Pantry moths lay their eggs on stored food and grains. Finding an adult moth may be a sign that there are infested items somewhere in the home. Adult females can lay hundreds of eggs directly on or near potential food sources, and the damage is done by the larvae (tiny caterpillars). Larvae can chew through plastic bags and thin cardboard, so even unopened packages may become infested.
They attack a wide range of products, including cereal, grains, beans, nuts, flour, dried fruit, birdseed, dry animal food, spices, chocolate, and candies. Indian meal moth is the most common pantry moth, but properly identifying your pest will help you target your efforts. Consider contacting your local Cooperative Extension Service for help identifying a pest.
Mothballs should not be used around food or food preparation areas. Mothballs are only allowed to be used in airtight containers. Gasses build up to kill insects that feed on natural fibers. Those gasses may pose a risk to people or pets if used improperly.
Prevention tips:
- Use older food products first and store all bulk foods in thickly walled glass or plastic containers.
- Clean up all spills, including flour and sugar. Larvae can survive on small amounts of food under cabinets and in corners.
- Transfer bulk items from plastic bags to sturdy glass or plastic containers. Pantry moth larvae can chew through plastic and Ziploc bags to access food.
Control tips:
- Identify, remove, and dispose of all infested food items. Larvae spin a web as they move and leave behind silken threads; signs of webbing or clumped grains or flour may be a sign insects are present.
- Take the interior bags out of boxes, roll them around looking for clumps or webbing. Check the corners of boxes and creases of bags.
- Remember to inspect all cereal, grains, beans, nuts, flour, dried fruit, birdseed, dry animal food, spices, tea, chocolate, and candies.
- After removing all infested items, consider storing the remaining items in a large plastic tote to monitor for any eggs or larvae you may have missed.
- Use a vacuum with a crevice attachment to clean out all corners of the pantry. Wash the surfaces with warm water and soap to remove any remaining spilled food, eggs, or cocoons.
- Food items may be placed in a freezer for a week to kill any eggs or larvae that may be present.
- Larvae can travel far from food sources in order to pupate, which could create a potential for re-infestation if food is still accessible.
- Pheromone traps, or plain yellow sticky traps may be useful in monitoring the population, and identifying problem areas in the home.
If you have questions about this, or any pesticide-related topic, please call NPIC at 800-858-7378 (8:00am - 12:00pm PST), or email us at npic@ace.orst.edu.
Up there with flies and mosquitoes, pantry moths (or Indian meal moths) have to be some of the peskiest insects of all time. Unfortunately, they are also the most common.
These annoying little creatures are like Newman from Seinfeld, except not remotely funny. Always needling their way in uninvited, always surprising you with their disgusting presence, always feasting on your delicious snacks when you've specifically told them that you're saving those Pringles for a night when your husband is out and you can binge-watch Nexflix and pour them into your mouth unbridled.
Because pantry moths grow from minute, maggot-looking larvae, it can be hard to tell if you have a pantry-moth problem – until they are flying around in front of your face! By then, their evil spawn has probably wriggled its way into all your dry goods and pantry staples (female can lay up to 400 eggs in two weeks).
The worst thing about pantry moths is that once you have an infestation, it can be extremely hard to get rid of them and even if you do, they can make their way back into your home without you even knowing; smuggled inside your unsuspecting supermarket haul.
If you've been plagued with pesky pantry moths, here's how to get rid of them and prevent another infestation.
How to get rid of pantry moths
1. Take everything out of your pantry
That means everything. Wipe down every shelf, wall and door with white vinegar, then warm water, and then eucalyptus or peppermint oil(which help to repel them).
2. Inspect everything you've taken out
If it's got moths (or tiny wriggling white worms, which are basically pre-moths), it goes in the bin and once everything is in the bin, tie that sucker up, put it in another bag, tie that sucker up and put it in your outdoor bin.
FOOD ITEMS PANTRY MOTHS LOVE…
- Flour
- Breadcrumbs
- Cereal
- Spices
- Pasta and cous cous
- Dried fruit
- Grains
- Nuts
3. Freeze the food you're keeping
Anything that's moth-free can stay, but before you put it back in the pantry, put it in the freezer overnight to kill any moth eggs that may be present. This is a good rule for any dry good you bring home, actually — a quick trip to the freezer will kill eggs on arrival.
4. Use storage containers
From now on, store your pantry staples in clean, airtight containers. No more semi-closed bags of flour. No more half-heartedly tied pasta bags. If you're using containers that have previously lived in your moth-infested pantry, clean them thoroughly first. A run in the dishwasher should kill any eggs.
HOW TO PREVENT PANTRY MOTHS
Now you have rid your pantry of moths and it's looking spick-and-span, you want to do everything in your power to stop them coming back. Here are some of the best preventative measures you can take.
ESSENTIAL OILS TO PREVENT PANTRY MOTHS
Add these essential oils to your cleaning routine to get rid of pantry moths and prevent them coming back.
- Eucalyptus oil
- Peppermint oil
- Lemon oil
- Clove oil
USE STORAGE CANNISTERS
Keeping all your dry goods stored in airtight containers is the best way to prevent pantry moths from infesting your food. Clear plastic or glass canisters are best, as you can clearly see if anything has made its way in. Clean containers regularly.
TRY BAY LEAVES
In a small bowl, lay out a few bay leaves and pop it in a corner of your pantry (moths hate bay leaves).
BUY PANTRY MOTH TRAPS
You can buy sticky pheromone traps in the insect aisle of your supermarket.
If you get reinfested, or you miss any, they will be drawn to the pheromones in the moth trap where they will stick and die.