One Indian meal moth in your cabinet would be easy to miss. It is only about ? of an inch and it doesn't fly that much. It will crawl around on your stored foods and find a place to lay its eggs. Once those eggs hatch, it will be very hard to miss the fact that your pantry is infested with Indian meal moths. A single moth can lay as many as 400 eggs. This happens in as little as one day. Are you seeing the picture? These little moths can cause a big problem. Here are a few more things you should know.
Why Do I Have Indian Meal Moths?
There can be some confusion about these pests because of the way they get into homes. While they can come in from the outside, the most likely way you'll get an infestation is by bringing them home from the grocery store. Indian meal moths plague the food industry. Farmers deal with them. Companies that transport food have to deal with them. Food-processing plants have to deal with them. Grocery stores have to deal with them. At any point from farm to table, Indian meal moths may find a way to lay their eggs in stored products such as cereal, bread, crackers, flour, and other dried or processed foods.
What Is The Worst Part About Having Indian Meal Moths?
When you start seeing moths in your cabinets, it is likely that you have an infested food item in your home that you may have consumed a portion of. While this is certainly gross, you should be aware that the larvae of these moths are not known to spread diseases.
Can You Get Sick From Eating Food With Indian Meal Moth Larvae?
Experts say that you can't get sick from eating larvae, their shed skins, their webbing, their eggs, or their feces. If you accidentally eat food contaminated by Indian meal moths, you don't have to worry. The only concern would be that larvae feed on food that is past its due date and this could expose them to harmful bacteria. But the risk is considered to be low.
I Don't Have Moths Yet; How Do I Prevent An Infestation?
There is a methodology to pantry pest prevention. If you follow the following steps, you'll be able to isolate and eliminate pantry pests before you accidentally consume them.
- Check products you purchase at the store. If you see tears, rips or holes that insects could get in through, don't purchase the item.
- Put stored-food products in sealed glass or plastic containers. This will allow you to see into the product and notice larvae, eggs, shed skins or webbing. It will also contain the infestation and prevent it from spreading to the other foods in your pantry or kitchen.
- If you ever find pantry pests in a product, dispose of the contents and clean the container. Infestation solved!
If you're not able to purchase glass or plastic containers, it is important to make sure you check due dates on packages. Throw products out that are past due. And when stocking your shelves, put new products toward the back and older products toward the front.
I Have Indian Meal Moths; What Do I Do?
If you're seeing moths in your kitchen cabinets or your pantry, the best course of action is to contact Action. The licensed pest professionals at Action Pest Control know the detailed process for locating and eliminating pantry pests. We'd be happy to tell you about this process. Reach out to us anytime. We're always standing by to answer your questions and guide you toward the solutions to your pest control issues.