Discovering how to get rid of pantry moths in your Lewisville home is essential for maintaining a clean and healthy living environment. These pesky insects, also known as Indian meal moths, can infest various food items and create an unsightly mess in your kitchen. In this blog post, we will explore the identification and prevention of pantry moths to help you maintain a clean and healthy home.
What Are Pantry Moths?
The Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella), also known as the pantry moth, is a small insect that infests stored food products such as grains, dried fruits, nuts, and other dry foods. Adult Indian meal moths measure about ¼-½ inch long with a wingspan of approximately ¾ inch. Their wings display distinct coppery brown and gray markings.
Pantry moth eggs are tiny white specks that may be difficult to see with the naked eye. Once hatched, larvae grow up to half an inch long with whitish bodies and brown heads. These pests often reside near food storage areas or by windows since adult moths sometimes fly away from the infested area into other parts of the house.
How To Prevent Pantry Moths
Pantry moths, like the Indian meal moth, can be a nuisance in your Texas home. Although pantry moths can be a bother in your Lewisville residence, there are measures you can take to stop them from invading and destroying the food stored in your pantry.
Store Your Food With Care
To keep pantry moths at bay, it’s essential to store dry goods properly. Use resealable plastic containers or Mason jars for items such as flour, oatmeal, and nuts. These containers will not only protect your food from moisture but also make it difficult for any larvae present in the products to escape and mature into breeding adults.
Inspect or Freeze Your Food Before You Store It
Before storing new groceries in your pantry, inspect them carefully for signs of larvae or other pests. If you’re pressed for time, freeze the dry goods for a week to eradicate any existing larvae before transferring them into sealed containers. This will kill off any existing larvae before they have a chance to cause an infestation. Once this is done, transfer the food into sealed containers before placing them back into your cabinets or pantry.
Use a Moth Repellent
Natural remedies like herbs can help deter pantry moths from invading your space. Herbs such as bay leaves, mint, and lavender are known moth repellents that you can use strategically throughout your pantry area.
Clean Your Pantry Regularly
Regular cleaning is crucial in preventing pantry moth infestations. While most homeowners clean their kitchens often, the pantry can sometimes be overlooked. Make sure to deep clean your pantry several times a year and address any food spills immediately.
How To Get Rid of Pantry Moths
If you’ve discovered pantry moths in your Lewisville home, it’s essential to act quickly and follow these steps to eliminate them:
STEP 1: Empty the pantry and inspect its contents.
Remove all items from the affected area while looking out for larval sacs or webs on packaging. Discard anything with holes or signs of contamination. Dispose of any infested food items securely in an outdoor trash can.
STEP 2: Dispose of non-airtight containers.
Throw away any dry goods with open packaging or those found with holes that you didn’t make. Be thorough when examining items – if even one moth is spotted near a cupboard or inside your pantry, all non-airtight packaging within the area may have been compromised by pests.
STEP 3: Vacuum the area, then clean with a vinegar-and-water solution.
Thoroughly vacuum every inch of the pantry (removing shelves if possible) before cleaning it using a 50-50 mix of vinegar and warm water along with some peppermint oil which is known to repel moths.
STEP 4: Don’t re-stock the pantry right away.
Wait at least two weeks after cleaning before putting new items back into your cleaned space; this will help ensure that no remaining pests are present when you reintroduce food products.
STEP 5: Call the Pros!
The most effective way to prevent or eliminate pantry moths is by working with a pest control company. Contact Romney Pest Control for more residential and commercial pest control solutions. We can eliminate pantry months and all other pests – and keep them away all year.
Conclusion
In conclusion, pantry moths are a common problem that can be prevented by properly storing food and regularly cleaning your kitchen. If an infestation occurs, all affected items must be discarded and the area scoured to ensure no eggs or larvae remain. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can effectively get rid of pantry moths in your Lewisville home and prevent them from returning in the future. For more information on pest control services, contact Romney Pest Control today.
