|
Indian Meal Moth
The most common pantry pest is the Indian Meal Moth. In its
adult stage, this moth will fly toward lights and may be found in
other rooms or floors quite a distance from the food storage areas.
Adult moths have pale gray fore wings with coppery brown on the
outer 2/3 and dirty white hind wings. The caterpillar is yellow-green
or pinkish with a brown head and cervical shield.
This widespread moth which originated in Europe is now found everywhere.
It is a major pest because the female lays 100-400 eggs, singly
or in small groups that hatch in a few weeks. Upon hatching, the
larva establishes itself in a crevice of the food material. It feeds
in or near a tunnellike case it has webbed together of frass and
silk. There are usually 4-6 generations per year.
The adults cause no damage. The larvae are surface feeders and
generally produce a lot of webbing throughout the infested part
of materials. They attack stored grains, cereal products, graham
crackers, powdered milk, biscuits, dried fruits, seeds, roots, nuts,
chocolate, candies, dried red peppers, dry dog food, and bird seed.
They are very destructive wherever dried fruits are stored. They
prefer the coarser grades of flour such as whole wheat, graham flour,
and cornmeal, but can breed in shelled or ear corn.
|
|
Prevention of Stored Food Pests
Store all susceptible foods in tightly-closed glass, plastic, or
metal containers.
Consider heating or freezing all susceptible food items you have
had for 60 days or longer. You can kill nearly any pantry pests
by heating in the dry heat of an oven to at least 140 degrees F
throughout the package for at least one hour; or by freezing the
food item throughout to 0 degrees F or below for at least four days.
Place dry food in a zip-lock type plastic bag before freezing to
prevent it from getting wet due to condensation after removal form
the freezer.
Most foods can be eaten safely after pantry pests have been killed
and removed, such as by hand or by sifting.
|
|
Control & Treatment of Stored
Food Pests
The source of the infestation must be found by checking seldom
used packages, especially foods such as cereals, grain products,
nuts, flour, raisins, spices, dry pet food and bird seed. Also such
items should be inspected when first brought home after purchase
from a grocery store especially the same items from the same store
if previously infested.
Wrap any heavily infested packages in a heavy plastic bag and
dispose of them in the normal garbage.
Usually no pesticide treatment is needed for these pests. Finding
and disposing of all infested foods helps to solve the problem.
|
(860) 582-9242