Ever heard of a saw-toothed grain beetle? Chances are, you haven’t. These tiny pests like to reside in your cupboard, living and breeding inside your food. Spotting these pests is incredibly difficult due to their size, and their eggs are even harder to find. They are so tiny that they look like a grain of rice. You won’t usually spot them until they hatch, and by this, you probably already consumed quite a few of their eggs! If this all sounds horrifying to you, then you’ll want to use this guide for spotting grain beetles in your home and cupboards.
How Do Grain Beetles Get In Cupboards?
Grain beetle infestations start when these beetles make their way inside a product prior to purchase. Once you bring that product home and put it in your cupboard, the beetles will begin breeding and spreading out to other products in your cupboards. Anything that isn’t properly sealed inside sturdy containers can be infested with grain beetles or their eggs and larvae.
Are Grain Beetles In Worcester Dangerous?
Grain beetles are not dangerous to humans directly, but they do have the ability to contaminate your food. The “saw-toothed” in their name comes from tiny bumps on their midsection that look like saws, but these are completely harmless.
These pests will often hide their eggs in your food. When the larvae hatch, they will spin webs similar to cocoon coverings in your food. By the time you find this obvious sign, you likely have already consumed some of these bugs or eggs. While they are not inherently harmful, no one wants to accidentally eat bugs.
The kinds of foods these creatures infest go far beyond simple grains. You might find grain beetles in feeds or pet foods, candies, nuts, flours, dried fruits, and other foods originating from plants.
How To Prevent And/Or Get Rid Of Grain Beetles In Worcester
Once your home becomes infested with grain beetles, you will struggle to get rid of them. On top of this, you can end up wasting a lot of food and losing money replacing it. Use these prevention tips to make sure that a grain beetle infestation doesn’t start in your cupboards.
- When purchasing food from the store, including products in cardboard boxes, inspect it for any signs of grain beetles getting inside. Bite marks, chewed-open holes, and broken seals are strong indicators that the food is contaminated and shouldn’t be purchased.
- Store all cupboard foods in hard plastic containers that can be sealed. If you do accidentally bring home grain beetles, you can keep the infestation localized to a single product instead of letting it spread around to other foods, which will help you fight the infestation easier and will prevent any more food loss than necessary.
- Rotate foods in your cupboard to keep older products towards the front. If food in your cupboard is expired, throw it out. Don’t open new products until you’re ready to use them.
- Regularly clean your cupboards using soap and warm water. Make sure to clean both shelves and walls. Do not use bleach. Food can become contaminated with bleach, which may harm anyone who eats it.
If saw-toothed grain beetles are wreaking havoc in your pantry, call Big Blue Bug Solutions and let us handle these pesky pests. We’ll leave your cabinet beetle free, guaranteed. We can also handle other pantry pests that might be causing you problems. Reach out to Big Blue Bug Solutions to keep your cupboard clean!