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"Many people think the pantry insects
such as Indian meal moths are coming into their homes because their
food is contaminated," said James Schuster. "This happens
occasionally, but it is the least-common way these insects get into
the home. "More often, the
insects come in on dried cat and dog food. However, most often the
different kinds of insects that are considered 'pantry insects'
invade our homes in bird food."
The insects, Schuster explained, may
be in the bird food as eggs, larvae, pupa or even adults. The larvae
feed in the food. Eggs and pupa can be in or on the packaging
material. Once the pantry insects are in the warm environment of the
home, the life cycles often start to overlap.
"Depending on how soon in the fall
you brought in the birdseed and large quantities of dried dog and
cat food, emerging adults can appear sometime from just before
Thanksgiving to after New Year's," he said. "They will continue to
emerge through the rest of the year unless they are controlled. Each
successive generation is larger than its predecessor."
Although the birds, cats and dogs
don't mind the insects, most people don't want the pests crawling
and flying around the house. To reduce this possibility, Schuster
suggested that birdseed and pet food be frozen quickly -- in less
than 24 hours.
"If the birdseed/pet food does not
freeze within 24 hours, the insects will start making alcohol in
their 'blood' and will survive the freezing process," he said. "If
the seed/food was frozen slowly, then the seed/food needs to be put
into an airtight container and kept at room temperatures so that the
insects lose their alcohol. This takes about two or more weeks.
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this article]
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"Once the insects are alcohol free,
refreeze the birdseed/pet food quickly. No matter where you store
the birdseed/pet food, keep it in an airtight container."
If it is stored outside,
consideration should be given to using an airtight container that is
in turn kept in a steel garbage can that has a chained lid. This
keeps raccoons and squirrels from eating through the airtight
container and getting to the birdseed or pet food.
"If insects are already flying and
crawling, sanitation is the only recommended control," Schuster
noted. "Contaminated human food is discarded. All non-contaminated
human food and any dried pet food should be frozen quickly and
stored in airtight containers."
The food should be kept stored in
airtight containers for the next six months and opened only long
enough to remove the necessary food.
"All cupboards, cracks and crevices
should be thoroughly washed with a strong soap-and-water solution,"
Schuster said. "Rinse clean and dry. Do not use an insecticide to
control these insects in the home."
[University of Illinois news
release]
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