DANGERS OF PANTRY PESTS INSIDE HOMES

A universal truth about humans, we all value the quality of our food. Pantry pests threaten that quality. When we go to the store and pick up a bag of rice, we are not hoping to find any hidden extra ingredients. We want what the package states, rice, nothing else, especially pests. However, for residents here in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Eastern Shore of Maryland extra ingredients are being found in our favorite store-bought products. These extra, unwanted ingredients are otherwise known as pantry pests or, more specifically, moths and beetles. Needless to say, pantry pests are a substantial problem for any homeowner unfortunate enough to encounter them.

Problems Pantry Pests Pose

Pantry pests are amazing at one thing – ruining our food. They infest it, they feed on it, and they leave their excrement behind for us to find. All of this means one thing – contamination. This is a major problem! The contamination of our food by these pests could make us really sick. Additionally, pantry pests can spread rather easily from one food source to another, specifically dry foods. So if pantry pests can find a way into your home, and are left unaddressed, a contaminated bag of rice or box or cereal may be just the beginning.

How Pantry Pests Invade

Unlike other common household pests, pantry pests do not commonly invade through windows, doors, or cracks in our home’s foundation. Rather, they invade using a ‘Trojan horse’ in the form of our food. In fact, most of the time you are the one transporting these pests into your home by accident. A lot of the time pantry pests will invade at supermarkets or food processing plants. If these facilities do not have the proper pest control in place, it is not too difficult for pests like beetles or moths to slip into food unnoticed.

Keeping Pantry Pests Out

The best thing we can do to keep these pests out of our homes is to simply check our dry foods before we leave the store:

• Look for damaged packaging to indicate that food infesting pests may have gotten inside, and always choose the least-damaged boxes.
• Consider storing your dried foods inside airtight containers. This will limit pantry pests’ ability to spread if they have invaded your home.
• Call a professional. More specifically call Viking Pest Control. Our pest experts are trained to eliminate your pantry pest problems and are ready to walk alongside you to keep your home pest-free throughout the year. 

So, if beetles or moths have taken over your pantry, don’t hesitate to let the caring professionals here at Viking Pest Control help!

Call Viking at 800-618-2847 to learn more about pantry pest control and extermination services, or get a fast, free quote online today!