Minneapolis & West Metro 952.252.0585 | St. Paul & East Metro 651.789.0685
"The plan is to eradicate our pavement ants. Rainbow Pest Experts came out and gave us an assessment of our problems. They were back within 3 days to perform the treatment. My husband worked with the company reps and said they are very knowledgeable, punctual and thorough. We will use them again later in the spring for the outside treatment."
Wayzata, MN
Pantry Pests
Quick Facts
- These pests damage about 10% of the world’s annual food production.
- Pantry pests infesting stored foods are some of the most common household insects.
- The appearance of small beetles, flying moths, crawling larvae and cocooning may indicate there is an infestation.
- The larvae prefer grain products including; pasta, cereal, pet food, bird seed, dried corn & flour.
- Locating the source of the infestations is often tedious.
- Saw-toothed grain beetles can live up to three years.
- Be aware of store bought products that have been stored for a extended period of time, the products may be at risk of a pantry pest.
- Pantry pests can be brought into a home from newly purchased food products
Indian Meal Moth
Red Flour Beetle
Granary Weevil
Saw Toothed Grain Beetle
Drug Store Beetle
Habits
Pantry pests need the optimal temperature and food source for reproduction.
Some pantry pests such as mites require high moisture for infestation.
Female Indian meal moths can lay up to 400 eggs on food material, over a 2 to 3 week period. The period from egg to adult can be less than one month or up to a year, depending on temperature and humidity. Under ideal conditions there can be as many as 8 generations per year.
A female yellow meal worm can lay between 250 and 460 eggs, usually in the food material that the larvae will then eat, such as grain-based processed foods. A complete life-cycle commonly takes 2 years and the adult beetle measures over a half inch long. They are the largest of the pantry pest and are unable to fly.
Control Methods
What can be done to prevent them from getting inside?
- When possible, purchase food in small quantities that will not be stored for an extended period of time.
- Closely examine and inspect grain products for purchase that have been damaged and or appear to have been stored for an extended period of time. Be especially suspicious of pet food and birdseed.
- When storing, remove it from the original packaging and store it in an airtight container or refrigerate.
- Clean any storage area or cabinets thoroughly on a regular basis.
- Clean any spilled grain products promptly.
Do They Cause Damage?
Pantry pests will infest grain products. They can fit through very small openings and chew through un-opened packaging, damaging the product.
Other items that can be damaged by pantry pest are upholstered furniture, wool, hair, fur, feathers, bristles, silk, books, stuffed animals, trophies, linens, cotton, fabric, soft woods, leather, and carpeting.
What you can expect with our service?
We will do a complete inspection to identify the source of the infestation. We will also provide assistance in locating and determining possible areas that have a high probability of persistent problems.
Treatment of identified problem areas, and removal of infested food products.
Warranty
60 days*
*NOTE: A 3 week wait period is required after the initial service to allow for product effectiveness. In the event that activity persists beyond that ,we will return at no charge within the warranted period.
