Pantry Pest Identification & Prevention

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.