Stored product pests

Stored product pests, often called, pantry pests as they are most commonly found in the kitchen or food storage areas. Pests include moths, mites, ants, beetles such as weevils (type of beetle), meal moths, mealworms, and flour beetles.

These pests can easily make themselves at home in almost any location and under any conditions. They can be transported at any stage from field to pantry, to plate.

What harm can be caused by stored product pests?

The insects or eggs generally haven’t been found to spread any known diseases. They don’t carry harmful pathogens or known parasites.
Main harm is the infestation and spoilage of food. This creates waste and costs to replace damaged food.

Where exactly can I find them?

Pantries and shelves are where they may initially begin infesting through partially open bags or boxes of products forgotten at the back. Do a thorough check of all food in the pantry – under cans and packages, especially food that haven’t been used for a long time. Common foods infected include:

Flour
Rolled oats
Pasta
Lollies
Nuts
Powdered milk
Spices.

Finding these pests often shows how large the infestation as become.

The infestation can spread outside the pantry and kitchen area as adults search for new sources of food. A thorough search is needed and you may even find them on:

Decorative items
Bird seed
Windowsills
Dry pet food
Powered soap detergents
Potpourris
Dried flowers
Overhead beams

How can I avoid stored product pests in my kitchen?

Thorough disinfecting and proper storage will help to keep these pests away. Store food from paper, plastic, or cardboard packaging in tightly sealed jars or containers.

What can I do if I have an infestation?

In general, the larget the number of insects seen, the older the infestation. Identifying the pest may give clues on where to look for them, but keep in mind that they may live on a range of materials. Three things you can do if you find these pests:

Find and destroy all infected products
Clean all surfaces, paying attention to cracks and crevices
Use sealed containers to store all food products

If you still find them after doing all that, call 1800 RUSTYS asap!

Find out more

Want to prevent or get rid of stored product pests in the pantry? Call Rusty on 1800 787 897 for advice and inspection.