7 Tips to Prevent Pantry Pests

Keeping pantry pests out of dried goods in your Atlanta GA home - Active Pest Control

Stored product insects are year-round pests and we’re providing you with 7 tips to prevent them! It’s that time of year when people start organizing their pantry and baking supplies. Unfortunately, this is also the time of year that people discover that they have pantry pests. A number of insects are infamous for raiding pantries to infest flour, dried fruit, cake mixes, grains, and more.

To keep pantry pests (also known as stored product pests) out of your Georgia home this year, keep reading to learn Active Pest Control’ expert tips!

7 Tips to Prevent Pantry Pests

Before you use your baking supplies, it’s important to check for pantry pests. There are 7 ways you can prevent pantry pests:

  1. Invest in proper storage: Always store food and baking ingredients in airtight containers to keep pests out.
  2. Properly store seasonal items: Dried foliage, Indian corn, and other seasonal items should be kept in sealed containers while not in use throughout the year.
  3. Use bay leaves: Stick a bay leaf inside canisters of dry goods like flour, rice, and other grains. The smell of bay leaves may help to repel pests.
  4. Inspect your groceries: At the grocery store, be careful of purchasing items that appear damaged or used, and do not bring them back to your home.
  5. Check for expiration dates: Before you use your ingredients from a year or two ago, make sure to check the expiration date and toss any expired items.
  6. Keep a clean kitchen: Always wipe up spills or messes to avoid attracting pests.
  7. Seal cracks: Inspect your property for cracks or crevices through which pests may come indoors, and seal them properly.
Indian meal moths and confused flour beetle prevention in Atlanta GA - Active Pest Control
Indian meal moth (top) & confused flour beetle (bottom)

What Types of Pantry Pests Are There?

Some of the most common pantry pests include ants, earwigs, weevils, pillbugs, Indian meal moths, and confused flour beetles. All of these pests prefer different things to infest, including flour, grains, cake mixes, candy, chocolate, nuts, and dried fruit.

When you have a beetle or moth infestation, all four stages of their development (egg, larva, pupa, and adult) may be seen. For the most part, most people don’t notice the infestation until insects have reached the adult stage. No matter the type of pantry pest, it’s important to act quickly when you find them.

Pantry Pest Extermination

If you’ve followed all the preventative tips to prevent pantry pests and still have an infestation, it’s time to call a pantry pest exterminator! The pantry pest extermination team at Active Pest Control can help remove the infestation and protect your property from pantry pests in the future.

Advice For Pantry Pests In Atlanta

Have you ever experienced an infestation in your pantry? Are you experiencing one right now? There are few things in life as gut twisting as finding something crawling inside your pantry food. There are also few things in life as frustrating as trying to get rid of pantry pests. But don’t worry. We have your back, Atlanta. Here is your quick guide to fixing a pantry pest problem and making sure you don’t get another.

Understanding Pantry Pests

When we say pantry pest we’re not talking about cockroaches, rodents or ants. Though these creatures are definitely a threat to your pantry, they don’t attack your pantry the same way pests that are classified as pantry pests. These three will work their way in through your walls to get at your food. Pantry pests, like Indian meal moths, beetles, and weevils, are more likely to get into your pantry by hitchhiking in the food you purchase from the grocery store. Once inside your pantry, they spread between packages and increase their populations.

Prevention

If you already protect your pantry from cockroaches, rodents, and ants, by keeping your foods in hard plastic containers, you will be one step ahead of those who do not. Storing food this way won’t prevent you from getting an infestation, but it will definitely help to contain it. Pantry pest eggs can be invisible to the naked eye. So, you may miss an infestation when you pour packaged food into your plastic containers, but at least they won’t spread to other stored foods.

How do you keep from bringing tainted food home? The best you can do is to inspect pantry food packages thoroughly before you purchase them. Look for any holes, broken seals or damage. If the food company has done its job, this is the only way these pests can get into your foods.

Removing Your Infestation

If you have a current infestation, it is really best to hire a professional to fix your problem. Getting rid of pantry pests is tricky and requires knowledge of pest protocols. If you try to tackle this problem yourself, you may end up eating tainted food without realizing it.

Preventing Future Infestations

Stopping future infestation is a straightforward process when you inspect food at the store and use hard plastic, sealable containers, but we realize this is not for everyone. If you prefer to keep your foods in paper and cardboard, follow these simple steps.

  • Put new items in the back and old items in the front.
  • Go through your pantry on a routine basis and throw out items that are past their due date.
  • Keep your shelves clean of particulate food matter.
  • Seal any cracks in your pantry walls.

If you have pantry pests in your Atlanta home, Active Pest Control can help. Our nationally recognized, QualityPro team has the experience and education to cleanse your pantry of these disturbing bugs and the expertise to show you how to keep them out for good. We also have special plans to keep your home pest-free* throughout the year. Whether you are looking for a one-time service or a special pest plan, give us a call today!