I get these small insects - very tiny, inside grains or powder type of
food stored in the kitchen cupboards. I keep throwing stuff away. How
can I prevent these insects ?

malam wrote:
I get these small insects - very tiny, inside grains or powder type
of food stored in the kitchen cupboards. I keep throwing stuff
away. How can I prevent these insects ?

Put the food packages in the oven for a while when you first buy them.
That should keep the eggs from hatching.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On Nov 11, 3:53 pm, "dadiOH" wrote:
malam wrote:
I get these small insects - very tiny, inside grains or powder type
of food stored in the kitchen cupboards. I keep throwing stuff
away. How can I prevent these insects ?

Put the food packages in the oven for a while when you first buy them.
That should keep the eggs from hatching.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it athttp://mysite.verizon.net/xico

Take all of the food out of the cupboards and cover with newspaper,
spray the cupboards with raid also spray in air when you are going
out .

I am willing to throw all the food stuffs away, but is there a way to
prevent these insects ? What are they ?

On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 13:56:27 -0800, jim wrote:

On Nov 11, 3:53 pm, "dadiOH" wrote:
malam wrote:
I get these small insects - very tiny, inside grains or powder type
of food stored in the kitchen cupboards. I keep throwing stuff
away. How can I prevent these insects ?

Put the food packages in the oven for a while when you first buy them.
That should keep the eggs from hatching.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it athttp://mysite.verizon.net/xico

Take all of the food out of the cupboards and cover with newspaper,
spray the cupboards with raid also spray in air when you are going
out .

Bee there, done that. Usually bugs comes from buying some unprocessed
grain; usually something like bird seed, or food or spices from a
foreign foods market. From my experience with food moths in my
cupboards, first throw away anything that looks suspicious. Any old
rice, grains, cereal. Inspect for webs or larvae. Even if its in
plastic they can eat through it. Glass jars with rubber seals are the
only insect-proof way to store food.

If they don't go away, then things get drastic. They are in the walls
and you need to starve them out, or have a terminix guy spray poison.
I didn't like the idea of poison near my cupboards so I took a safer,
but more difficult route. I threw out everything in the cupboard and
made do for about 30 days, storing the new stuff I bought in another
room. After a month the insects in the walls were dead and I restored
the food to the cupboard, problem gone.

malam wrote:
I am willing to throw all the food stuffs away, but is there a way to
prevent these insects ? What are they ?


Probably weevils.

The grain preparation process cannot separate weevil eggs from the good
stuff.

Eventually the eggs hatch.

You have, seemingly, two choices:

1. Use the grain product within a reasonable time.
2. Enjoy another source of protein.

"malam" wrote in message
...

I am willing to throw all the food stuffs away, but is there a way to
prevent these insects ? What are they ?

Just take samples to the public health office or the
entomology department of your nearest college.
The range of beetle species is immense, but the
most common household types are well-known.
--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 16:47:16 -0600, "HeyBub" wrote:

malam wrote:
I am willing to throw all the food stuffs away, but is there a way to
prevent these insects ? What are they ?


Probably weevils.

The grain preparation process cannot separate weevil eggs from the good
stuff.

Eventually the eggs hatch.

You have, seemingly, two choices:

1. Use the grain product within a reasonable time.
2. Enjoy another source of protein.


Thanks. I had a couple of boxes of cereal that had the insects in
them too. I will throw out all the opened bags and boxes. I find
that the bags that are in the freezer are fine.

On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 14:08:53 -0800, HamNCheese
wrote:

Bee there, done that. Usually bugs comes from buying some unprocessed
grain; usually something like bird seed, or food or spices from a
foreign foods market. From my experience with food moths in my
cupboards, first throw away anything that looks suspicious. Any old
rice, grains, cereal. Inspect for webs or larvae. Even if its in
plastic they can eat through it. Glass jars with rubber seals are the
only insect-proof way to store food.

If they don't go away, then things get drastic. They are in the walls
and you need to starve them out, or have a terminix guy spray poison.
I didn't like the idea of poison near my cupboards so I took a safer,
but more difficult route. I threw out everything in the cupboard and
made do for about 30 days, storing the new stuff I bought in another
room. After a month the insects in the walls were dead and I restored
the food to the cupboard, problem gone.

Thanks. I will throw out the old bags and boxes of cereal and grains.
I can't seem to eat the cereals fast enough. I'll switch the
position with other non-food items for a while. I found by trial and
error that the grain and powder bags that I kept in the freezer were
ok. Can these devils attack baking flour ?

On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 19:09:15 -0800, "Cshenk"
wrote:


"malam" wrote


I get these small insects - very tiny, inside grains or powder type of
food stored in the kitchen cupboards. I keep throwing stuff away. How
can I prevent these insects ?

Once you clear out all infected products, start freezing all dry items for 3
days before relocating to the cabinets. Keep larger jars with tight lids
once you clean them out, and when you get new dry goods, after freezing for
a bit, relocate them in those.


Will freezing for a couple of days kill the eggs ?

On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 19:19:01 -0800, "Cshenk"
wrote:


"malam" wrote

Once you clear out all infected products, start freezing all dry items for
3
days before relocating to the cabinets. Keep larger jars with tight lids
once you clean them out, and when you get new dry goods, after freezing
for
a bit, relocate them in those.


Will freezing for a couple of days kill the eggs ?

Yes. 3-5 days is all it takes. I get new flour and freeze it as well as
all rice and my cantonese noodles. Those 3 are the most common problem
items in my home.

Thanks.

On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 15:51:19 -0500, malam wrote:

I get these small insects - very tiny, inside grains or powder type of
food stored in the kitchen cupboards. I keep throwing stuff away. How
can I prevent these insects ?


Take critter to your local county extension agent for an accurate ID.
Chances are these insects are grain-related. There are traps.

Best way to keep things under control is to keep suspect food items in
sealable storage containers. Poisons are not a good idea around food for
human or pet consumption.

On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 15:51:19 -0500, malam
wrote:

I get these small insects - very tiny, inside grains or powder type of
food stored in the kitchen cupboards. I keep throwing stuff away. How
can I prevent these insects ?


You have "food bugs," possibly weevils. Throw out everything and keep
newly-purchased grains in glass jars or refrigerated. Weevils can get
through cardboard boxes and some plastics. Bay leaves help repel
insects and my mother kept a bay leaf in her flour all the time.

They are most likely these.

http://www.bugclinic.com/IndianMealMoth.htm

We get them allot. We throw out everything they get into and then get a no
pest strip. The strip seams to kill the adults as they hatch which stops
the cycle.

There are also pheromone glue traps that go into the cabinets to grab the
adults as they hatch.


"malam" wrote in message
news
I get these small insects - very tiny, inside grains or powder type of
food stored in the kitchen cupboards. I keep throwing stuff away. How
can I prevent these insects ?

Cshenk wrote:
"malam" wrote

Thanks. I will throw out the old bags and boxes of cereal and grains.
I can't seem to eat the cereals fast enough. I'll switch the
position with other non-food items for a while. I found by trial and
error that the grain and powder bags that I kept in the freezer were
ok. Can these devils attack baking flour ?

Fllour is the most common entry point for them.



Indeed. Try this trick - put a bay leaf (the dried kind from the spice
isle) in with your flour or other vulnerable food - the bugs can't stand it
and won't move in. I've done it and it worked in an old apartment I had
that had thousands of the things at one point.

You can also spread a few around on the shelves in your pantry.

http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA...1/08090089.htm

- Rodger

It will help to put any dry food like flour, pancake mix, etc. in the
freezer for at least 2 days. At least they are prevented from hatching out.
Then keep it in glass or large plastic bottles, tupperware, etc.
Jackie
Cshenk wrote in message
...

"franz frippl" wrote

can I prevent these insects ?

Take critter to your local county extension agent for an accurate ID.
Chances are these insects are grain-related. There are traps.

I dont think he cares what they are, just how to get rid of'em.

Rodger wrote in message ...

Indeed. Try this trick - put a bay leaf (the dried kind from the
spice
isle) in with your flour or other vulnerable food - the bugs can't
stand it
and won't move in. I've done it and it worked in an old apartment I
had
that had thousands of the things at one point.

You can also spread a few around on the shelves in your pantry.

And unwrapped sticks of spearmint gum works pretty good on some of
them too. Packaged walnuts are notorious for attracting those little
moths too, so get them out of there if you have them in the cupboards.

Cheri

On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 15:51:19 -0500, malam
wrote:

I get these small insects - very tiny, inside grains or powder type of
food stored in the kitchen cupboards. I keep throwing stuff away. How
can I prevent these insects ?

http://dearreader.typepad.com/dear/2..._get_rid_.html

On Sun, 11 Nov 2007 19:35:28 -0800, "Cshenk"
wrote:


"malam" wrote

Will freezing for a couple of days kill the eggs ?

Yes. 3-5 days is all it takes. I get new flour and freeze it as well as
all rice and my cantonese noodles. Those 3 are the most common problem
items in my home.

Thanks.

Most welcome. By the way, I do not know where you are writing from or where
you shop, but some areas are just more prone to this. It doesnt mean the
shop were you buy products is a bad one unless you ave consistant problems
with products just from that one place. Anyone can get a 'less than
perfect' load and not know it. Some areas are more prone to the problem as
well. Lots of shoppers get confused and bad mouth a particular shop over a
one time occurance.

Rule of thumb is hotter the climate, more prone to this problem.

I have an extra chest freezer so lots of space. I just freeze it all and
never have a problem anymore.

I shop from the big stores as well as the small local specialty ones.
I think the problem could be from the imported stuff from the tropics.
Now that I understand the issue better, I 'll be able to deal with it
better. I plan on creating a room in my freezer - more like a
'quarantine' area.

"malam" wrote


I get these small insects - very tiny, inside grains or powder type of
food stored in the kitchen cupboards. I keep throwing stuff away. How
can I prevent these insects ?

Once you clear out all infected products, start freezing all dry items for 3
days before relocating to the cabinets. Keep larger jars with tight lids
once you clean them out, and when you get new dry goods, after freezing for
a bit, relocate them in those.

"malam" wrote

Thanks. I will throw out the old bags and boxes of cereal and grains.
I can't seem to eat the cereals fast enough. I'll switch the
position with other non-food items for a while. I found by trial and
error that the grain and powder bags that I kept in the freezer were
ok. Can these devils attack baking flour ?

Fllour is the most common entry point for them.

"malam" wrote

Once you clear out all infected products, start freezing all dry items for
3
days before relocating to the cabinets. Keep larger jars with tight lids
once you clean them out, and when you get new dry goods, after freezing
for
a bit, relocate them in those.


Will freezing for a couple of days kill the eggs ?

Yes. 3-5 days is all it takes. I get new flour and freeze it as well as
all rice and my cantonese noodles. Those 3 are the most common problem
items in my home.

"malam" wrote

Will freezing for a couple of days kill the eggs ?

Yes. 3-5 days is all it takes. I get new flour and freeze it as well as
all rice and my cantonese noodles. Those 3 are the most common problem
items in my home.

Thanks.

Most welcome. By the way, I do not know where you are writing from or where
you shop, but some areas are just more prone to this. It doesnt mean the
shop were you buy products is a bad one unless you ave consistant problems
with products just from that one place. Anyone can get a 'less than
perfect' load and not know it. Some areas are more prone to the problem as
well. Lots of shoppers get confused and bad mouth a particular shop over a
one time occurance.

Rule of thumb is hotter the climate, more prone to this problem.

I have an extra chest freezer so lots of space. I just freeze it all and
never have a problem anymore.

"franz frippl" wrote

can I prevent these insects ?

Take critter to your local county extension agent for an accurate ID.
Chances are these insects are grain-related. There are traps.

I dont think he cares what they are, just how to get rid of'em.

malam wrote:

I get these small insects - very tiny, inside grains or powder type of
food stored in the kitchen cupboards. I keep throwing stuff away. How
can I prevent these insects ?


Don't store grain, seed or nuts for too long - they can always have bugs
and it's best to eat before they hatch )

jim wrote:

On Nov 11, 3:53 pm, "dadiOH" wrote:


malam wrote:


I get these small insects - very tiny, inside grains or powder type
of food stored in the kitchen cupboards. I keep throwing stuff
away. How can I prevent these insects ?


Put the food packages in the oven for a while when you first buy them.
That should keep the eggs from hatching.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it athttp://mysite.verizon.net/xico



Take all of the food out of the cupboards and cover with newspaper,
spray the cupboards with raid also spray in air when you are going
out .



Roaches love newspaper for nesting.

HamNCheese wrote:

Bee there, done that. Usually bugs comes from buying some unprocessed
grain; usually something like bird seed, or food or spices from a
foreign foods market. From my experience with food moths in my
cupboards, first throw away anything that looks suspicious. Any old
rice, grains, cereal. Inspect for webs or larvae. Even if its in
plastic they can eat through it. Glass jars with rubber seals are the
only insect-proof way to store food.

If they don't go away, then things get drastic. They are in the walls
and you need to starve them out, or have a terminix guy spray poison.
I didn't like the idea of poison near my cupboards so I took a safer,
but more difficult route. I threw out everything in the cupboard and
made do for about 30 days, storing the new stuff I bought in another
room. After a month the insects in the walls were dead and I restored
the food to the cupboard, problem gone.


Crazy! The only grains I keep for long are rice and flour, which I keep
in sealed jars/cannisters. Pasta should be fresh, not stored long.
Cellophane bags are much better than boxes for isolating any critters.
Rice and pasta can also be cooked and frozen - works great. Just heat
up in microwave.

"malam" wrote

well. Lots of shoppers get confused and bad mouth a particular shop over
a
one time occurance.

Rule of thumb is hotter the climate, more prone to this problem.

I have an extra chest freezer so lots of space. I just freeze it all and
never have a problem anymore.

I shop from the big stores as well as the small local specialty ones.
I think the problem could be from the imported stuff from the tropics.

More likely. Doesnt mean they are 'bad places' though, just comming from an
area prone to problems.

If you get a bad bag and can tell which one it is, the shop keeper will
doubtless appreciate knowing and will replace it as long as it was bought
within a week or so.

Now that I understand the issue better, I 'll be able to deal with it
better. I plan on creating a room in my freezer - more like a
'quarantine' area.

That works! I have one basket for this in my chest freezer. Rce, flour,
pastas, grains, even boxes of cereal for the kid. Grits, oatmeal. All
those things freeze just fine with no loss in quality.

In article , "Cheri" gserviceatinreachdotcom wrote:

And unwrapped sticks of spearmint gum works pretty good on some of
them too. Packaged walnuts are notorious for attracting those little
moths too, so get them out of there if you have them in the cupboards.

Keep in mind that mice like gum -- at least around here.

No need to upwrap them either -- a mouse had no problem
getting into a cupboard under the stairs and into a
backpack where it found a pack of chewing gum. Mouse
and gum disappeared leaving the shredded gum wrapping
behind!

--
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| Gary Player. |
| http://www.malch.com/ Shpx gur PQN. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~