How To Avoid Food Infesting Pests

Though the traditional holiday baking season is long gone for now, some of us are not quite ready to put our mixing bowls away and instead keep on baking yummy treats for family and friends any chance we get. A word of warning however, before you start creating the next round of culinary delights, (looking for an occasion...Easter is right around the corner) you will want to inspect your ingredients to ensure that pests won’t be stirred in. Food infesting pests (also known as pantry pests), including Indian meal moths and beetles usually breed very quickly and can remain unnoticed until a large infestation in present. The best way to avoid having a large pantry pest infestation in your kitchen is to be proactive and routinely inspect the dry goods that they like to eat, lay their eggs and live in.

The common dry goods that pantry pests like to infest are cereal, flour, chocolate, sugar, and dried fruit. Pantry pest infestations get their start when you purchase already contaminated products from the grocery store and bring them into your home. These insects once in your food won’t transmit disease but can make you ill if you eat their larvae or eggs (I know, gross), if you discover any signs of pantry pests the contaminated product should be immediately discarded.

Luckily there are many things that you can do to prevent pantry pests from entering your Nashville or Mid-Tennessee home. Paying close attention to what you are buying and the goods stored in your kitchen are the keys to successfully keeping pantry pests out of your home.

• Always, always check the packaging before you buy any dry goods to make sure there are no rips or tears. If any are present pick a different package.

• Store dry goods (including pet food) in sealed airtight containers.

• Do not mix old and new batches of dry goods together.

• Clean your containers well before adding new product to it.

• Routinely inspect your dry goods for signs of infestation.

• Buy items rarely used in smaller quantities so that they don’t sit on your shelf long.

Despite taking all precautions pantry pests can still end up on your home, the key to eliminating a pantry pest infestation is to find the exact source that is causing the problem. This can be difficult to do and you may find yourself in need of Nashville pest control. At All-American Pest Control we offer home pest control services in Nashville, Franklin and Middle Tennessee that will eliminate your pantry pest problem as well as other insect and rodents problems common to our region. With your vigilance and our pest control programs we can work together to make sure pantry pests do not take over your kitchen. Proudly serving Nashville, Franklin, Hendersonville and Mid-Tennessee since 1961, we are ready to help you protect your family and home; contact us today to request your free home evaluation!