, etc., also become infested. The presence of this insect may be noted as the moths fly around or when larvae or webbing is found in food products.
A group of beetles called cupboard beetles or bran bugs have also been found in many homes recently. Ones that have been brought in for identification include drugstore beetles and flour beetles. People have reported large numbers of these tiny brown beetles on their shelves. Again, it is probably through purchase of infested products that they have gained entrance.
In either case, sanitation is the best control method.
Start out by locating the source of infestation and quickly get rid of it. Dispose of heavily infested foods in wrapped, strong, plastic bags or in sealed containers and put out with the garbage or bury deep in the soil.
Next, after removing all food, food packages, utensils, dishes, etc., from the cupboard, shelves, or storage area, use a strong suction vacuum cleaner with proper attachments to clean up all spilled foods (toaster crumbs, cornmeal, bits of pet food, raisins, etc.) from cracks and crevices and scrub with soap and hot water. Also make sure to empty your sweeper outside.
Foods of questionable infestations or even lightly infested can be super cooled or superheated to kill off any insects or eggs. Place exposed or suspect foods in a freezer at 0 degrees for four to seven days or in a microwave oven for five minutes or in a shallow pan or tray in the oven at 140 degrees for one hour or 120 degrees for two hours. Then store the product in containers with tight-fitting lids.
Pesticides are not really recommended around foodstuffs, however, pheromone traps can be used to help control and monitor an Indian meal moth infestation by attracting the male moths into a sticky trap and essentially keeping them out of the gene pool. Again, the trap by itself is not considered a control method, but when used along with good sanitation it can help reduce numbers as well as monitor the effectiveness of your other efforts.
Lastly, before purchasing, examine foods such as milled cereal products, flour, and dried fruit for infestations (holes in the packaging or signs of webbing). Examine broken and damaged packages and boxes to avoid bringing stored pests accidentally into the home and starting the problem all over again.
