Find out how to Get Rid of Pantry Bugs the Pure Method

Questioning how one can eliminate pantry bugs with out dangerous chemical compounds? Making an attempt to keep away from pantry bugs from establishing camp in your kitchen? Seeking to determine pantry bugs, reminiscent of forms of ants, fruit flies, moths, and weevils? We’ve received you coated with these unhazardous methods to guard your pantry from bugs.

Opening up a bag of grains or pulses and discovering a community of bugs transferring round could be one of the vital irritating issues to find in your pantry. It’s not solely an inconvenience, as discovering pantry bugs can disrupt your menu plans for the night time, however it can also influence your funds attributable to destruction of meals. It may be tempting to spray chemical compounds and set traps to rid your kitchen of those pests, however there are strategies which can be extra pure and safer. In case you’re seeking to restore peace in your kitchen oasis and maintain your loved ones and furry mates protected from ingesting chemical compounds and inhaling disagreeable fumes, then attempt a few of these pure pantry bug safety steps at the moment.  

Stop Pantry Bugs within the First Place

The primary technique of maintaining pantry bugs away ought to at all times be prevention. You possibly can stop bugs from occupying your kitchen by blockading entry factors reminiscent of holes and window openings, in addition to maintaining counters and cabinets clear and freed from particles which may entice bugs.  

One other method to stop an infestation of pantry bugs is to solely purchase what you want. Not solely will this lower your expenses and forestall meals waste, however it additionally helps decrease the danger of pantry bugs remaining undetected in your unused groceries. All the time follow the first-in, first-out technique. Which means that your older pantry objects needs to be pushed to the entrance so that they get used up extra rapidly, and the newer purchases ought to go within the again. Keep in mind, pantry bugs are sometimes interested in shelf-stable meals with an extended shelf-life, reminiscent of grains, crackers, pulses, nuts, seeds. 

Retailer your pantry meals in sealable, hermetic containers to keep away from pantry bugs. You’d be stunned to see how pantry bugs can entry the tiniest opening in a bag of flour, and even chew their approach via plastic and paper packaging. If you’re experiencing pantry bug issues, attempt transferring shelf-stable meals, reminiscent of flours, grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, crackers, and cereals, into sealable, hermetic containers, reminiscent of glass jars with tightly becoming lids. I really like to make use of completely different sizes of mason jars (small, medium and enormous) with screw prime lids in my pantry to maintain it tight! 

Find out how to Get Rid of Pantry Bugs the Pure Method

Take a look at these kind of frequent pantry bugs to be able to assist determine them and maintain these bugs away out of your meals with these pure suggestions.  

• Fruit Flies. In case you’ve ever been in a busy kitchen in the summertime time, you’ve most likely needed to swat away your justifiable share of fruit flies. What do fruit flies appear like? These tiny (3-4 mm lengthy) flies have a tan thorax, black and grey stomach, and purple eyes. The place do fruit flies come from? Fruit flies are interested in ripe produce; they get into your home, feed off fermenting meals, and lay their eggs close by. How lengthy do fruit flies stay? It solely takes about eight days to develop from egg to grownup. Preserve fruit flies away by blocking their entry (home windows and doorways), placing away ripe fruit, and sealing trash in an hermetic container. One of the best ways to rid your kitchen of fruit flies is to arrange an answer with vinegar or wine the place you see them most frequently.

• Ants. Along with being carriers of micro organism, many forms of ants, from large to small, can create havoc in your pantry. Earlier than you spend cash on an exterminator, verify your cupboards for pure protection, together with: black pepper, peppermint, and occasional grounds, that are a couple of pure components that may assist destroy and deter ants. Most significantly, retailer your meals in hermetic containers to keep away from ant infestations. And keep in mind that ants are interested in candy meals, so pay specific consideration to sweets and sugars.

• Pantry Moths. These small pests are interested in dry items, reminiscent of flour and grains, and lay their eggs inside open containers. You possibly can spy tell-tale webs and larvae of infested pantry moth meals objects. One method to circumvent a moth infestation is to retailer your dry items within the freezer quickly or completely. If you have already got a moth infestation, the easiest way to eliminate them is to discard (compost!) any infested dry items and provides your pantry a deep clear earlier than investing in hermetic containers for all dried items. Upon getting your pantry below management, look ahead to proof of pantry moths that flutter about your kitchen.
• Weevils. Similar to moths, weevils are interested in dry items, like grains, nuts and beans. As soon as a weevil hitches a journey from the shop and into your pantry, they could lay eggs inside of dry items. After this occurs, contaminated objects should be thrown away and the realm of infestation needs to be completely cleaned. As soon as your pantry is below management and your merchandise are saved in hermetic containers, attempt putting dry bay leaves, cloves, and entire black peppercorns in your pantry to assist deter weevils.  

Written by Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN with Cara Joseph, Dietetic Intern 

References:

Alharbi, Jenan S et al. “Monomorium ant is a service for pathogenic and probably pathogenic micro organism.” BMC analysis notes vol. 12,1 230. 16 Apr. 2019, doi:10.1186/s13104-019-4266-4

Boyles, M. (2019). Find out how to eliminate pantry moths and worms. Retrieved from: https://www.almanac.com/how-get-rid-pantry-moths-and-worms