A Guide to the World of Pantry Pests and Effective Food Storage

Kitchen pests are never a good time, no matter where they are specifically living in the room. But it’s even more frustrating when they decide that our food and dried goods are just for them. Pantry pests is a term used for a specific sector of tiny insects that only invade dried goods and thus are commonly found in pantries, but they are not the only ones who have a taste for our foods. This is a major problem, not just for the obvious health risks, but also for the waste of money that occurs when we have to throw out infested groceries. Let’s dive into the world of various pantry pests and which foods they love, how to keep a pest-free kitchen, and the best storage solutions to keep pests out of your food.

Common Pantry Pests

No matter what invaded your pantry, we recommend throwing out any food that had insects in it. If there was one with insects, there are likely more in the immediate area, so check each nearby package for any damage or holes. They can be on pots, pans, shelves, and windowsills, so make sure to check other areas for any friends of the pests. Pantry pests are not dangerous to touch or accidentally eat (as scary as that is), but they do contaminate the food they’re in with their droppings and skins.

All life stages of the pests can survive in foods, and they typically invade in the warehouse, store, and delivery process. As small as they are, pantry pests can actually chew through an impressive amount of packaging. The common ones include plastic, paper, foil, thin cardboard, and plastic wrap. As for the actual pests that chew through packaging, these are some of the most common ones across America:

IndianMeal Moths: These invasive moths have a 1/2 inch to 5/8 inch wingspan and are reddish brown with scaly markings. They only live for 3 weeks, but the females can lay 300 eggs at a time. They can eat through packaging and leave silk webs wherever they go. The larval and adult stages eat grains in general, but the “motherships” for them are rice and pasta.
Meal Moths: They act similarly to IndianMeal Moths, but Meal Moths are their own pest. They are brown with white wavy markings and black heads. They are also a little smaller than the previous moths. Meal Moths will eat just about anything dry, including flours, grains, and seeds.
Sawtoothed Grain Beetles: These are only 1/10 of an inch long, but their appearance is enough to make us never want to come across them in our pantries. They are brownish-red, with sharp teeth on each side of their thorax. These beetles eat a variety of items, such as candy, fruit, nuts, cereal, pasta, and seeds.
Flour Beetles: You can likely guess at least one of the favorite foods of these beetles! They are 3/16 of an inch long, and have a reddish-brown long oval body. They are commonly found in flour mills, hence the name. In addition to flour, these beetles eat cereal, dried fruit, nuts, and chocolate.
Weevils: These small, dark insects are one of the most well-known pantry pests out there. The females can lay about four eggs every day, which doesn’t sound like a lot until the mother stays there for the rest of her life. They can invade from the store or just outside from your own yard. Weevils eat rice, oats, corn, and barley.
Ants: We would be remiss if we did not include the most famous food-loving pest in this list. Most species of ants invade homes for the food, as they like to leave pheromone trails for their colony to follow and grab more food. The specific species determines the treatments and damage level. Ants will eat most things, but they tend to love sweets and random crumbs.
Fruit Flies: Fruit flies are not technically found in the pantry, but their preferred diet is likely close to it. They are attracted to the yeast content in fermenting and overripe fruit, which may be out on the counter. They lay their eggs in this fruit, which means the tiny fly population can grow very quickly if not eradicated.

There are more pests that could be included in this list, but we wanted to focus on the most common ones this time. Some signs of a general pantry pest invasion include tiny holes in packages, webbing, dead or live tiny insects, a musty smell, and droppings. If you see these signs in your pantry or cabinets, make sure to inspect your food immediately for any thieving pests enjoying your groceries.

The Primary Food Targets

In general, there are very few foods that a pest would turn down. Some pests are known for devouring everything in sight, even substances that aren’t technically food (looking at you, cockroaches). But there are definitely some ingredients and food items that are popular in the pest world for various reasons, especially if they are not sealed correctly.

This is not an exclusive list of what foods pest invade, but it should give you a good idea of the food categories that pests seek out the most:

Anything sticky: honey, maple syrup, flavored syrups for coffee, Nutella, peanut butter, candy
Cereal: processed cereals, sugary cereals, grain-heavy cereals, the cardboard boxes (for cellulose)
Pasta and Rice: grains, starches, any type of rice, any shape of noodle
Pantry Staples: flour, sugar, cornmeal, nuts, dried beans, oats, baking powder, popcorn
Anything Soft and Sugary: bread, baked goods (homemade or store-bought)
Dried Fruits and Foods: raisins, spices, cake mix, granola

Just because these are some common infesting sites of some pests doesn’t mean you should never buy groceries or keep food items in the designated pantry area. You should feel comfortable storing your food in your own kitchen without wondering if this is the day that pests ruin the latest batch of groceries! But in order to have this level of peace with preventing pests from invading your food storage area, there has to be a level of organization and cleanliness maintained in the kitchen to keep pests from finding the treats in the cabinets.

A Clean Kitchen is a Happy Kitchen

This is likely not news for you, but it is still important to note that overall clean spaces do not experience as many pest invasions. While no kitchen is impervious to a pest invasion, unfortunately, there are plenty of tasks to do in order to keep the risk of pests to a minimum.

The daily or weekly chores of a kitchen are pretty mundane in nature, but they are important for a number of reasons. Besides keeping this area of the home clean and free of any food residue or rotting scents, it also helps to keep pests away since they don’t have any major attractions to invade for.

Clean all crumbs and spills as soon as possible, as these are possibly the number one attractor of pests in the kitchen. You can use your preferred cleaner-and-cloth combo for this, but just make sure to completely clean all residue off the surfaces.
If you use a notably-sticky container, such as a syrup or honey bottle, be sure to wipe the sides off with a paper towel or cloth after use. The sticky remnants are super attractive to pests!
Doing the dishes is a lifesaver when it comes to pests. You don’t have to wash them the second you’re finished with a meal, but putting them in the dishwasher or hand-washing all dirty dishes soon after use is a great way to ensure that the food remnants are not sitting out to attract pests.
Don’t underestimate the importance of taking out the trash. It is a haven for all kinds of pests, so removing the bag full of scraps, crumbs, and takeout containers will take away that attractor as well.

There are more time-intensive tasks you can do to prevent pests from invading your kitchen. While you likely won’t have to do these every day, they are helpful to complete every so often just to maintain the upkeep of the room.

Inspect the walls, corners, and baseboards for any cracks or holes that pests could use to enter. Seal any you find with caulk and copper mesh or steel wool if the openings are large enough.
Inspect for leaks in any plumbing once in a while. The kitchen sink is prone to leaks due to constant use, but the refrigerator water-producer and dishwasher can also have problems. If there are any leaks that cannot be easily fixed, make sure to have a professional attend to it soon. Pests love moisture just like they enjoy food, so leaks can draw in pests if left for long enough.

If you do have the misfortune of experiencing a pantry pest invasion, there are some specific steps to take after getting rid of the insects. It is frustrating, but it is not the worst pest invasion to clean up.

Throw away any food or containers that housed pests, as they are considered contaminated now.
Inspect every item around the affected ones to make sure the pests did not invade those too.
Use soap and water to clean the shelves, as well as any disinfectant that you feel comfortable using around food.
Vacuum the corners of the cabinets or pantry to make sure there are no stray pests or their remnants (gross!).

If there is any doubt that pests infested a package due to holes or rips, we suggest cutting your losses and tossing the food item. It’s better to repurchase food than to accidentally eat some insect bits with your afternoon snack.

Storage Recommandations

First of all, we recommend not buying more pantry staples than you can properly store, or anything with damaged packaging. The damage may be a sign of pests, and bags of flour or boxes of pasta sitting around are common targets for an infestation. The specific brands and containers that you use to make your pantry pest-proof are up to you! Some people like to use the same exact style for everything to achieve a more aesthetic look. Others like to mix and match types of containers so it doesn’t look too uniform in there. But whatever your personal style is when it comes to organizing the kitchen, we strongly suggest one basic guideline to keep: only using airtight containers.

This is the golden ticket to preventing pests from infesting the pantry and kitchen in general. Airtight containers have a tight seal between the lid and actual container, often a silicone band that can be removed for washing. This seal not only keeps your food fresh for a much longer period of time, but it also keeps pests of all sizes out. They can’t chew through the lid or the seal, and the seal is tight to where they cannot squeeze through. The containers with pop-top lids are a popular choice, but canning jars and snap-closure containers are also great options. Many of these are flat and stackable, which really helps with saving room. The clear containers are arguably the way to go, as it makes it easier to see when a food item needs to be repurchased soon. It doesn’t matter if you choose glass or plastic, but just be sure to check them for any gaps or weak spots that may appear over time.

You don’t have to redo your entire pantry in one day – unless you want a big project for the weekend – so converting the normal packaging into airtight containers can be a gradual process. Cardboard, mesh, and paper bags are all commonly invaded by pantry pests in general. The foods stored in these materials should be higher on the priority list of switching to airtight containers. As for specific food items, we recommend placing cereals and pantry staples (flour, sugar, etc.) in any airtight container at the very least. It will save you money in the long run by preserving the foods, and keep pesky pests out of your favorite food items.

As a side note, don’t be afraid to use your fridge and freezer for more than cold items! This is a great way to store opened foods, as it provides a built-in seal and a way to keep food fresh for a while. Some people like to freeze all flour and grains they purchase for 2-3 days before storing them, just to kill any mites or eggs that may be in there from the mills. We suggest keeping fruit in the fridge for the most part in order to protect them from pests; if you want to keep fruit on the counter for decoration, just make sure to toss them if they get overripe. Bread, opened rice and pasta boxes, and many sugary items are all perfectly fine to be stored in the fridge. People who have experienced pantry pests in these items report that the fridge prevented the problem from happening again. You can use clear bins in the fridge to organize snacks and ingredients as well. One tip is to place the fruit near the front so that it gets eaten before it goes bad, a common problem that many of us face all the time.

Pest Control is the Pantry Protector

There are plenty of DIY natural pest control ideas for controlling pantry pests, as well as small traps and baits to place around the kitchen. But one solution you definitely do not want near your food is any kind of pesticide. Even though they are very effective at preventing and treating pests, they are not good to have in areas with any kind of food. Our treatments are all eco-friendly, but our experienced technicians are careful about where they spray or place various treatments. Our goal is to leave you with a pest-free home that is safe and comfortable for your family. Contact us to learn more about our EPA-approved services and how we can stop the pests from making their homes in your new groceries.

Citations

Brougham, R. (n.d.). 8 pantry pests that may be invading your food stash. Bob Vila. Available at https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/8-pantry-pests-that-may-be-invading-your-food-stash-577643 (Accessed on August 31, 2022).

Food Network Kitchen. (n.d.). Everything you need to know about pantry pests. Food Network. Available at https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/packages/kitchen-fixes/everything-about-pantry-pests (Accessed on August 31, 2022).

Friedman, K. (2022, August 16). How to successfully organize your refrigerator and keep it neat all year. HGTV. Available at https://www.hgtv.com/lifestyle/clean-and-organize/how-to-organize-the-refrigerator (Accessed on August 31, 2022).

Hahn, J., Jesse, L., & Pellitteri, P. (2019). Pantry pests: Insects found in stored food. University of Minnesota Extension. Available at https://extension.umn.edu/product-and-houseplant-pests/pantry-pests-insects-found-stored-food#weevils-55712 (Accessed on August 31, 2022).

M. (2019, September 25). How to keep your food storage protected from pests. Little House Living. Available at https://www.littlehouseliving.com/keep-food-storage-protected-pests.html (Accessed on August 31, 2022).

Merritt, M. (2020, November 20). Six methods for preventing pests in your kitchen pantry. Life Uncluttered. Available at https://www.lifeuncluttered.com/six-methods-for-preventing-pests-in-your-kitchen-pantry (Accessed on August 31, 2022).

Miller, M., Friedman, K., & Hammersley, T. (2022, March 29). How to organize your pantry in 10 steps + essential products you’ll need. HGTV. Available at https://www.hgtv.com/lifestyle/clean-and-organize/how-to-organize-kitchen-pantry (Accessed on August 31, 2022).

Rabideau, C. (2019, February 4). 6 ways to protect yourself from flour bugs & other pantry pests. Food52. Available at https://food52.com/blog/23754-kitchen-bugs-pantry-pests-prevention-tips (Accessed on August 31, 2022).

Rohrbacker, N. (2021, June 22). A step-by-step guide for pantry pest prevention. Closets to Adore. Available at https://www.closetstoadore.com/guide-for-pantry-pest-prevention (Accessed on August 31, 2022).

A Guide to the World of Pantry Pests and Effective Food Storage