Pest Control Houston, TX: Pantry Pests…
Indian Meal Moth: Common Houston Pantry Pest
Pet food is a common source of insect pests.
Scientist surveyed eight retail pet stores in Kansas for insect pests during a seven month period, and collected an amazing 30 speciesand over 41,000 insects.
The insects were most often concentrated near bulk food bins, in stockrooms, and on shelves holding wild bird seed and food for small animals.
When pest food is brought home it should be considered a potential source of pests. These pests then infest and contaminate human and other pet foods if they can break into the packaging.
Flour Beetles in Dog Food
Always inspect pet food beforeyou bring it home.
Besides looking for beetles, moths, and small caterpillars, check for holes in bags or boxes where insects may be emerging.
Look for tears or gaps where moths and beetles could get through the packaging and infest the food, and webbing produced by caterpillars of moths.
If these pests sneak in despite your diligence, here’s what you can do:
- Inspect all packaged foods for infestation and discard any infested products into a tightly sealed bag and place immediately in the outdoor garbage.
- If you’re short on time and/or energy to inspect, you might want to inspect only the more expensive products and throw out the rest. Save pest-free products in tightly sealed containers.
- The infested shelves and floor areas need a light pest treatment to cracks and crevices to contact hidden activity and provide a residual. Sticky traps especially with sex pheromones for beetles and moths can help lure and capture wayward adults.
- Remember, SOS (seek out the sources). Check all the folds and crevices of ALL opened AND unopened packages as well. Find all the sources and your problem disappears. Miss one little infested package and the problem will rebound.
If you need help to rid your home of these annoying pests, just give us a call.
