Pantry Pests In West Chester: Key Prevention Tips

Identifying Pantry Pests

There are several different types of pantry pests that you may commonly encounter in your home. You can have one or more of these pests infest your house simultaneously, so it is important to keep an eye out.

• Cigarette beetles are round and a brownish color. They typically love to eat stored tobacco products but will make their home in most pantry staples.
• Indian meal moths are also referred to as pantry moths. They tend to prefer flours, nuts, grains, and different types of pasta to live in.
• Saw-toothed beetles are quite small and have flat bodies. They are tan to light brown or yellow.
• Flour beetles come in two varieties; the confused flour beetle and the red flour beetle. Both are a reddish color and have flat, oval bodies.
• Merchant grain beetles come in a range of brown colors and have narrow oval bodies. They love to inhabit stored cookies, cereals, chocolate, and pasta.

With all of these pests, infestations start with an adult beetle or moth laying eggs in a product. The eggs will then hatch into larvae that feed on the product, eventually growing into adults and continuing the cycle. Infestations can quickly grow out of control before you notice these pests in your stored food items.

Pantry Pest Prevention

There are several pantry pest prevention tips you can use to ensure that you don’t invite these pests into your home and your stored food stays safe.

• Check all pantry staples for damaged edges and corners or traces of sticky webbing on the outside before purchasing them. You may also want to examine clear packages for evidence of grains sticking together or adult pests in the food.
• Do not purchase anything that appears damaged or infested.
• Store pantry staples in a clean area and regularly wipe out cupboards. You may want to transfer food items into a glass or plastic container as these provide a tighter, more pest-proof seal than cardboard boxes. You should also conduct regular inspections of stored items to ensure there are no signs of webbing or adult pests in your pantry.
• It is not as common for infestations to start with adult pests finding their way into your home, but it is possible. Seal up potential entry points around your home and ensure that all window and door screens are intact, as this is the best way to keep pests out. You may also want to replace damaged door sweeps and weatherstripping.
• Use older stored food products first and ensure that food items don’t sit open in your pantry for too long. Both of these things encourage pests to make their homes in stored items and an infestation will grow out of control before you notice. 

Expert Pantry Pest Control

Pantry pests can be difficult to keep out of your house. For more prevention advice or assistance getting rid of an ongoing infestation, contact Masters Touch Pest Solutions. Our pest control experts will provide fast, effective, and guaranteed pest control services to help you reclaim your home and pantry.