How to Eradicate Boll Weevils in the Home

Boll weevils can be hard to eliminate once they are in your home.

The last thing you want to see in your flour is a boll weevil chewing up the morning biscuit fixings. Aside from laying eggs and infesting food supplies, weevils can cause an E. coli infection. If you suspect weevils are in your house, ensure all grains, cereals and flours are stored in airtight containers. Boll weevils are prevalent in early spring through midsummer, hatching eggs in three to five days. Each weevil can lay over 200 eggs within a two-week period. That is a lot of weevils. Eradicating Boll Weevils involves cleaning the infested area, killing the insects and monitoring the situation.

Things You'll Need

• Vacuum cleaner
• Disinfectant or bleach
• Plastic bags
• Sponge
• Paper towels
• Plastic bucket
• Water
• White vinegar
• Boric acid
• Neem oil
• Pheromone lures

Instructions

1. Throw out any weevil-infested food. Place the refuse in plastic bags and seal it in a trash container or take it to the landfill. In the future, store flour, sugar, grains and seeds in tightly sealed glass jars or other airtight containers. Check any packaged food for contamination and throw it out if it is.

2. Kill off the weevils by applying boric acid to the area. Boric acid has been used for years to kill all kinds of pests. It is a white, odorless powder that is low in toxicity to humans and pets and is available at most hardware stores. Apply a very fine layer of the powder, just a dusting in and around the infestation site.

3. Clean the area by vacuuming up weevils and their debris. Prepare a mixture of equal parts water and a disinfectant or bleach. Scrub down the infected area to remove any food traces or residues that attract weevils. Spray the area with a household disinfectant or white vinegar to repel the insects. Repeat this step several times during the week to prevent weevils from returning.

4. Seal the environment. Prevent weevils from entering the home by keeping the infested area clean and access proof. Seal cracked baseboards and windows and use door guards to keep them from entering.

5. Apply neem oil in and around the infested area and at all possible entry points, including pantry cracks and crevices. Neem is a botanical insecticide that prevents young insects from feeding and suspends their ability to reproduce. If you miss some eggs in the clean up phase, the neem oil will ensure a limited lifespan.

6. Use pheromone lures to control and monitor the weevils. Pheromones are chemical signals that attract insects. If weevils are present in the house, the scent will pull them to the trap. The lures are a good way to monitor your success at weevil eradication.

References

• Reference.com: Boll Weevil
• Clemson University; "Less Toxic Insecticides"; Karen Russ; August 2005
• University of Missouri; "The Boll Weevil in Missouri: History, Biology, and Management"; Clyde E. Sorenson; April 1995