Pest Control Summer Update

Bugs in the Pantry?
Grain Beetles and Indain Meal Moths

Have you ever found "sawdust" or little moths in your pantry? If so, you and your family are not the only ones enjoying your groceries. Meet the Indian Meal Moth and the Sawtoothed Grain Beetle. Both of these insects are major pests of stored foods in warehouses, grocery stores, and home pantries. They feed on a wide variety of foods such as dog food, cereals, flour, candies, pasta, dried fruits, nuts and spices.

The Sawtoothed Grain Beetle adult is 1/8 inch long with a flattened body with wings, although it does not fly. Mature larvae are yellowish white in color. This insect can survive the winter outdoors or in unheated areas. It can hide in cracks and crevices, and can easily get into sealed packages.

The Indian Meal Moth is pale gray with reddish brown wings. It has a 5/8 inch wingspan, and has a yellow to reddish brown head. The larvae are about 1/2 inch long, with a dirty white color. The larvae are what feeds on your food.

Insecticides are not recommended for controlling these insects because of the proximity to food stores, but there are several things you can do to help prevent infestations and to control activity if it occurs:

Prevention:

1. Thoroughly inspect your groceries before you bring them into your home.

2. Store dry pet foods away from your normal foods.

Control:

1. Dispose of all infested food.

2. Empty and thoroughly vacuum cupboards and shelves holding infested items. Pay particular attention to cracks and crevices.

3. Store any susceptible foods in ziplock bags or plastic containers until you are convinced the infestation is gone.

 

Dealing With "Occasional Vistors"in the Home

Summer weather brings many pleasant things. Picnics, baseball games, and relaxing in the back yard on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Unfortunately, summer also brings unwanted flying insects inside your home.

Flying insects such as wasps, yellow jackets, flies, and bees can be a true nuisance inside the home. The stinging insects can be much more than a nuisance to you and your family. These insects are called "occasional visitors", because they rarely live or nest inside the home. In fact, most of them would like to leave your home as badly as you want them out. With the exception of flies, most occasional visitors eat leafy material found more abundantly outside.

Very little can be done chemically to control flying insects. Our main source of control in our Quarterly Pest Program is to establish a chemical barrier around the outside of the home. Flying insects simply fly over the barrier and never come in contact with it. Pheromone traps (scent attractants) could be used, but we would more than likely attract more insects into your home than we would catch.

Several things can be done to reduce the frequency of unwanted "occasional visitors" in your home. First, you should check all your windows and make sure the screens are flush and in good repair. Second, make sure your soffit vents are flush and screened. These practices are called "exclusion", and are your best defense against flying insects.

Our pest technicians will remove any wasp or yellow jacket nests they can reach from the ground if you have them on or in your home.