What To Do About Pests In The Pantry Of Your Downingtown Home
December 17, 2022
Pantry pests are all too common in Downingtown. While they generally do not pose health risks to people, they can contaminate food and make it inedible. The particularly pesky thing about these creatures is that they can make a home in and contaminate a wide variety of food in your pantry. Once they infest, they multiply and infect more food containers. The nasty bit about these pests is that once you have a problem with pantry pests, the problem only gets worse the longer it goes unchecked.
That's why pantry pest control is a key segment of complete pest control in Downingtown. In this blog, we'll show you the common types of pantry pests you may find, the problems they create, and how they got inside to begin with. We'll also introduce you to Masters Touch Pest Solutions, which has decades of experience helping Downingtown homeowners rid their homes of pantry pest infestations.
Common Types Of Pantry Pests Found In Downingtown
The three most common segments of pantry pests in Downingtown are moths, weevils, and beetles. The Indian meal moth is a moth you might find in your pantry in Downingtown. They have a wing span of up to an inch with bands ranging from dark reddish-brown to olive green. Since these moths live in your food, you may end up with all life stages of a moth in your pantry!
Drugstore beetles are another garden-variety nuisance pest that might find its way into your pantry. They are approximately 1/8 of an inch long, brown, and oval-shaped. They are drawn to dried products like spices, flour, and paper products.
Another common type of pantry pest you might encounter in Downingtown is the weevil. These pests are actually beetles, and they are recognizable by their trademark snout. These pests are plentiful, with over 90,000 known species! Bean weevils are a common type, which, as the name indicates, you will likely find in beans and peas.
The Problem With Pests In Your Pantry
Pantry pests are not likely to cause health issues; however, it quickly makes the food in your pantry and the surrounding food inedible. Once inside your pantry, these nasty pests can chew through plastic and cardboard containers, increasing cross-contamination with other nearby food sources. As these moths and beetles move from container to container within your pantry, they make a mess by tracking food particles and feces along the way. Once you have a pantry pest infestation, it probably requires tossing out the majority of your pantry products and deep cleaning. It is important to ensure that you exterminate all of the pantry pests before refilling your pantry to avoid future contamination and the costs associated with another replenishment!.
How Pantry Pests Find Their Way Into Stored Foods
The vast majority of pantry pests find their way into your food through no fault of your own. They generally find their way into food containers before they seal them in the manufacturing facility that produces your food. Once inside, you may go to the grocery store, buy a container of white flour or cereal, unwittingly bring these pests right into your house, and set up a home for them in your pantry.
From time to time, moths, beetles, and weevils will find their way into your home in search of the particular food they're looking for, be it cereal, nuts, chocolate, spices, cured meats, and more!
The Best Way To Get Rid Of A Pantry Pest Infestation
Luckily, the following are steps that you can take to help get rid of pantry pests and try to stomp out their expansion within your home:
- Store open food in airtight containers.
- Throw away expired food items.
- Put away seasonal items from your pantry and cupboard.
- Take a look at your groceries for clues of an infestation (like bite marks and holes) before you put them away.
- Keep the home (especially the kitchen) clean.
- Seal cracks in your home's exterior.
- Replace or repair broken window screens.
- Utilize pantry pest traps and pantry pest spray.
If you see signs of a pantry pest infestation in your home, contact Masters Touch Pest Solutions. We are the best company to call due to decades of experience dealing with all sorts of pantry pests in the Downingtown area, including all species of beetles, weevils, and moths! Whether you have a variety of pantry pests or simply need moth control, we have you covered. Don't wait until your pantry pest problem gets out of hand. Call us today for an inspection and a complete plan for pantry pest elimination.
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