Indian meal moths

Last month I found an Indian meal moth in my kitchen.  So what, you say? This insect is probably the most common pantry pest that I get calls on.  And it's in my kitchen.  Which meant I had a task in front of me that I wasn't looking forward to.

Indian meal moths are small moths that fold their wings back to form a triangular shape when at rest.  The wings are light tan with a coppery-red color at the tips. Larvae, are anywhere from creamy- white to yellowish- green to a pinkish color and often are not seen until they are searching for a location to pupate (unless you go digging through the food in your pantry). Larvae spin a cocoon to pupate, usually near where the walls meet, near the ceiling, or in cracks.

Indian meal moth on dog food bag.

So, what was the dreaded task that I had to undertake?  I had to go through everything in my pantry to get rid of any infested items.  If you try to only manage the adults you will not completely get rid of your problem since more adults will emerge and you'll be back to square one. You need to find the source and get rid of it.

Larvae feed on flour, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, crackers, dog food and a slew of other items. When I started my search, I began at the back of my pantry because that's where old items that don't see the light of day end up.  Since older stored products are more likely to harbor pantry pests, this seems to be a decent strategy in my opinion. I went through and checked everything; even items that haven't been opened.  Problem solved after all infested items were thrown away.

If you can't part with a particular item and would like to still use it, you can either put it in the freezer for a couple of days to kill the insects or you can spread it on a baking sheet and bake it on the lowest oven setting for about 4-6 hours. Once the insects are dead, you can either eat the product with the insects in it (added protein) or yo
u can sift/ pick the insects out.

Carpet beetles...and other things

Exciting news to start off with- we are back in our office! While we're still unpacking, trying to move furniture and put things back together, it's still great to be back. It's a process, and each day brings us closer to normal...now I just need to find my desk!

So, I had someone drop a sample off this week and it turned out to be carpet beetles. Carpet beetles can be found outdoors on crape myrtles or shrubs or in bird and rodent nests. These cute little guys and gals can become a pest in the home under the right conditions. They seem to prefer dark, secluded areas.

Carpet beetle adults are small, round to oval shaped and often brightly colored. Larvae are small, tan and ringed with bands of long hairs.

Carpet beetles like high protein foods, usually animal based, but they can also feed on plant material. This often allows them to be found in a variety of locations throughout the home. In the pantry, you may find them in items such as powdered milk, dried meats (jerky) or pet food. Other areas of the home they can be attracted to items made from wool, fur or feathers, areas where dead insects accumulate (i.e. light fixtures), leather book bindings, hair, silk or dried plant products. Adults do not feed on animal products; they feed on pollen and nectar.

A program utilizing sanitation, exclusion and insecticides should be able to get a carpet beetle problem under control. Tip for carpet beetles:

• Clean accumulations of hair, dead insects and bird, rodent or wasps nests
• Regular cleaning of rugs, carpets, upholstery, etc. (make sure to get along edges)
• Inspect animal based items (mounted trophy animals, leathers, wools, silks, etc.) once a year to avoid infestations
• Store items in sealed, air-tight containers
• Infested items (if possible, depending on the items) can be heated or cooled to kill any beetles- freeze 2 weeks at temperatures below 18°F or heat for at least 30 minutes to temperatures above 120°F
• Insecticides should be used as spot treatments- make sure carpet beetles are listed on the label as well as the area/ item you are treating; make sure the product will not stain

For more information on stored product pests, see Pantry and Fabric Pests in the Home.