Have you ever had to deal with pantry moths? We don't know what is worse, the tiny little flying critters that creep out from the depths of your food or their tiny yucky maggot-like moth larvae that live in your containers, crawling into your food and building a habitat in your flours and grains! Yuck!
We know that you’re dying to know how to get rid of them. Don’t worry, we will get to that. But first, you have to get to understand pantry moths a little more before you can get rid of them forever.
Below are some questions you may have that will help you greater understand how they find their way into your pantry
Where do pantry moths come from?
Typically Pantry moths or the ‘Indian meal moths’ (plodia interpunctella) are common house pests that invade your home through your recent grocery purchases. Food packaging can be contaminated during transportation to the supermarket or even while sitting stagnant on shelves.
Food ingredients such as flour, breadcrumbs and dry foods are an ideal place for these moths as they are not often used daily for meal preparations. It is not uncommon for these items to be left unattended for months providing the perfect temperature and habitat for the pantry larvae eggs to hatch.
When they are that tiny and hide well, moths can go unnoticed and you’ll only probably discover them when you see an adult moth lurking in the corners of your kitchen.
How long do pantry moths live?
The Egg Stage: Between 27 to 305 days starting from the day the female lays its eggs. Female moths can lay up to 400 eggs directly on its food source.
The Larvae Stage: The larvae life cycle lasts 2-3 months. It typically looks like tiny maggots where they eat the food items, where the egg was initially laid on. The eggshell they leave behind on the food causes the contamination. It can be tough to identify them as they vary in colour, sometimes appearing to be brown, green or pinkish depending on the main food source.
The Pupa Stage: In this stage, the moths move away from the food source in preparation to develop into a full-blown adult moth. The pupation stage lasts from 15-20 days in hidden crevices, cracks and areas within pantry shelves. One can also commonly find them in the empty shelf pin-holes in pantries where shelf heights can be adjusted.
The Adult Stage: Typically adult moths look reddish-brown and tend to gravitate towards light and flies around in search of a potential mate. Adult moth also has mouthparts that don’t function. This means they don’t eat and their sole purpose is to lay more eggs.
Speed of moth development: Depends on the environment where the moths live. For the Indian Meal Moth, the darker and the more humid the environment, the faster it develops.
What are the warning signs of moth infestation?
If you are looking to identify the signs of infestation, look for larvae clumps inside the food packaging of the flours, starch and grains. The other obvious sign is if you find webbing on the outside of the packaging, especially in the corners of where the food is stored or on the edges of a lid. They also leave a noticeable unpleasant smell due to the secretion that they emit.
If you notice any of these signs, it is time to take the necessary steps to get rid of them.
Pantry moth eggs are often present in:
- Bird seeds
- Cereals and grains
- Dried herbs
- Flour
- Pasta
- Candy
- Pet Food
- Nuts
- Powdered milk
How to prevent and get rid of pantry moths naturally?
Tip 1: Empty your pantry and check all food packages and containers
It’s crucial to quickly find the contaminated items, bag and throw them out in your outdoor garbage bin. Throwing them in your kitchen's bin leaves a chance they can escape and spread again. Never try to salvage any contaminated items because where there is contamination, it is certain that eggs will be lurking around and can spread to other items in your pantry. Just throw it away!
Tip 2: Check food packages before purchase
When you are grocery shopping, take a moment to give that package a jiggle to see or find any creepy-crawlies. Clear packaging is a lot easier to check but it can be tough for packaging that isn’t. Look for clumps close to the edge of the openings.
Shop smart: Buy a reasonable amount of dry or grain products that you think you can use within a few weeks.
Tip 3: Place dry foods in airtight containers
To prevent infestation, it’s always good to separate the grains or dry goods from its original store-bought packaging into anairtight glass or stainless steel containers. This will also increase shelf life.
Tip 4: Use natural repellents such as bay leaves and white vinegar solution
Bay leaves produce a pungent smell which in our experience is an excellent natural repellent and will surely deter pantry moths from nesting and lurking around. To add effectiveness, spread some bay leaves in strategic areas of the pantry where you think could be prone to infestation.
Give your pantry a good scrub down with warm soapy water then follow with a 50/50 solution spray of warm water and white vinegar. This will kill off any remaining eggs. If you want to add a more pleasant smell, adding a little bit of peppermint or eucalyptus oil will leave a nicer aroma.
Do you have tips or tricks to clear out any pantry moths? Share with us in the comment box below.
Next Read: A guide to non-toxic cleaning at home
