How to Get Rid of Grain Moths in a Pantry

Grain moths are a yellow-brown moth commonly found in pantries or cabinets. Unlike clothes moths, grain moths will fly throughout the house as the infestation spreads. The moths will invade any grain source in your pantry, including popcorn, bird seed, barley and rice. The larvae of the grain moth consume the grains, so the more adults you see in your pantry, the older the infestation is.

Things You'll Need

• Vacuum cleaner
• Hose attachment
• Airtight plastic containers with lids
• Bay leaves

Instructions

1. Remove all items from the pantry.

2. Inspect grain containers as you remove them from the pantry. Look for the small, white, grublike larvae inside the containers. They are about 1/2 inch long. As you find grain containers infested with grain moth larvae, throw them in the garbage.

3. Vacuum the entire pantry, including the shelves, with a vacuum hose attachment. Run the hose attachment along the edges of the shelves and along any cracks or crevices in the pantry walls.

4. Place any grain-based, non-edible items, such as decorative maize or bird seed, in the oven. Keep the oven door open. Heat the items to 155 degrees Fahrenehit for 20 minutes. Let them cool completely before placing them back in the pantry. The heat will kill any remaining moth larvae.

5. Store any uninfested grains in airtight plastic containers. Put the lids on the containers and return them to the pantry. Replace your other pantry items.

6. Scatter three to four bay leaves on each shelf to repel future grain moths.

References

• University of Missouri: Insect Pests of Stored Products
• Care 2: How to Repel Grain Moths With Bay Leaves
• University of Kentucky: Stored Product Pests in the Pantry

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish