Pantry pests are usually imported into the home in an infested package of food. Often the first indication of an infestation is small moths flying about or beetles found in the dry goods pantry. Fabric pests feed on the fabric material found in clothing, furniture and carpets. If left untreated, infestations can spread throughout your property in a short period of time and cause extensive damage to those items. Correctly identifying these pests is crucial to an effective pest control solution.

APPEARANCE 

Tan with tiny black, brown and white scales; round and small, up to 1/4″ in size.

HABITAT 

Outdoors, carpet beetles live in birds’ nests and animal dens where they can find animal hair and feather on which to feed. Indoors, they feed on natural fiber fabrics such as wool and silk. They may also be found living under carpets and rugs where hair or dead insects have accumulated. They can actually digest human or animal hair. Although not dangerous from a health standpoint, they can substantially damage personal belongings.

DIET 

Animal hair, feathers, dead insects and natural fibers, particularly wool and cashmere.

CARPET BEETLE CONTROL

Before storing any woolen or natural fiber clothes, clean them according to directions. Zippered plastic bags or large plastic containers are ideal for storage. Mothballs leave a strong odor but will help deter fabric pests in those areas. Use caution when purchasing rugs or carpeting second-hand, these items could bring unwanted pests like carpet beetles into your home. A residual treatment is not always necessary, a detailed inspection usually locates the source.

APPEARANCE 

Cream or white, about 3/8″. Larvae often leave strands of the silk they spin on fabrics.

HABITAT

As their name implies, clothes moths live in clothing, carpets, fabrics and furs. They can fly but usually hide in dark corners or in the folds of fabric. While not particularly dangerous, they can do real damage to clothes and other fabrics.

DIET

These moths are able to digest animal hairs and feed on any item made of natural fibers, particularly wool and cashmere.

CLOTHES MOTH CONTROL

Before storing any woolen or natural fiber clothes, clean them according to directions. Zippered plastic bags or large plastic containers are ideal for storage. Mothballs leave a strong odor but will help deter fabric pests in those areas. Use caution when purchasing clothing second-hand, these items could bring unwanted pests like moths into your home. A residual treatment is not always necessary, a detailed inspection usually locates the source.

APPEARANCE 

Reddish brown, with flat, oblong body; wings covered by a thin shell; about 1/8″ long.

HABITAT 

The confused flour beetle gets its name because it is often confused with its nearly identical relative the red flour beetle. The red flour beetle can fly whereas the confused flour beetle cannot. Both beetles are most common in processed grain products, where their flattened bodies permit them to work their way into almost any package. These packages make their way to stores, and eventually homes. Foods heavily infested by these beetles often develop a grayish tint and take on an unpleasant odor.

DIET 

Flour beetles are scavengers that cannot attack whole grains—they must rely on other insects such as rice weevils or lesser grain borers to first damage the kernels. They’ve also been known to infest nuts, cereal, spices, and other grainy dry stored products.

CONFUSED FLOUR BEETLE CONTROL 

Discard all infested packages. Clean spilled grain and infested cabinet areas using a vacuum followed by soapy water. Store all dried food goods in zipper plastic bags, or a glass or plastic container with a tight lid to limit spreading if one food item becomes infested. Wipe all sides of shelves with household cleaning solution and pull out stove and refrigerator to access and remove possible food debris beneath appliances as well. Eliminating the insect’s food source and a professional inspection will rid these pests.

APPEARANCE 

Between 2-3.5 mm long, oval and light brown to reddish brown in color, the quickest way of distinguishing them is the presence of pattern less pits on their wing covers. They are very similar to the Drugstore Beetle.

HABITAT 

The female lays her eggs in food materials, which hatch and complete another life cycle in about two months for the cigarette beetle. They are strong fliers and attracted to light. Because they not only eat grains, but also make silk cocoons at their developmental site, they are destructive to stored grain products.

DIET

These beetles infest a wide variety of products, including pet food, flour, cereal, spices and pasta.

CIGARETTE BEETLE CONTROL 

The best prevention method incorporates constant inspection of all incoming products and ensuring the warehouse is suitably protected from insect entry. If a batch of product is found to be infested, subject it to extreme temperatures (over 125°F) for 30 minutes to an hour. This will eliminate the pests at all levels of development and prevent infestation of the rest of the stored products. All stored products should be kept in sealed containers and off the ground on pallets as well as away from the walls. This not only allows for adequate inspection and better ventilation but also makes access for insects more difficult. Through a combination of traps and residual products on the perimeter of the warehouse, access to stored products is greatly reduced. Additionally, maintaining constant sanitation practices will help to prevent the growth of a domestic pest population. Constant reapplications and inspections make it necessary to be set up on an ongoing professional program. Since these beetles can fly and are attracted to light, light traps in conjunction with sticky traps can be quite effective in redressing any present adult population.

APPEARANCE 

Brown, very flat, narrow oval shape; 1/10″ long.

HABITAT 

Grain weevils will attack packages of cereal, flour, rice, oats, pet foods, chocolate, pasta and other similar packages goods. They are found in pantries, food processing areas, warehouses and grocery stores. They crawl into packaging to eat, live and reproduce. Large populations can develop in short periods, forcing adults to leave infested foods seeking new food sources. Infestations can quickly spread to every nearby packaged food. The grain weevil cannot fly, but the closely related merchant grain beetle can.

DIET 

Cereals, cake mixes, macaroni, cookies and chocolate, among other processed or packaged foods.

GRAIN WEEVIL CONTROL 

Discard all infested packages. Clean spilled grain and infested cabinet areas using a vacuum followed by soapy water. Store all dried food goods in zipper plastic bags, or a glass or plastic container with a tight lid to limit spreading if one food item becomes infested. Wipe all sides of shelves with household cleaning solution and pull out stove and refrigerator to access and remove possible food debris beneath appliances as well. Eliminating the insect’s food source and a professional inspection will rid these pests.

APPEARANCE 

5/8-3/4″ long. Dark brown with four light multi-colored patches on its wings; the head extends into a long thin “beak”.

HABITAT 

Indian meal moths are attracted to light and tend to become active around dusk. They make cocoons in wall corners and crevices, which are often mistaken for spider webs. The larvae look like small worms, they contaminate products they infest, and they’re capable of chewing through plastic and thin cardboard. Adults don’t live more than a week, but females are capable of laying 200 eggs at once, allowing infestations to get out of control quickly.

DIET 

Indian Meal Moths feed on dried fruits, grains, cereal, seeds, nuts, chocolate, candy, dog food, baking ingredients, spices and other stored pantry or cupboard products.

INDIAN MEAL MOTH CONTROL 

All dry stored products need to be inspected, along with decorative items such as Indian corn and shadow boxes containing seeds. Anything in question should be discarded, as it could be contaminated and harmful if consumed. Clean spilled grain and infested cabinet areas using a vacuum followed by soapy water or a mixture of hot water and household cleaner. Wipe down all sides of shelves and walls. Store all dried food goods in a glass, plastic zipped bags, or plastic containers with a tight lid to avoid further contamination and limit spreading if one food becomes infested.