Pantry Pest Identification & Prevention

Pantry pests refer to a group of insects that feed, breed, and contaminate stored foods. Some of the most common foods to be used by these insects as breeding and feeding sites include flour, cereal, oats, dried herbs, dried tobacco, dried beans, whole grains, bird food, and pet food. 

Three of the most common pantry pests to invade Georgia homes are the cigarette beetle, grain weevil, and Indian meal moth. A Marietta pest professional a can identify and control pantry pests in your home.

Pantry pests are not dangerous like other pests that cause structural damage, bite, sting, or transmit disease-causing pathogens that make people very ill; however, they are still never a welcome sight in any Georgia home.

Female pantry pests lay their eggs in or on appropriate food sources; their preferred breeding sites are the foods stored in our home's pantries and kitchens. When the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the food provided, contaminating it with their feces and saliva.

Food waste is a large concern associated with pantry pests; the larvae contaminate way more food than they could ever consume.

Pantry pest infestations often begin at food processing or storage facilities. The contaminated food is then purchased and stored in kitchens and pantries.

Food packing with holes or otherwise damaged allows adult pantry pests to move inside and lay their eggs. Then, a pantry pest infestation follows when the contaminated food is purchased and brought into your home.

In addition, pantry pest adults can enter our homes through gaps found around windows and doors or through torn screens. Many are attracted to light which draws them to our homes. Once inside, the females will search for a suitable place to lay their eggs, like the dry goods stored in your house.

Pantry pests can live successfully anywhere that provides suitable breeding sites and larvae with appropriate food sources. Some of the most common places that experience problems with pantry pests are grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, schools, and warehouses that store or process food.

Signs that pantry pests are in your home include:

• Webbing along in the corners of bags, boxes, or containers where dry goods are stored.
• Shed insect exoskeletons inside packaged food.
• Dry goods that have an unpleasant odor.

At the first suspicion of pantry pest activity in your home, immediately reach out for help.

For the best residential and commercial pest control in Marietta and Lawrenceville and the most effective way to eliminate pantry pests from your home, turn to the local experts at ProCare Pest Services. Because we are a local company, we live in the areas we serve, giving us a deep understanding of the pest pressures our customers face throughout the year. We are always committed to our customers and ensuring their experience with us is positive.

To learn more about ridding your home of pantry pests and other unwanted household pests with the help of ProCare Pest Services, call today!

In addition to regular pest control services, the following tips will help reduce your chances of introducing pantry pests into your Georgia home. Regularly clean out pantries and cabinets, wiping away crumbs and other food debris. Practice proper food storage by removing dry goods from their original packaging and placing them in hard-sided containers with airtight lids. Always inspect food packaging for rips before purchasing. For more information about pantry pest control, call today.