How to Get Rid of Weevils From Your Pantry

Steady prevention methods can keep weevils out of the pantry.

A weevil invasion can turn the most organized pantry into a feeding frenzy. Weevils can and will ruin cereals, flour, noodles, or any other dry food items. They will attack anything in a paper container, and anything that sits for a long amount of time. Killing them is hard without ruining the food. The best thing a person can do is to protect food from the weevils.

Instructions

1. Most infestations come from grain or seed brought into the pantry. Check every product for weevils as well as the webbing of meal moths. Return any infected products to the store.

2. Clear everything out of the pantry and clean the shelves. Place any opened dry items in an airtight container or sealed plastic bag. Throw away anything infested with the weevils.

3. Place a few sticks of any spearmint flavored gum in the pantry next to dry food items. The scent repels most pantry pests. Replace with new sticks of gum once a week to keep the scent strong.

4. Check the dates marked on dry foods. Throw away anything past its expiration date.

5. Lower the temperature in the pantry if possible. Most pantry pests are unable to survive in temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. A sudden drop will kill the adults, but it may take three weeks at this temperature to destroy their eggs. Remove the food items, then clear the area of any insect bodies before restocking the shelves.

References

• Pantry Pest
• University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension: Kitchen and Pantry Pests