Indian meal moths are a common pantry pest in Texas homes. They live in and eat stored, dry food, which is not a problem anyone wants to have. Fortunately, you can take steps to prevent and control an infestation. Adams Exterminating Company also offers Indian meal moth treatments for your home. If you need pest control in Lewisville, call Adams Exterminating Company for fast, professional service.
What Are Indian Meal Moths?
Indian meal moths are pantry pests. Their bodies are typically ¼-1/2” long, and their wingspan is ¾”. Indian meal moth wings are coppery brown and gray with distinct markings. Their eggs are tiny and white—so small that they can be hard to see with the naked eye. Once the eggs hatch, Indian meal moth larvae grow about half an inch long. They’re whitish with brown heads.
Indian meal moths eat grains, grain products, dried fruits, nuts, and other dry foods. They’re often found near food storages as well as by windows. The adults sometimes fly away from the infestation into other parts of the house.
How Indian Meal Moths Find Their Way Into Our Food
Indian meal moths can chew through plastic bags and cardboard boxes, making it possible to travel through food packaging. However Indian meal moths find their way into your home, they’ll spread quickly. Adult moths lay their eggs directly in food, so the larvae can begin feeding as soon as they hatch.
One crucial way to keep Indian meal moths and other pantry pests out of your food is by keeping everything in airtight containers. Solid glass, plastic, or metal will prevent moths from being able to chew through, and a tightly sealed lid means they can’t crawl or fly in.
How Do Indian Meal Moths Sneak Into Houses?
There are a few ways that these pests can get inside. One is simply by flying in from outside. If there are windows frequently left open or cracks in the walls, Indian meal moths can come inside. This is a pretty rare occurrence, though.
Most of the time, Indian meal moths come into the home as eggs or larvae that already reside in an infested product. Indian meal moth infestations can occur at grocery stores and even right at the source of food products and then spread to your home when you buy an infested product. You can prevent entire home infestations by carefully examining the food products you buy. Look for small tears or holes in the packaging and evidence of the bugs.
How To Get Rid Of An Entire Indian Meal Moth Infestation
You can take a few steps on your own to prevent or control an Indian meal moth infestation.
- Remove infested food: Once you’ve discovered the moths, you must take any infested products out of your kitchen and separate them from non-infested food.
- Lay out traps: Indian meal moths don’t usually need a lure, so Indian meal moth traps or sticky traps work well to help control an infestation. They aren’t usually enough on their own, but placing a few near the site can help.
- Consider temperature treatments: Indian meal moth eggs, larvae, and adults do not withstand extreme temperatures. If you can, placing infested food products in the freezer for several days or in the oven for half an hour will kill any moths.
The best way to get rid of Indian meal moths entirely is to call a professional pest control company. Because these pests live in your food, you don’t want to take your chances with a pesticide. That’s why Adams Exterminating Company offers Indian meal moth pest control that keeps your family safe. For pantry pest eradication in Lewisville, call Adams Exterminating Company today!