Pests in the pantry are again a very common problem for many households. As winter approaches and holidays begin, more and more family and friends come to visit us. As you need to cook more food and store food more often, it results in an increase in invasive pests. There is a wide range of pests that can invade and infest our food, thus contaminating it. But, we always seem to focus just on the ones which are found in stored food items. The pests can be beetles, moths, and worm-like creatures that can have very harmful effects on the health of a person.
Some problems you will face:
These pests can locate and grow in any place where the bulk of a home’s food is stored. It might not even be that the place is dirty or unsanitary. Most of the time, stores get a small number of products that are already infested and they may not have been aware of it. Some of the common kinds of pests are warehouse beetles, Indian meal moths, flour beetles, and others.
The major problem with most of these insects is that they are covered in larvae and this presents more severe issues. These Larvae feed on dead insects and are very common along window sills and baseboards of a house as well. Flour beetles also cause a lot of trouble. These red beetles are found feeding on flour, grains, cake mixes, beans, peas, and many others food products. As they feed on flour it might get discolored over time. In fact, it might start smelling funny as well.
How to prevent such infestations
It is quite difficult to prevent infested items. But yes, if you can keep a few things in mind it can help you to get over any kind of infestation. You should always buy packaged items that are all sealed and are not damaged at all in any noticeable way. Make sure you check properly before buying a particular product. It is always a good option to buy products that have a shorter duration of usage. Any item which can be used for a long period of time and is often stored with an open seal can easily attract pests and therefore infestations.
Conclusion:
Avoid buying new products until and unless you are done with the old ones. Accumulating unnecessary foods can invite pests and insects. One can get proper glass and plastic containers to store food products in. These might prevent any kind of food infestation from happening since it’s more difficult for pests to get into compared to boxes or plastic bags. Also, use tight food containers so that it does not pass on to the other food items that are present nearby in the event that one of your foods are contaminated by an infestation. It is always a good idea to inspect products and contact professionals who offer pest control in Austin, TX to get any kind of help or suggestion when it comes to pest control.