Stored Product Pests
Stored product insects are insects which infest stored foods, and are one of the most common household pest problems. They are often referred to as “pantry pests” as they infest stored dried foods.
Nearly all dried food products are susceptible to insect infestation, including cereal products (flour, cake mix, cornmeal, rice, spaghetti, crackers, and cookies); seeds such as dried beans and popcorn, nuts, chocolate, raisins and other dried fruits, spices, powdered milk, tea, and cured meats.
Non-food items that may be infested include bird seed, dry pet food, ornamental seed and dried plant displays, ornamental corn, dried flowers, garden seeds, potpourri, and rodent baits.
Stored product pests are most likely to infest products that have been left open, but are also capable of penetrating unopened packaging. They may chew their way into packages or crawl in through folds and seams. Insects within an infested package begin multiplying and can spread to other stored foods not only in the same area but in other rooms in a home.
A stored food product can become infested anywhere during the process from production until it arrives in your home. However, stored food is most likely to become infested in stores or in homes.
How to Tell If You Have a Stored Product Pest Infestation
There are several ways you may become aware of a stored product infestation. If you find small beetles in susceptible food products, that is a sure sign of a problem. It is also common to find stored product pests in cupboards.
You may find Indian meal moths flying around kitchens and other rooms. You also may find the larval stage and/or silk webbing along the cornices of the ceiling or in corners of cupboards or under shelves.
We recommend storing all foods in air-tight containers, and when you purchase a new product, inspecting it for silk webbing and frass. Ensure that the packaging is air tight (squeeze the packet).
There’s nothing more off-putting than pests in the food you eat! Get professional Pest Control in Melbourne to treat for stored product pests now.
