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photo of pantry moth (Indian meal moth).

Pantry moths may look small, simply they tin crusade big problems in your kitchen.

My pantry has been invaded by piddling worms and moths that announced to have come from a handbag of birdseed. What are they, and what should I do?

It sounds like your pantry has been infested with Indian meal moths, also known as pantry moths. The tiny, most-invisible eggs come up into your house in food packages, and they can hatch into larvae which afterwards plow into moths that wreak havoc on your foodstuffs. Indian meal moth eggs are often present in:

Birdseed
Cereals and grains
Flours and meals
Stale fruit
Pasta
Candy
Pet food
Dried herbs
Nuts
Powdered milk

How To Identify Pantry Moths

If you see whatever of the following, you lot could accept Indian meal moths:

Larvae in Nutrient: Nothing'due south creepier than pouring out some cereal and it starts to move! When the eggs hatch, the larvae will spin webs in the infested food. Y'all'll see the clumps of webbing and the little whitish worms. They start out really tiny but can grow to 2/iii" long with black or brownish heads. You may also see tiny cast-off skins after the worms have moved away.
Larvae in Home: Look for the larvae moving nigh or hanging from the walls, often virtually the ceiling. They're looking for a nice dark scissure to pupate and turn into moths.
Cocoons: Y'all may as well see the webby cocoons on top of cabinets and in corners.
Flying Moths: You may discover the pocket-size, half-inch long, dark-brown moths flying around your kitchen and pantry, usually around lights at nighttime.

Photo of pantry (Indian meal moth) larva. — *Pantry (Indian meal moth) larvae infest food and resemble modest worms.*

How to Command Pantry Moths

If you've spotted Indian meal moths in your pantry, y'all need to have the following activeness right away, since they can reproduce several times in a year and volition invade the rest of your pantry:

Eliminate Source: Discover out which package brought in the infestation, wrap information technology tightly in a plastic pocketbook and throw information technology away immediately.
Thorough Cleaning: I tin't emphasize enough how thoroughly you lot need to make clean your pantry! You will need to:
- Throw away all grains.
- Throw abroad any food packages that can't get moisture (similar, boxes and bags) – the moths will lay eggs in any crevice, including the folds of packages. If the infestation is severe, or if you lot're having problem getting rid of them, just go ahead and throw away everything.
- Remove and throw away shelf liners.
- Launder all unopened jars and cans in hot, soapy water. Utilise a toothpick to bank check for eggs or larvae in the cracks around the lids of jars.
- Launder the inside of the pantry or chiffonier with soap and water, then with a weak bleach solution.
- Rinse with a mixture of water, vinegar, and peppermint oil to kill eggs and repel moths.
- If you have adjustable shelves or pegboard, grab a toothpick and clean out the little peg holes! Those are notorious for collecting moth eggs and webs.
- If you used a vacuum cleaner, immediately change the vacuum handbag and clean your vacuum.
- Finally, accept out the trash and recyclables, and clean your trash can and recycle bins.

Pheromone Traps: Sticky traps, such every bit Safer Pantry Pest Traps, emit a odor that attracts male moths. While they won't eliminate all of them, traps can help, and give you a way to monitor the infestation.
Treat Doubtable Nutrient: I'm inclined to trash anything that looks suspicious, only you can also treat foods by baking them in the oven for ane 60 minutes at 140° F or higher, or popping food in the microwave on high for 5 minutes, or bagging food and putting information technology in the freezer for a calendar week.
Avoid Sprays: Pesticides should not be used well-nigh food products.
Give It Time: If the infestation is severe, it can accept upwards to six months to get rid of all the moths and hatching larvae around your house. Hold off on restocking your pantry (beyond what you lot demand short-term) until you lot're sure they are gone.

How to Prevent Time to come Infestation of Pantry Moths

Organize Pantry: Become rid of packaged nutrient products that are by the expiration date.
Store Smart: Purchase just small-scale quantities of grain products, and store them in airtight, rigid, bug-proof containers (not plastic numberless). This makes the occasional infestation a snap to clean up and prevents pantry disaster. Also, store large sacks of pet food and bird seed in airtight containers in the shed or garage rather than the kitchen.
Shop Smart: Buy only the quantities of grain products that you lot think you tin can use within a few weeks.
Freezer Handling: When I purchase flours, rice, and other grains that might sit in the pantry for a while, I come directly home from the store and popular them in the freezer. A week or so is long enough to impale off whatsoever eggs, and since doing this, I have not had whatsoever problem with pantry moths.
Make clean Jars and Cans: My husband always washes unopened jars and cans, after reading a study about the amount of leaner (and worse) that gets on them in warehouses. This exercise can also assistance wash away pantry moth eggs.
Refrigerate Food: If you have infinite, keep all seldom-used grain products in the refrigerator or freezer until needed.
Bay Leaves: Bay leaves are said to be a natural moth repellent. A few leaves scattered around your pantry or cabinets might just help keep the critters at bay (ha!).

Further Data

Indianmeal Moth (Ohio State Academy Fact Canvas)