How to Eliminate Pantry Moth Larvae

Pantry moths infest spices, baking mixes, macaroni, crackers and even pet food.

Pantry moths enter your home via packages of food that are infested with the larvae. The cleanliness of your home does not prevent you from having them, but it does eliminate a recurrence once you spot the pests and get rid of them. Taking the proper measures once you discover the larvae is the best way to prevent re-infestation as they can survive many weeks without food. Pantry moths are also known as Indianmeal moths and they feed on dry goods such as flour, cornmeal, rice, cereal, chocolates, nuts and dried fruit. The moths also infest dehydrated vegetables, candies and other sweet treats.

Things You'll Need

• Zipper style plastic bags
• Liquid dishwashing detergent
• Sponge
• Air tight containers (optional)
• Pheromone traps (optional)

Instructions

1. Remove the infested food immediately once you spot the larvae. Place the food in a zipper style plastic bag or seal it another way and dispose of it in the trash outdoors. The larvae spin webs with silky looking threads. They are white and grow to about 1/2 inch, although they may have a pink or green hue as well.

2. Inspect all the food packages in your pantry for tiny holes or evidence of webs. Discard any foods with these indications.

3. Empty your pantry and wash the shelves and other areas with a sponge and warm, soapy water made with a squirt of a liquid dishwashing detergent. Rinse the areas well. Another effective way to clean the area is to use a vacuum crevice attachment to rid corners, ceilings or other tight areas of the eggs or larvae.

Tips & Warnings

• It takes approximately two months from larva to the moth stage. The moths are small, with reddish-brown forewings. The wings often have a copper coloring, and the body is whitish greay.

• Use caution to prevent food you bring into the home from being infested by any moths that survived after the cleaning. Freeze any staples that you use infrequently; this is a wise practice even when you don't have the pests. Place dry goods or cereal products in airtight containers in your pantry; pantry moths can chew through foil, cardboard and other types of packaging. Another option is to refrigerate or freeze food items if you do not have enough containers. Be vigilant about this for several months until you are certain the infestation is gone.

• Inspect packages from the grocery store; if they appear damaged, buy another product. Damaged packaging is an entryway for larvae.

• Set pheromone traps in the pantry and other nearby areas once you clean the space well. This doesn't eliminate larvae but is an effective way to kill any remaining moths in your home.

References

• University of California; Pantry Pests; M.K. Rust, et al.; September 2002
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Managing Pantry Pests; Barb Ogg, Ph.D.