Foods like flour sometimes attract pantry moths and their larvae, so control is necessary.
You pull out your flour to bake and there they are -- small caterpillars. Or maybe you open your cabinets and find moths flying around and wonder how you can get rid of them. Things as simple as cedar chips can help you control these common bugs. Does this Spark an idea?
Pantry Pests
Pantry moths and larvae infest most homes eventually, often arriving inside a food package, like flour or cereal, or coming from products kept too long in a cabinet. If you see small moths with copper and tan wings, you likely have common Indian meal moths, which eat household foods, including grains, dried fruit, nuts and powdered milk, as well as pet foods. Their light-colored larvae crawl around in search of food.
Food Removal
Find and toss out the foods the pests have invaded. That might cure the moth problem and keep moths out, but you may need a pest spray for cabinet crevices. Use sprays containing pyrethrin, resmethrin, allethrin or tetramethrin, which are generally safe around food. Pest control companies can also provide traps containing pheromones, which attract and help monitor moths.
Prevention
Keep food products fresh or sealed in non-paper containers to avoid moth infestations. Use cedar chips or lavender flowers as repellents in storage cabinets. Vassar College environmental experts suggest tying juniper or aromatic cedar chips in cheesecloth or making similar bundles with rosemary, rose petals, lavender, an essential oil called vetiver, or dry lemon peels.
Tags: cedar chips, like flour