Wondering easy methods to do away with pantry bugs with out dangerous chemical substances? Trying to keep away from pantry bugs from organising camp in your kitchen? Looking to determine pantry bugs, similar to kinds of ants, fruit flies, moths, and weevils? We’ve received you coated with these unhazardous methods to guard your pantry from bugs.
Opening up a bag of grains or pulses and discovering a community of bugs shifting round may be probably the most irritating issues to find in your pantry. It’s not solely an inconvenience, as discovering pantry bugs can disrupt your menu plans for the evening, but it surely can also affect your price range because of destruction of meals. It may be tempting to spray chemical substances and set traps to rid your kitchen of those pests, however there are strategies which can be extra pure and safer. If you’re trying to restore peace in your kitchen oasis and maintain your loved ones and furry associates protected from ingesting chemical substances and inhaling disagreeable fumes, then attempt a few of these pure pantry bug safety steps as we speak.
Prevent Pantry Bugs within the First Place
The first technique of protecting pantry bugs away ought to all the time be prevention. You can stop bugs from occupying your kitchen by blocking entry factors similar to holes and window openings, in addition to protecting counters and cabinets clear and freed from particles that may appeal to bugs.
Another solution to stop an infestation of pantry bugs is to solely purchase what you want. Not solely will this lower your expenses and forestall meals waste, but it surely additionally helps decrease the danger of pantry bugs remaining undetected in your unused groceries. Always follow the first-in, first-out technique. Meaning that your older pantry objects ought to be pushed to the entrance in order that they get used up extra rapidly, and the newer purchases ought to go within the again. Remember, pantry bugs are sometimes drawn to shelf-stable meals with a protracted shelf-life, similar to grains, crackers, pulses, nuts, seeds.
Store your pantry meals in sealable, hermetic containers to keep away from pantry bugs. You’d be stunned to see how pantry bugs can entry the tiniest opening in a bag of flour, and even chew their manner by means of plastic and paper packaging. If you might be experiencing pantry bug issues, attempt transferring shelf-stable meals, similar to flours, grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, crackers, and cereals, into sealable, hermetic containers, similar to glass jars with tightly becoming lids. I like to make use of completely different sizes of mason jars (small, medium and huge) with screw prime lids in my pantry to maintain it tight!
How to Get Rid of Pantry Bugs the Natural Way
Check out these kinds of frequent pantry bugs with the intention to assist determine them and maintain these bugs away out of your meals with these pure suggestions.
- Fruit Flies. If you’ve ever been in a busy kitchen in the summertime time, you’ve in all probability needed to swat away your fair proportion of fruit flies. What do fruit flies appear like? These tiny (3-4 mm lengthy) flies have a tan thorax, black and grey stomach, and purple eyes. Where do fruit flies come from? Fruit flies are drawn to ripe produce; they get into your own home, feed off fermenting meals, and lay their eggs close by. How lengthy do fruit flies reside? It solely takes about eight days to develop from egg to grownup. Keep fruit flies away by blocking their entry (home windows and doorways), placing away ripe fruit, and sealing trash in an hermetic container. The finest solution to rid your kitchen of fruit flies is to arrange an answer with vinegar or wine the place you see them most frequently.
- Ants. In addition to being carriers of micro organism, many kinds of ants, from massive to small, can create havoc in your pantry. Before you spend cash on an exterminator, examine your cupboards for pure protection, together with: black pepper, peppermint, and low grounds, that are a number of pure elements that may assist destroy and deter ants. Most importantly, retailer your meals in hermetic containers to keep away from ant infestations. And do not forget that ants are drawn to candy meals, so pay specific consideration to sweets and sugars.
- Pantry Moths. These small pests are drawn to dry items, similar to flour and grains, and lay their eggs within open containers. You can spy tell-tale webs and larvae of infested pantry moth meals objects. One solution to circumvent a moth infestation is to retailer your dry items within the freezer briefly or completely. If you have already got a moth infestation, one of the best ways to do away with them is to discard (compost!) any infested dry items and provides your pantry a deep clear earlier than investing in hermetic containers for all dried items. Once you’ve got your pantry beneath management, look ahead to proof of pantry moths that flutter about your kitchen.
- Weevils. Just like moths, weevils are drawn to dry items, like grains, nuts and beans. Once a weevil hitches a trip from the shop and into your pantry, they might lay eggs inside of dry items. After this occurs, contaminated objects should be thrown away and the realm of infestation ought to be completely cleaned. Once your pantry is beneath management and your merchandise are saved in hermetic containers, attempt putting dry bay leaves, cloves, and complete black peppercorns in your pantry to assist deter weevils.
Written by Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN with Cara Joseph, Dietetic Intern
References:
Alharbi, Jenan S et al. “Monomorium ant is a carrier for pathogenic and potentially pathogenic bacteria.” BMC analysis notes vol. 12,1 230. 16 Apr. 2019, doi:10.1186/s13104-019-4266-4
Boyles, M. (2019). How to do away with pantry moths and worms. Retrieved from: https://www.almanac.com/how-get-rid-pantry-moths-and-worms