Pantry Pests

What San Francisco Residents Should Know About Our Pantry Pest Management!

The pantry pest is an insect species that invade homes and businesses to access a processed or dry food source. These insects notoriously invade areas where vulnerable food products are stored. Other important information you should know includes the following:

• Scientists utilize the classification “stored product pests” to describe pantry pest species. The diet consists of stored food products, such as dried cereal, dog food, flour, powdered milk, bread, crackers, and nuts.
• The most commonly reported pantry pest sightings in San Francisco include the Indian meal moth and the cigarette (tobacco) and saw-toothed grain beetles.
• Pantry pests are “prolific breeders” even indoors, increasing the risk of an infestation in as little as a few months.
• Pantry pests do not discriminate against homes that are clean or messy.

Common Pantry Pest Characteristics

Pantry Pest Indian Meal Moth – “Plodia interpunctella” has various colorful layers that begin at the head, stretching down the back. The first layer is orange/red, followed by light tan, and last, but not least, dark red with black markings. Each layer has a copper tone that shines in the sunlight.

The adult Indian meal moth does not ingest food. So, you can only blame the damage to your processed food on the larvae. The insect is extremely difficult to capture, thanks to its amazing climbing capabilities. The insect stores its young in home-spun cocoons.

Pantry Pest Saw-Toothed Grain Beetle – “Oryzaephilus surinamensis” grow up to a one-tenth inch in length. The body is thin and long, with projections that have teeth like a traditional handsaw.

Dried dog food, birdseed, fruit, cookies, candy, and cornmeal make up the saw-toothed grain beetle diet.

Pantry Pest Cigarette Beetle – “Lasioderma serricorne” grows up to one-eighth of an inch in length. The insect’s most notable feature is a humpback. The body is covered with fine hair that looks like “fuzz.”

The diet consists of chewing tobacco, snuff, cigarettes, cigars, and processed food products.

Why Is My San Francisco Home Infested With Pantry Pests?

It is not unusual for impacted homes to be infested with more than a single pantry pest species. In fact, it is more common for two or more pantry pest species to target the same home. This is why pantry pest species are so complex, requiring a customized professional pest management strategy to fully eradicate.

Since the pantry pest is a prolific breeder, infestations are inevitable. One adult pantry pest can reproduce enough eggs to build its colony in a few months.

Common Signs Of A Pantry Pest Infestation

Unfortunately, many people will overlook a pantry pest infestation because they don’t know what to look for. It doesn’t help that most pantry pests blend in with their primary food sources. You won’t be able to see them in your cereal or flour easily. You’ll likely confirm the infestation when you find small moths around your pantry and food packages. Another thing to note is that many pantry pests like light so they’ll stay close to the lights around your kitchen.

The Primary Dangers Of Pantry Pests

How dangerous are pantry pests? Do you have to worry about your health? Ultimately, pantry pests aren’t as dangerous as you could imagine.

• Most pantry pests are not dangerous. Saw-toothed grain beetles, cigarette beetles, and Indian meal moths won’t attack you.
• These pests can infest and spoil your favorite foods. When this happens, you’ll have to spend more money to replace the food items in question. If you don’t fix the problem quickly, the costs will compound quickly.
• You may ingest Indian meal moths, cigarette beetles, or their eggs. The good news is that they’re not dangerous because they do not transmit diseases. Even if you swallow them, you likely won’t get ill.

Stopping Possible Pantry Pest Infestations

You’ll need to work diligently to stop pantry pests from infesting your home. Use the tips below to stop pantry pests from creating issues for you and your loved ones

• First, you need to make sure that your dry foods are stored in appropriate containers. For the best results, the containers should be airtight. Don’t use cardboard or paper because pantry pests will chew through these materials rapidly.
• Try to clean your pantry several times each week. When doing so, clean up food leftovers and crumbs. Eliminating the pantry pest’s food and they won’t be able to survive in your home.
• When purchasing new food products, store them in new containers. Do not mix them with the old food because it might lead to both foods being infested.
• Test to see if the food is infested with pantry pests. Place the food in a plastic bag and wait to see what happens. Wait a month and look at the bag. If you see bugs in the bag, the food was contaminated by pantry pests.
• Always clean old storage containers before using them again.

Ways To Eliminate Pantry Pests

Unfortunately, pantry pests are difficult to eliminate because they hide in their food source. Therefore, you likely won’t identify the problem until it is too late. In addition to this, you’ll find that some DIY methods are ineffective and expensive. Unless you know what species you’re dealing with, you may not be able to find an effective solution. If you are adamant about fixing the issue on your own, use the tips below.

• Get rid of any food products that have been infested with pantry pests. Put the food in a plastic bag before disposing of it.
• Remove everything from your kitchen, shelves, and cupboards.
• Grab your vacuum and use it to clean up the mess in your cupboards.
• Place the vacuum’s contents in a plastic bag and dispose of it outside.
• Once you’ve finished, wipe down the walls and shelves in your pantry and kitchen.

Over-the-counter pesticides may contain chemicals that are hazardous to your health, so it is best to avoid these products. If they’re misused, the risks are significant. To keep yourself and your family members safe, we recommend working with us.

When Can The Pantry Pest Extermination Begin?

When you work with us, you can expect us to arrive promptly. Call today and one of our representatives will contact you back in 24 to 48 hours.

How We Protect You

Many of our clients wonder how safe our treatments are. Well, you can rest assured knowing we’ll do everything in our power to protect you and the people you love. Our exterminators have been thoroughly trained with a focus on protecting our clients. They’ll work cautiously to guarantee that you’ll be okay. More importantly, we would never use dangerous pesticides. All of the products we use are EPA-registered, so we can confidently say that they do not pose any risks to people, pets, or plants.

Defending Your Home From Pantry Pests

You should do everything you can to prevent pantry pests from invading your home. Pantry pests are common in San Francisco so you might not be able to prevent an infestation. However, there are ways to reduce the risks of future pantry pest infestations. First and foremost, you should carefully check all of your food items. Check your flour, cereal, and dry pet food. If you notice any bugs inside of the container, toss it in the garbage. Furthermore, make sure your food items are stored in airtight containers. Keep your kitchen and cupboards clean and tidy to avoid issues.

If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.