When you think of the holiday season, what comes to mind first? Sure, you may think of presents, snow, and family gatherings, but we all know what really comes to mind — the food! Unfortunately, all of this delicious food can be spoiled by an infestation of pests. Pantry pests (to be specific) can force you to throw away a lot of your stored, boxed food. Which can ultimately inhibit the preparation of your holiday feast and traditional desserts!
The Most Common Pantry Pest
One of the most common pantry pests found in residential homes includes the Indian meal moth. Be on the lookout for this pantry pest in any flour bags you have stored. Always sift through your flour before baking any pies, cakes, or cookies. You can also find Indian meal moths inside of:
- Dry Cereal
- Pasta
- Rice
- Spices
- Candles
- Chocolate
- Holiday Flowers
- Potpourri
How to Prevent Pantry Pests
- Inspect all food packages in the store before purchasing. Do not buy anything with holes, tears, or any signs of damage.
- After bringing home the groceries, transfer all contents of dried food (flour, cereal, rice, pasta, etc.) to glass or plastic jars and container.
- Maintain your pantry by cleaning up any crumbs or spills on a daily basis.
- Make sure all food items are either used or thrown away before the expiration date passes.
- Holiday decorations like potpourri, and dried foliage should be stored in plastic, airtight containers. Before decorating your home with them each year, unbox them outside in case any pests found their way into the container.
Don’t let these food and decoration loving pests ruin your holidays, do something now to ensure they won’t be hanging around anytime soon. If you fear you have an infestation of pantry pests (or any pest), immediately contact your local pest management professionals.