Detecting pantry pests before they take over your cabinets might seem like a long shot, but if you know what you’re looking for, it’s simple and easy to keep them out of your home and away from your food.
There are a few common pantry pests in Lake Worth to keep a lookout for. Knowing which pests are pantry pests and which are regular insects might save you some time and money in eliminating the infestation.
Common Pantry Pests In Florida
Pantry pests reproduce by laying their eggs in dry foods. The larvae will feed off the food until they are ready to leave the nest and do their own reproducing. Pantry pests are usually named for the type of food they were discovered in, or the product they tend to love destroying the most.
Cigarette Beetle
- Small, oval-shaped beetle
- Usually light brown with dotted ridges on its back
- Has a hunched appearance because of its head being bent down
Cigarette beetles get their name for their preference for stored tobacco, but the next pantry pest was first found enjoying a sack of cornmeal.
Indian Meal Moth
- Have reddish tipped wings and a sharply pointed beak
- Most damage is done from the silk they spin to collect fecal pellets, skins, and eggshells
The final pest is also called the saw-toothed grain beetle, and it gets its name from the saw-toothed appearance of its body right beneath the head.
Saw-toothed beetle
- Long, oval-shaped body segments
- Varied light and dark brown ridges that run the length of its body
These three pests aren’t restricted to the products in their names, they often prefer flour, spices, pasta, fruits, chocolates, pet foods, and tobacco.
Pantry Pest Prevention Tips
Pantry pests can come in from outdoors, but more often than not, they’ve already infected the groceries you’re bringing into the home. While home maintenance can prevent a local infestation, the most important step when shopping is to look for telltale signs.
- Don’t ever purchase foods with damaged packaging, no matter the discount.
- Check packages for lumps where larvae may have been deposited.
- At home, make sure to clean up food spills in cabinets right away.
- Keep food stored in sealed glass containers.
- Don’t keep food past its expiration date or longer than two months.
- Vacuum and sanitize regularly to get rid of crumbs and spills.
- Make sure home window and door screens are hole-free.
- Make sure windows and doors seal properly.
- Seal holes and cracks around the home’s foundation and exterior with silicon-based caulk.
If you fear an infestation, it may not be easy to deal with. Occasionally baking or freezing products may kill any larvae in the product, but finding the source of the infestation may not be that easy. Pantry pests have been known to travel surprising distances to find food, meaning that you may not even find the source in the same room as the food.
Don’t wait until an infestation has cost you money. If you think you have a problem, call for an inspection right away and get started with pest control services in Lake Worth!
Contact Above and Beyond Pest Control For Advice And Assistance
If you need advice on safeguarding your home against pests, the local Florida pest control professionals at Above and Beyond Pest Control can help. If you fear an infestation, don’t wait until you’ve lost a cabinet full of groceries and you’re at your wit’s end. Call at the first sign of pests for a comprehensive Lake Worth pest control plan that can not only eliminate the infestation but can protect your home against future pests. For a free inspection, call (561) 725-9784.