Happy Holidays and Household Pests
Despite that fact that summer has ended the pest control season remains in full force. The cooler weather removes some pests, such as wasp and spiders, and opens up the door for others. This is a busy time of year for everyone and the last thing that anyone wants to do is sit down to Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner and find pests.
It is not uncommon to find mealy worms, beetles, weevils and other seed and nut eaters in food that is in your pantry. It is not even that your house is dirty. It is that the FDA has food contamination guidelines and that they allow a certain amount of insect parts, rodent hair, and other delicacies to be in food.
What that means is that insect eggs such as those from weevils, small beetles, and moths can be in the food you bring home. Because flour sits for a while as you use it, the eggs have time to develop and hatch into nymphs and adult insects. Those black specks in your cornmeal are not burned pieces, they are likely small insects.
Pantries are a haven for pests and while many of the smaller pests show up in the food you buy, some of the others show up uninvited. Mice are a great example of pests you might find in a pantry – or the signs that they are there. These include gnawed packages, feces, and urine.
Nobody wants any of that.
What Can You Do About Pantry Pests?
Monitor the Pantry – One of the most important ways to prevent pantry pests is to pay attention to food in your pantry. While you should always have a supply of food around, the longer you keeper – regardless of the expiration date – the more opportunity there is for insect eggs to hatch. You can keep dry foods in the freezer if you have space, but in general do not buy so much that you cannot use it soon. If you are storing foods for an emergency, store dry foods in the freezer. The cold will delay most insect eggs from hatching. It only takes one mealy worm to ruin the cornbread stuffing.
Food Rotation – Be sure to use a food rotation system so that you are consuming the oldest food in your pantry before you use the newest or freshest. The longer a food sits on the shelf the more likely it is to have pests.
Seasonal Cleaning – Wipe the shelves down, sweep and or vacuum the floor in the pantry at least seasonally. The smallest amount of food is a big flashing beacon for hungry mice.
Pests in the pantry change as the seasons do. In spring and summer, you might fight ants. In the winter you will often have mice and rodent problems. In the fall, it is often weevils and other critters.
If you are concerned about pantry pests, we can schedule a home visit that helps you identify issues and provides you with safe ways to handle food-borne pests. We provide comprehensive pest control in safe and effective ways throughout the Bryan and College Station Communities.
