What to do about pantry moths??

Question

I have an old wooden phone booth that serves as a pantry for snacks, and dog food. I recently removed and inspected all packaging for clues. I found what appeared to be a nest and cleaned the bag. I also cleaned the plastic cart that I store items on. I vacuumed out the phone booth as well. This did not cure the problem. Next, I removed everything from the phone booth and am now storing all the food in a rubbermaid container while keeping the phone booth closed. After two days it appears that I still have moths coming from the phone booth, at least, when you open it one or two still flies out. Does anyone have any suggestions to attack and destroy the moths to prevent them from reproducing? I have not tried moth balls as I'm not sure this is that type of moth.

Ann · Answer

I had this problem. Their eggs come from boxed foods. Pasta, cereal, etc. if you look in one of the food bags, you'll probably see what looks like a web of sorts. Usually food bits hanging. Only way I got rid of them was to toss everything bagged and boxed. I bleached the cabinet every day for a week. Nothing since

Kathryn Peltier · Answer

First of all, if you have shelf paper, you have to replace it because the weevils can live under it. Also, since you vacuumed, make sure you empty the vacuum outside so that the weevils can't re-infest. I have had these in my pantry a couple of times. They are in ALL flour, but will only hatch if the flour is not used quickly enough. I now bring my flour home and put it in the freezer (in a freezer bag) for 4-5 days. The cold will kill the weevils. Bay leaves in the flour will also help, as does putting the flour in a plastic container. I have washed out my pantry with bleach water, and that has always seemed to do the trick (just make sure you've thrown out - as in outside - everything else that could be infested, even if it looks sealed, like muffin mix, pancake mix, etc.)

Barb Rosen · Answer

Looks like Indian Meal Moths to me. They need an aggressive approach for sure! Here's some information that I hope will help you. http://www.pantrypest.com/indian_meal_moth.htm

Janet Pizaro · Answer

They are a pantry moth of some kind. solution make sure you seal everything in containers or plastic bags. There is a product from safer which is a paper trap for the pantry to aid in the control of these pantry pests. I suggest you clean out everything with vinegar and water and go from there.

Lyn2398900 · Answer

Had the same problem. Hope I've conquered it! Do what they say and clean everything, check each box, even UNOPENED! Then I just found Dr. Killigans Pantry Moth Traps on Amazon. Put one up and even tho I didn't see any moths, one then two circled around the trap and went in. Took about 2 to 3 minutes. Am not kidding. I got the 6 in a box to try.

Suzi Wollman · Answer

We had to toss everything that was boxed and even food stored in plastic containers. Completely cleaned out the pantry and set a bug bomb off in it. Then we thoroughly cleaned the pantry and now store everything in glass containers. No more moths.

Beth H. Makemeprettyagain.blogspot · Answer

I fought those pantry moths for 9 months! The only thing that truly worked was the sticky moth traps-pyramids you get at Home depot or Lowes. Obviously you have to clean out everything, check all you packages for larvae, and vacuum and wipe everything. I just threw out anything that was opened (even an unopened bag of rice got thrown because I saw larvae in it!! ewww) 
Get containers for everything or just hold off getting new pantry items until you get rid of them. 
Get about 5-6 of those traps and set them up in the pantry or where ever else you see them. It attracts them and they get stuck. In the first two weeks my traps were covered in them! Throw them out and get new ones. Little by little they went away. haven't had any problems since.

Trish · Answer

One year we had the same deal. The problem is that the moth larvae is often in the dog food or the packaging. If you see moths flying around dog food in store, don't buy it there.We had to store dog food in garage or outdoors in metal garbage cans.The moths definitely will get into your food if you store the dog food near it. You have to get rid of everything and get the traps and don't bring the dogfood into the house.

Sde4121165 · Answer

Keep opened jars of bay leaves on each shelf. They hate bay leaves and fresh herbs. The traps work, but if eggs or larvae are still left behind then the cycle begins all over again. Check every single bag- even unopened ones.

Mkm382854 · Answer

I battled them for 6 months. They continuously reproduce. You must throw out just about everything you had stored in your pantry, they esp like flour, cereal, rice. Plastic bagging of items do no good, everything must be seal airtight. Moth traps needed not just in your pantry, but also in roos adjacent to that area. It takes a long time to get rid of them.

Betsy Frahm · Answer

Had them too. The pest control company told me that since the FDA allows a certain amount of larvae in our food, like cereals, crackers and the like, he said when you bring home food from the store, put all boxes of cereal, crackers, cookies etc. into the freezer for 15 minutes. No more. The food won't freeze but all the larvae will be dead. They cannot handle the freezing temps. I've had no problem since.

P.chatty · Answer

Apple cider vinger seems to have worked for me,put a little jar open in their, or try wipping it down with it, they hate the smell or worse on their feet

Orlena · Answer

I use a NO Pest Strip hanging in the back of my pantry. I get them at Walmart. This keeps them out of my pantry. They hate it.

JeDonne M · Answer

Bay leaves work great. I store my various types of flour in plastic containers and then stick a couple bay leaves in each one. I haven't had moth issues for years.....knock on wood..........

Jeanne · Answer

Whole cloves sprinkled on shelves solved the problem for me.

Silvio Dominguez Gonzalez · Answer

Ayudar a la mejor recomendación esta pregunta se las ofrezco desde Colombia y no se si las autoridades FDA lo permiten lo cual queda a consideración de cada persona:
Dependiendo de la cantidad de la plaga en una botella reciclable disel o petroleo el utilizado por los vehículos pesados mesclar con sal suficiente, agitar y con esta mescla rociar con spray preferencialmente en el área afectada por la polilla

Val Milton · Answer

Lowe's sells cedar in squares or strips. I'm not sure if they will killed but they'll leave your phone booth alone almost immediately. Good luck

Ann · Answer

I made strong bay leaf tea and sprayed my kitchen daily until they were gone and now spray once a week.

Heather · Answer

Also put all your flour/baking mix in the freezer for a couple days,  when you buy new, put those in the freezer before you put them in the pantry. This should kill any eggs/larva.

Maryellen · Answer

I don't use the bay leaf tea, but I do have clusters of bay leaves hanging all around in my pantry; especially concentrated in the areas where I store grains and baking supplies. In addition to grains, these moths LOVE chocolate! They will ruin baking supplies if they can get to them. I, too, have a dog and dog food is notorious for carrying these moths. If you've ever been to a feed store they're flying all around it. I see you're in IL, so you have some of the same weather I do in OH. Try to buy dog food when it's very cold or really hot and leave it in your trunk for a couple of days before bringing it in the house. Then put your smaller things like flour, and any other grain that's in paper, in the freezer for 48 hours. I order bay leaves from The San Francisco Herb Co. (http://www.sfherb.com) You can get quite a large bag for the same price you pay for a little can at the grocery store. They are also much more pungent, which is what you're looking for! Good Luck!

Terry · Answer

I had them in Georgia. I emptied the pantry...probably came in on cornmeal or petfood. I threw out all food...they can be there and you can't see them. I vaccumed and washed daily for a couple of weeks. I did use bay leafs and insect spray for kitchens as well. Finally they were gone.

Mary Wilson · Answer

I had that same problem,  they were in the dog food, then they hatched. Into green worms.  They were everywhere, and I hate worms, get rid of the dog food and your problem should go away.

Bluemyrtle45 · Answer

Bay leaves are good. Keep everything in plastic containers like you are doing. Vacuum especially where the wood joins. Return anything that causes the problem and get a refund.

Emily · Answer

Pantry moths are very difficult to get rid of. Put all flours/grains etc in the freezer for a while. Wash all the interiors and, get hanging things to catch the moths from the hardware store. Store all grains/flours in plastic containers but first put them in the freezer to kill any that are in those items.

Lana Booher · Answer

I use bay leaves with great success also seal things up, they are persistant & you need to inspect things that may be in your pantry for awhile. I've heard that spraying & wiping down with water & a little bit of Dawn dish soap will repel insects, haven't tried yet but plan to

Kim 'Kiewatt' Waknitz · Answer

I also had this problem, wiped everything down with white vinegar then put bay leaf or two on every shelf. I still keep everything in plastic container (remove from original packaging and discard out side right away), and haven't had them after doing this a few time. Best of luck, there are hard to get rid of, takes time and patience.

Cherie · Answer

I don't have moths, but have those little tiny bugs that get into grains and everything! I don't even know what they're called! But almost all my goods are in plastic of one kind or another. I just don't know what to do for these bugs! I have bay leaves on every shelf and cinnamon is sprinkled around too. Any ideas?

Sue Sanders · Answer

If you have weevils or moths I would first get rid of all the grains and flour products and start over. All my items are in big storage containers and I have not had any problems with those pests. My Mother was storing her flour and grain products in their sacks and she got the weevils. I threw everything out and thoroughly cleaned her shelves out then washed and dried them. We then bought new items and stored in snug glass containers and some in the plastic containers and all was well. It is good to use the bay leaf in the flour container if you arent going to use quickly. I remove all rice, cornmeal, Cream of Wheat, etc from their boxes and store in snug containers. I put labels on the front and name the item and the method for cooking. Also do this for the instant potatoes and crackers.

Kathryn Peltier · Answer

No, I'm quite sure we're talking about the same thing. I'm not talking about Boll Weevils - which feed on cotton - but rather Flour Weevils/Flour Moths/Flour Beetles: just different names for the same thing. A weevil is a kind of beetle. They are in ALL flour and will hatch if left long enough. That's why you have to make sure there is nothing left - like shelf paper or other products - where they can hide or lay eggs. Otherwise, they'll be back.

Jack · Answer

Bob Vila's site has a great solution that worked for me: http://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-get-rid-of-pantry-moths/#.VH8aYTHF-So

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