HELP! Found bugs in the cereral. . pantry

[snappy]

Haven't dealt with this before. I am throwing away everything that is not sealed. Next I guess I'll move what remains out and clean really good.

Do I need to spray or something? Are boxes of cereral, sugar, cake mixes that are sealed OK to keep. I don't want to do a repeat performance.

This is yucky.

 

[CEDmom]

We dealt with this a few years ago and it was a real pain. I'm convinced that the bugs were in a package of food I brought home. They were tiny things that I'd never seen before or since. Like you I got rid of everything that was open and from then on anything that got opened went into a ziploc bag. I then wiped down the inside of the cabinets with full strength white vinegar.

I also started putting flour and any cake, brownie or muffin mixes in the freezer for a few days before storing in the cabinet. I read in some magazine to do that to kill any bugs that might be in the stuff. I try not to think about the dead bugs I could be eating . On the bright side I guess it's extra protein .

I haven't had a problem since then. Good luck.

 

[Margie J]

When I first moved to my condo I had moths and their larvae everywhere in the kitchen.

I threw out all contaminated food. Put new items such as flour and rice into plastic snap seal containers. All open boxes of cereals (the inner bags) were placed into ziploc bags.

Then, every cabinet was cleaned with a disinfectant. I also had to seal up an area above my cabinets where the bugs were breeding. I threw some moth crystals up there and sealed the crack with tape.

 

[LisaZoe]

I haven't had to deal with this (knock on wood ) but my sister did. Are they meal moth larva? My sister was advised (by the local Ag college's extension office) to consider storing items in a glass jar or a Tupperware or similar container. Anything else risked infestation through small holes that might not be noticed. Here's what I found on the web:

• Pull everything of the cupboards where you keep grain products. Check every box for holes. Look in every open box. Discard infested packages
• Check all the items listed above, including chili powder, paprika, and red pepper
• Clean cabinets by vacuuming cracks and wash shelves with hot soapy water
• Consider storing grain products in air-tight containers or pressure sealed jars
• Some people freeze these products when they bring them home from the store. That kills any larvae, but my advice is to pitch any infested packages.
• No chemicals are recommended. Sanitation and prevention are the best methods

Here is the link to that: University of Illinois Extension
Here's another one that seemed interesting: North Dakota State University Extension

 

[snappy]

I then wiped down the inside of the cabinets with full strength white vinegar.

Vinegar? I would prefer avoiding using a chemical. But why vinegar over some type of cleaner?

I don't think they are meal larvae, rather tiny little black bugs with little feet.
I think it is really infested. When I removed stuff from the shelves, I see them around (outside the cereral box, rice box).

Thanks for the helpful replies.

 

[LisaZoe]

Vinegar? I would prefer avoiding using a chemical. But why vinegar over some type of cleaner?

I think vinegar can be used as an "eco/human-friendly" insecticide in the garden so it could help in this case also.

 

[snappy]

thanks LisaZoe

 

[Shutterbug]

Throw it out? Why? Its just extra protien!

 

[CEDmom]

I think vinegar can be used as an "eco/human-friendly" insecticide in the garden so it could help in this case also.

You are correct about that. The acidic nature of it kills a lot of things. Also, at the time this happened my DD was a toddler and liked to take things out of the kitchen cabinets she had access to so I didn't want to chance having any chemical residue on things that might go in her mouth.