Did Old Mother Hubbard Have These in Her Cupboard?

Indianmeal Moths

Have you recently noticed small moths flying in a zigzag fashion around rooms (kitchens and pantries) in your home and making their way to lights, such as T.V. screens and computer monitors, at night? Or perhaps you've seen the yellowish larvae (worms) crawling up the walls and suspended from the ceiling attached to a single silken thread. The Indianmeal Moth is one of the most common of the pantry pests in the United States.

Damage is caused by larvae biting into packaging and spinning silken threads as they feed, in turn webbing food particles together. Besides infesting all cereal food products and whole grains, larvae also feed on a wide variety of foods such as dried fruits, powdered milk, cornmeal, popcorn, flour, raisins, prunes, nuts, chocolates, candies, health foods, spices, bird seed, dog and cat food, fish food, graham crackers, dried red peppers, pastas, etc. But, they can also get into wreaths, organic candles and soaps containing things such as dried pomegranates, berries and nuts.

Most homes become infested when adult moths or larvae "hitchhike" inside a package (such as dog food) from the grocery store. Not only homes, but restaurants, grocery stores, warehouses, pet stores, seed companies, mills etc., can become infested. Before purchasing grocery products, always examine foods for infestations. Examine broken and damaged packages and boxes to avoid accidentally bringing pests into your home. Check the packaging date to ensure freshness. Purchase seldom-used foods in small quantities to prevent long storage periods, especially in warm weather. Always store susceptible foods in insect-proof containers with tight-fitting or screw type lids. Use older packages first and inspect frequently to avoid any spillage which might attract insects.

Careful sanitation is the best method to avoid stored product pests. Locate the source of infestation and quickly get rid of it. Call us and we can inspect and find the source of an infestation and then make various recommendations, including pheromone traps to disrupt the mating cycle. We can also use insecticide materials carefully labeled for control of nuisance moths flying around rooms. Our pest professionals have the training, experience, equipment and materials to control your pest problem and leave you to enjoy a relaxing night by the fireplace.