We aren't the only ones feeling exhausted and wanting to to escape from the summer's harsh sun. You think you can avoid those pests and critters by staying indoors, but if you check your cupboards or look in a box of crackers, you may find several hiding or crawling about.
What are Stored Product Pests?
Stored product pests come in the form of many different insects. They are usually brought into the home in an infested package of food. These pests can be initially overlooked because of their small size, especially in the egg or larval stages. Usually the appearance of small moths flying about or beetles around the food packaging can indicate an infestation.
Moths and beetles are the two most common types of insects infesting food in the home. It is easy to tell adult moths and adult beetles from each other, but their larvae requires more observation to tell the difference. Beetle larvae resemble grubs, are legless or only have three pairs of legs, located near the head. Moth larvae have three pairs of legs and additional leg-like parts further down the abdomen. Adult and larval stage beetles feed on while only moth larvae consume foodstuffs.
Common stored product pests include: indian meal moth, carpet/dermestid beetles, sawtoothed grain beetles, and flour beetles. These pests usually consume stored food products that can be dried and stored in bulk such as flour, cereal, dry pasta, pet food, powdered milk, or spices. When these foodstuffs are stored in their paper containers and are unused for long periods of time, infestations can occur. Stored product pests cause food waste and infestations can be hard to get rid of.
Prevent Stored Product Pests Infestation
- Place food in containers with tight-fitting lids such as screw-top glass, plastic jars, or metal cans
- Clean your shelves and pantry frequently. Certain stored product pests need only small amounts of food to sustain themselves
- Do not purchase broken or unsealed packages from the store, of if unnoticed until after bringing it home, exchange or return them to the store for a refund
- Do not mix old and new foodstuffs together. If the old material is infested, pests can quickly contaminate the new
- Place an item in a plastic bag if you are unsure of infestation - if you see pests emerging, discard it
- Clean old containers before filling with fresh food
- Purchase foodstuffs in sizes that can be used in a short period of time
- Keep storage units dry - any moisture encourages development of stored product pests
- Check your rodent baits if you have any - pests can breed in them as well. Discard infested baits
Control with Temperature
Adjust the temperature to control infestation. Insects are cold-blooded and their body temperatures usually acclimate to their environments. The most favorable temperature for a pantry or food storage space is about 80 degrees Farenheit. Temperatures above 95°F or below 60°F reduces reproduction and survival. Insect activity decreases until coming to a complete stop when temperatures are lowered. If insects are exposed to two or three days to temperatures of 5°F, both larvae and adults can be killed. If food needs to be salvaged, freeze it for a week, remove from the freezer for a few days and then refreeze for another week.
Remember to clean and do not use spray. Insecticide sprays and other chemical methods are NOT recommended to use.
House Flies
Almost any homeowner will tell you that flies are about one of the most annoying pests that can enter the house. Once they invade your home, they are seemingly buzzing about everywhere, especially where there is food, of course.
While house flies have a life span of about only three weeks, they are most active during warm season. However, controlling flies in your home can be easy if you do it right through cultural, biological, and chemical control, as recommended by the Texas Cooperative Extension.
Cultural Control
This method changes the environment to prevent houseflies from developing. The best cultural method is to dispose of any organic matter properly. This includes vegetable or other food by-products, where houseflies might lay eggs. Place these materials in garbage bags and tie the bags securely. Remove all food residues and clean your garbage cans weekly.
Placing sticky traps and ultraviolet light traps around a home also can reduce housefly populations. Hang resin strips (flypaper) in infested areas where there is little or no air movement. You place one ten-inch strip per 1,000 cubic feet of space. Install the fly strips within six feet of the floor because most fly activity is near the ground. The strips are effective for up to about three months or until completely covered with flies.
Install light traps where they cannot be seen by flies outdoors to avoid attracting more insects to the home. To make the traps more noticeable to the flies in a room, place them at least fifteen feet away from doors and other entryways and in darker areas away from bright lights and sunlight. Place the traps at least five feet away from food preparation areas to minimize the risk of food contamination. It is important to maintain the traps. Replace the bulbs each spring just before the peak season of fly activity because older bulbs lose their attractiveness to insects. Also, clean them out regularly because dead flies serve as food for other insects.
Biological Control
Parasitic wasps and fire ants suppress housefly populations naturally. If you want to use this form of natural pest control, you can order fly pupae from insectaries in Texas or across the United States. The pupae, which are already infected with the parasites, can be spread around homes or near where houseflies are developing. Place the pupae in areas out of direct sunlight to prevent anyone from stepping on them.
Parasitic wasps do not harm people or animals. They kill immature houseflies. However, parasitic wasps take time to work, and they alone will not eliminate a housefly population. Combine this technique with other methods.
Chemical Control
When necessary, insecticides can help suppress housefly populations. Use fly baits that are usually sugarbased and contain a compound that attracts the adult flies. Flies that feed on these baits are killed by the insecticide they digest.
Many spray pyrethroid-based insecticides can suppress houseflies in and around homes. You can buy these products at grocery and hardware stores. Follow the instructions on all insecticide labels.
(Source: Texas Cooperative Extension)
Author Resource:-
Fran Phalin is a freelance editor and writer specializing in home improvement topics. She is based in Austin, TX.
For professional pest control assistance, please contact Anteater Pest and Lawn. Visit them at www.goanteater.com.
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