Pantry moths can appear even in a very clean kitchen. Most often their eggs or larvae come into the home with cereals, flour, nuts, dried fruit, spices or pet food.
Advice on getting rid of them comes from experts at University of Minnesota Extension.
The pests most often infest opened packets, but they can also get into unopened paper, thin cardboard, plastic, foil or cellophane packaging. They chew through it or crawl in through folds and seams.
It is not the moths but their larvae that spoil food, leaving silky threads in it. So catching moths is pointless: you need to find and remove the source.
Four steps
1. Throw out infested food. Check all dry goods: cereals, flour, pasta, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, spices, chocolate, tea, powdered milk, as well as pet and bird food. Look for webbing, larvae and holes in the packaging.
2. Move food into airtight containers. Tightly closed glass, metal or heavy plastic containers work best. You can also keep supplies in the fridge or freezer.
3. Vacuum the cupboards. Thoroughly vacuum cracks and corners and clear up crumbs and spills. Check the place where you keep pet food separately.
You can wash shelves with detergent, ammonia or bleach, but that will not prevent a new infestation. Bay leaves or spearmint gum in the cupboard will not help either: there is no evidence they repel pests.
4. Freeze or heat questionable food. If you are not sure a product is clean, keep it in the freezer at −18 °C for at least four days. Alternatively, spread it thinly on a baking tray and heat it in the oven at 54 °C for at least 30 minutes.
If the moths do not go away
Individual moths may still be seen for up to three weeks after the infested food has been thrown out. If they keep flying after that, the source has not been found yet, so check your supplies again.
Experts advise against insecticides in kitchen cupboards: they do not affect insects inside packaging, and any food the spray touches will have to be thrown away.
Nota bene
Bucha FM is an independent news site and station for the Bucha district. We cover what matters to the community, and we work for you — and because of you. Joining the people who make this possible is simple: support us with any amount.
Comments
No comments yet — be the first.