Opening your pantry, only to find it infested with insect pests, is a nightmare many homeowners experience every year. Pantry moths, also known as flour moths or Indianmeal moths, can be particularly troublesome to deal with. These moths can chew through thick packaging to devour your food, and their ability to fly long distances makes them notoriously difficult to control.
What Should You Do If You Find Pantry Moths In Your Pantry?
Pantry moths are fairly easy to identify; if there is a large number of small moths in your food storage area, they are almost certainly pantry moths. They also tend to have striped wings, unlike clothes moths that may occasionally stray into your pantry.
If your home's pantry is infested with pantry moths, you should call in a professional pest control service to eradicate the moths as soon as possible. Professional pest control services can use a number of effective, non-toxic methods, and can destroy pantry moths without contaminating your pantry, kitchen or surrounding areas.
You should then set about removing and (if possible) destroying any food in the pantry that is not kept in a thick, tightly sealed container. Pantry moths are capable of chewing through tough cardboard or plastic food packaging to access food sources, and the holes they create may be difficult to spot.
However, you may wish to wait until your pest control service arrives before you do this. Pantry moths lay their eggs in food sources to allow their larvae to grow quickly. If any of your stored food is already contaminated with moth eggs, improper disposal can allow the eggs to hatch, and the moth larvae to spread to other parts of your home. Your pest control service will advise you on the safest ways to dispose of contaminated food.
How Do Pest Control Services Remove Pantry Moths?
Once the food has been removed from your pantry, your pest control service can use sprays and bait traps to kill the moths. These methods can effectively kill clothes moths, without leaving any lasting chemical contamination.
Your pest control service will determine how the moths are accessing your pantry, and the main areas in which they congregate, before applying insecticidal sprays. These sprays kill moths quickly and become chemically inert once they have dried. This allows you to put the pantry back into use quickly once the infestation has been taken care of.
Bear in mind that pantry moths can fly long distances, and may infiltrate other parts of your home in their search for food. It is best to let your pest control service inspect adjoining rooms for signs of moth infestation, and apply sprays where necessary. Your garage or outdoor sheds may also be infested.
Bait traps are also effective at killing pantry moths. These traps contain pheromones that attract moths, and adhesive strips which capture any moth that strays too close. Your chosen service will place these traps in locations that maximise their effectiveness. Because these traps do not contain any toxic chemicals, they can be used long-term to prevent future infestations.
Contact a local pest control company for more info.
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