Do you like to bake? If you do, you need to keep an eye out for pantry pests. Pantry pests can be a real frustration, especially when they infest your food cupboard. If you have just a few of these pests inside a product in your cupboard, you may end up finding them in other products too because they multiply fast. They can be found in even a spotless home and can be introduced into your home in several ways. Here is everything you need to know about pantry pests in Texas that may be looking to sabotage your fall baking efforts.
What are pantry pests?
Pantry pests are the pests you may find in your pantry. They can be found in many food sources and non-food sources, including packaged foods like flour, cake mixes, rice, pasta, granola, bird seed and non-food sources like dried flower arrangements. The pantry pests we see in our area include grain beetles like the cigarette beetle, the confused flour beetle and the saw toothed grain beetle as well as the Indian meal moth. Check out our pest ID pages for beetle identification and more information on what these pests look like.
Adult pantry pests don’t do a whole lot of damage to your stored goods. But their eggs and their larvae will eat the foods in your cupboards and contaminate your food with their webs and their bodies.
Why do I have pantry pests?
Pantry pests are known for entering your home through the tiny cracks and crevices that may be present in the exterior of your home or through open windows and doors. Pantry pests can also enter your home in a bag of groceries if they were already present in the goods you purchased at the store.
What can be done to prevent pantry pests?
To prevent these pests from entering your food sources inside your home, make sure your packaged goods are stored in heavy duty plastic or glass airtight containers after they are opened. Block up possible entry areas in the exterior of your home and make sure windows and doors are fitted with screens. Regularly clean your food pantry and cupboard and pick up food spills whenever they occur. Additionally, to make sure you don’t bring these pests home from the store, always examine the food you purchase for signs of these pests. Only buy packaged food that is in tightly sealed containers that are free from holes and rips.
Pantry pests have taken over my cupboard; what do I do now?
To get rid of pantry pests that are present inside your home, contact the Houston pest control professionals at Holder’s Pest Solutions. Our Total Home Pest Protection includes an intensive and detailed treatment of the interior of your home to eliminate pantry pests and other home invaders that may be causing you problems.
For more info on pantry pests in your Houston home, give us a call today. We would be very happy to discuss these pests as well as the treatment options available to keep your kitchen and your pantry free from pest invaders. Contact us today at 888-325-5719 and find out why so many people in Texas choose Holder’s Pest Solutions for all their pest control needs.