I was first alerted to the presence of pantry moths one night while I was preparing a cup of tea. There were two tiny moths flying back and forth next to the kitchen light. At that point I figured that I would simply close the window and get rid of them. However, a few nights later, I purchased a large bag of rice from the pantry and found small thin webs tucked into the crevice at the bottom of the bag. This was the moment I knew I had a serious pantry moth situation on my hands.
To me, what was surprising was that my kitchen was extremely clean. I did not have crumbs all over the place, nor did I have any rotten or spoiled food in any of my cabinets. Pantry moths are incredibly common and can enter food packages from stores without being detected. The good news is that they are manageable if you detect the problem quickly enough and maintain a consistent level of cleanliness.
Pantry Moths
Pantry moths (also known as Indian Meal Moths) are very small household pests that live in your dry foods in your kitchen cabinets and pantries. Typically, these moths attack dry food such as flour, cereal, rice, pasta, nuts, seeds, and pet food.
Adult moths are somewhat annoying, but the true problem is the larvae. Larvae leave behind webs, tiny cocoons, and contaminated food. In my opinion, this is something that most people do not realize until they find themselves in a bad situation. For example, it is possible for a single unopened package to contain a great deal of larvae because the eggs were already inside when you purchased the package.
While pantry moths cannot bite humans, they can contaminate food with larvae or webbing; therefore, it is recommended to discard contaminated food.
Common Signs You Have Pantry Moths
A pantry moth infestation can begin quietly. Here are some common signs that people typically recognize:
- Small moths flying near your kitchen light(s), or in your cabinets.
- Thin webbing within food packages.
- Clumping in flour, grains, or cereal.
- Tiny white larvae crawling within containers.
- Small cocoons in shelf corners or cabinet hinge areas.
- Movement or strange activity within dried food bags.
In my personal experience, I learned the hard way not to dismiss seeing only one moth. Generally speaking, if you see one or two adult moths flying around, there are probably many more present that are hidden somewhere.
Removing All Items From Your Pantry
To completely remove pantry moths from your home, you need to take all items out of your pantry. I mean ALL OF THEM. Boxes, spices, baking supplies, snack foods, pet food – EVERYTHING.
Also check the expiration date on all of your items; however, do not solely depend upon those. Pantry moths do not discriminate based upon how new or old the food is. Also inspect unsealed packages and bags as well since eggs and larvae can exist inside sealed products.
Do yourself a favor and make sure you check all shelves and all corners. Failing to remove an item that has been infested could allow the problem to reappear in several weeks.
Discard Any Food That Has Been Contaminated By Pantry Moths
You need to throw away any food that contains webbing, larvae, eggs, or clumps. Discard those items immediately and seal the items in a garbage bag prior to discarding them in order to prevent eggs from being carried throughout the house via insects crawling out of the discarded items.
Eggs from pantry moths are extremely small and impossible to see, which is why getting rid of contaminated foods can be frustrating. During my infestation I discovered contamination in items I never thought I’d find infested, including a bag of almonds that appeared perfect from the outside.
If you’re unsure about any food item, it’s usually safest to err on the side of caution and discard it.
Clean & Vacuum Everything
After removing everything from your pantry, thoroughly vacuum each shelf. Be particularly diligent about cleaning areas with high concentrations of dust such as corners, cracks, shelf edges, hinges, and any small holes where crumbs tend to accumulate.
Following thorough vacuuming, wash all surfaces with warm soapy water or a mixture of vinegar and water. Do not forget to include container lids and the undersides of shelves.
For additional protection against future larval migration to baseboards surrounding your pantry area, consider vacuuming those areas as well.
Immediately after finishing vacuuming, discard the contents of your vacuum cleaner bag or canister outdoors.
Store Dry Goods In Airtight Containers
Long-term success with eliminating pantry moths came easiest to me by using thick plastic, glass, or metal containers for all dry goods. While thin cardboard boxes and soft plastic packaging are easily accessible to pantry moths, airtight containers significantly limit access.
Dry goods such as flour, rice, oats, cereals, sugar, nuts, and pet food store substantially longer in airtight containers than they do in thin cardboard or soft plastic packaging. Additionally, using airtight containers makes identifying potential problems with future infestations much easier.
Consider Using Pantry Moth Traps
Pheromone traps can reduce adult moth populations and serve as an indicator that you have an active infestation. Pheromone traps work by attracting males; by doing so, they interrupt breeding cycles.
Traps can be beneficial; however, they alone cannot eliminate an existing infestation. If you have contaminated food remaining in your pantry area, then regardless of how many traps you set, the moths will continue to return.
Personally, I view traps more as a detection tool rather than a treatment method.
Ways To Prevent Pantry Moths From Returning
After experiencing a pantry moth infestation myself, I’ve become far more vigilant about how I store food. Currently, I freeze dry goods like flour and grains for three days following purchase. Freezing these dry goods effectively kills any eggs present.
Additionally, I now attempt to regularly rotate foods in my pantry area to minimize opportunities for food to sit undisturbed for extended periods of time. As well, I clean my pantry shelves every few weeks and ensure that pet food is always stored in sealed containers.
Finally, I now visually inspect all packaged food before placing it in my pantry. Prior to my pantry moth experience, I never gave this much consideration.
Prevention is generally considered to be far more important than anything else related to getting rid of pantry moths.
Call Pest Control When Necessary
If, despite your efforts to eradicate pantry moths, an infestation continues to persist after multiple cleanings, or if the moths begin to migrate from your pantry area into other rooms of your home, it may be necessary to contact a pest control service. In some cases, moths may be trapped in your walls or other inaccessible locations.
