Pests in Your
Pasta?!
‘Stored food pests’ are
tiny critters that find their way into the food items we store, from cereals to
pasta and flour. Finding weevils in flour is more common than you think. What
do they look like and what can you do about it?
The last thing you expect to find when you
open your flour jar is for it to be moving. Weevils are more common in flour
and grain than you think, as are flour beetles.
What is a Weevil?
Dark brown in colour, the weevil and the
flour beetle have been around for millennia. In fact, most of our ancestors
probably ate the weevil along with the dishes they made from the
‘weevil-infected’ flour and grain.
Today, we are not so keen. Small, hard to see, it is a tiny insect that has, over
the years, learnt to adapt to modern human ways. With such a delicate mouth,
surviving in a field of wheat would be nigh-on impossible for the weevil and
so, finding its way into processed flour is the perfect solution.
Beetles are similar and, in the UK, the
Confused Flour Beetle – yes, that is its real name! – is also more common than
you think. Slightly reddish in colour, it is bigger than the weevil but no less
annoying.
If weevils or flour beetles are in one pack
of flour in your cupboard, they are likely to be in the other jars and packets
too. Neither are injurious to human health and in most cases, you can
successfully deal with a small, one-off infestation yourself.
The problems start when they keep
returning. If this is the case, you’ll need to give the team at SOS Pest Control
a call.
How Did They Get
into Your Home?
Brace yourself – they were probably already
in the flour! Flour and grains, like most foodstuffs, has a shelf life and that
means as the flour ages, the weevils start to take shape.
And the warmer temperatures in our homes
also help them. The warmer the flour, the more likely weevil activity is. This
doesn’t mean popping your flour in the fridge but our ancestors, with their
cool larders, had the right idea. Most
tiny insects like weevils, won’t budge or develop in temperatures less than 15°c.
Weevils and Flour
Beetles – an Infestation or Not?
Finding moving bits in your flour is
unpleasant, but nothing to overly worry about. Unfortunately, it means throwing
flour and other foodstuffs away which can make it expensive.
Clean jars and storage containers
thoroughly – a hot wash in the dishwasher will do the trick – as will a
thorough clean of all kitchen cupboards with hot, soapy water. Concentrate on
crevices and joints in cupboards too.
When to Call Us
In most cases, a deep clean and a thorough
sorting of the kitchen cupboards should do it. For commercial food businesses,
it may be a good idea for our team to take a look and make sure there isn’t a
bigger pest problem lurking beneath.
For the domestic customer, if it keeps
happening, it may also suggest that there is a colony of bugs that need
identifying and dealing with.
Our top tip – store all foods such as flour
and grain in airtight containers.
