How to get rid of food moths in your pantry

Annoying little creatures
Food moths
How to get them out of your pantry?
Recognizing the moth
How do they end up in your house?
Bird nests and stuffed animals
Foods can already be infected
Spreading fast
Between 200 and 500 eggs per moth
What causes most damage, the moth or the larvae?
Larvae
First on the food, then in cracks of walls and closets
That's how they spread from one room to another
If you see the moths, it may already be too late
How to recognize the larvae?
Strange little cobwebs
Not safe to eat
Throw away food with cobwebs or larvae
How to get rid of the pest for good?
1. Identify breeding grounds
2. Protect clean foods
3. Clean every small space in your kitchen
4. Vinegar
5. Make sure they are really gone
6. Mosquito screens
Still there? Get help
Annoying little creatures

From silverfish to ants, from mice, and flies, we all endure pests at some point. In warmer circumstances, you might be bothered by this specific flying creature.

Food moths

We are talking about food moths, or the Indian meal moth, an insect that looks innocuous but can cause significant damage.

How to get them out of your pantry?

How do these creatures actually enter your home, and more importantly, how do you get rid of them? Read on to learn all about it.

Recognizing the moth

The Indian meal moth is about 1 centimeter in size. When at rest, with its wings against its body, it has a reddish brown appearance with a creamy white band behind its head. When the moth spreads its wings, it appears to be cream-colored with a reddish-brown tint at the outer wing tips.

How do they end up in your house?

This small flying insect is very eager to find stocked food. The larvae mainly eat grains and dry foods such as rice, crackers, oatmeal, and pasta.

Photo: Melissa Di Rocco / Unsplash

Bird nests and stuffed animals

Meal moths can easily fly into your home. They can also enter through bird nests near your home. The larvae can even live in stuffed animals, according to WebMD.

Photo: Dawid Zawila / Unsplash

Foods can already be infected

Foods you have purchased may be already contaminated with flour moth eggs or larvae without anyone noticing it. Packages of oatmeal, rice cakes, corn cakes, crackers, and rice may contain eggs or larvae.

Photo: Franki Chamaki / Unsplash

Spreading fast

According to the Animal Pests Knowledge Advice Center (KAD), the meal moth quickly goes through four stages of development from egg to adult. This cycle of development allows meal moths to spread quickly in environments where food supplies are available.

Photo: Rick Barrett / Unsplash

Between 200 and 500 eggs per moth

Female meal moths can lay between 200 and 500 eggs, depending on the temperature of the environment and the availability of food. After laying eggs, females live an average of 1 to 2 weeks, with their energy completely focused on reproduction. In favorable conditions, this can lead to rapid population growth and an increased risk of food contamination in households.

Photo: Sarefo, CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia

What causes most damage, the moth or the larvae?

The adult moths rarely cause any damage because they do not eat and are solely focused on reproduction. The real damage to your groceries is caused by the larvae.

 

 

Larvae

The larvae of storehouse moths attack a wide variety of stored products, including flour, bran, oatmeal, cocoa beans, grains, nuts, dried fruits, and other vegetable products. They can even chew through the packaging of products containing chocolate and nuts.

Photo: Pudding4brains, Public Domain / Wikimedia

First on the food, then in cracks of walls and closets

After eating enough of the food, the larvae withdraw to cracks or secure places in the walls of storage rooms or cupboards so they can pupate. That process takes an average of 1 to 2 weeks, although this may take longer at lower temperatures.

Photo: Pudding4brains, Public Domain / Wikimedia

That's how they spread from one room to another

This stage of the meal moth's life cycle plays an important role in their reproduction and spread to new locations within a household. In places where the temperature is 18-20°C (64-68º F), meal moths can produce up to 4 generations per year.

Photo: Aaron Doucett / Unsplash

If you see the moths, it may already be too late

Indian meal moths are attracted to light sources. If you see moths flying into your kitchen, it is wise to check your cupboards immediately.

Photo: Chris Leggat / Unsplash

How to recognize the larvae?

The white larvae are clearly visible in foods. You can also recognize them in clumped flour or meal.

Photo: Pudding4brains, Public Domain / Wikimedia

Strange little cobwebs

In addition, if you notice cobwebs in your kitchen cupboards or food packages, you can be sure they have been caused by flour moths.

Photo: Pudding4brains, Public Domain / Wikimedia

Not safe to eat

Consuming food that's been contaminated by moth larvae is unhealthy. It can lead to allergic reactions, such as inflammation of the mucous membrane, or even intestinal blockage due to swallowing the silk in which the larvae live.

Photo: Zohre Nemati / Unsplash

Throw away food with cobwebs or larvae

Throw away any clumped flour, rice, or malt that appears to have been damaged by food moths.

Photo: Wolfgang Hasselmann / Unsplash

 

How to get rid of the pest for good?

Koen Wauters, science journalist at Belgian broadcaster VRT, made a list of things you can do to get rid of this flying pest in no time!

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1. Identify breeding grounds

First, start by identifying breeding grounds and remove affected foods immediately.

2. Protect clean foods

Second, store sensitive, yet unaffected foods in glass jars or sturdy plastic containers that close tightly, so the moths and larvae cannot get in.

Photo: Denise Johnson / Unsplash

3. Clean every small space in your kitchen

Completely empty the kitchen cupboards and vacuum them thoroughly. Don't forget the cracks, spaces under the shelves, pre-drilled holes, and possibly the space under the cabinets. Those are the places where the larvae may have settled to pupate.

Photo: Jason Briscoe / Unsplash

4. Vinegar

Then clean the cabinets with water and vinegar. Meal moths don't like vinegar.

5. Make sure they are really gone

Finally, to check if all the moths are gone, place a pheromone trap in your kitchen cupboard and in the kitchen. If none of them appear, your pantry should be moth-free.

6. Mosquito screens

We have saved a simple preventive measure for last. Only leave open windows and doors that have mosquito screens. This way you prevent these creatures from flying in during the dark hours. It's a simple but effective method.

Photo: Valentina Locatelli / Unsplash

Still there? Get help

If you are dealing with a serious meal moth infestation, it is wise to consult a specialized pest controller. They have the expertise and resources to effectively tackle the problem and prevent the further spread of larvae and moths. Good luck!

Photo: CDC/Unsplash

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