In every kitchen, unexpected guests appear from time to time. When you open a bag of cereals, you may find it to your displeasure that small bugs or white caterpillars have settled in it. This is a food moth. Despite its small size, an insect can cause a lot of trouble to a person. At first glance, it's okay - they threw away the infected product and that’s it. In fact, it is not easy to deal with this pest. It starts even in those kitchens where exemplary order reigns. So it is completely unfair to believe that only poor housewives get moles in cereals. How to get rid of an uninvited guest, we will talk with you today.
The enemy must be known in person
What does food moth look like? This is a nondescript butterfly about one centimeter in size. Her wings may be light gray or brown. If you saw that such a creature is circling the kitchen, then urgently you need to check all your stocks.
An adult insect is not dangerous, because it does not eat anything. However, water is necessary, so you can often find a butterfly right next to the kitchen sink. She lives about two weeks. And all would be fine, but during this time the insect can lay up to 400 eggs in hard-to-reach places, behind the kitchen furniture.
After 10-15 days, many larvae hatch from them, which go to conquer the vastness of your kitchen. There are different types of these pests: granary, cereal, walnut, mill moth. But they are all highly voracious. If you notice a butterfly in the kitchen, then you will definitely find moth in the cereal. How to get rid of this neighborhood, we will consider below.
What does the pest eat
This question worries many housewives, as it is the key to answering which products you need to pay special attention to. Most often, moth is planted in cereals and flour, dry food products. It can be nuts and chocolate, dried fruits, tea and spices. Even animal feed is well suited as a breeding ground for voracious caterpillars. But most often, moth appears in the groats. How to get rid of it, we’ll talk now, but for now, let's decide how this insect gets into the house.
Infection pathways
The best solution to the problem is its prevention. This is an indisputable fact, which is why it is important to know where the moth in the cereal comes from . How to get rid of an insect, this is the second question, it is better not to let it into your home at all. Unfortunately, this is more difficult to do than it seems at first glance. The fact is that many food products are still infected at the factory. This is due to improper handling, violation of storage standards, etc. In the warehouse and in the store, the temperature conditions may not be suitable for the development of larvae, so they are waiting in the wings.
At home, we usually store dry food in closed cabinets. It is dark and warm there - ideal conditions for insects to actively proliferate. The population is increasing dramatically. Larvae gnaw at sachets and infect everything that is within reach. Sometimes moles can fly from neighbors, but this is extremely rare. Therefore, do not think badly about people who live nearby. Now you know where the moth comes from. How to get rid of it, we have yet to find out.
Is it possible to eat contaminated foods
Absolutely not. If you notice that a butterfly is flying around the apartment, it means that somewhere there is her offspring. It must be found and discarded along with the croup in which it was bred. The faster this is done, the greater the chance that the rest of the food will remain intact. Larvae of a moth gnaw at packages and eagerly eat contents. But it's not only that. In parallel, the caterpillars infect them with waste products, feces, dumped skin and dead larvae. Experts recommend not taking risks and throwing away such products without any regret.
Adults are less dangerous, but also bother with their presence. They flicker before your eyes, sit down on food and drown in jars of jam. However, the most important thing is that these annoying creatures lay hundreds of eggs and give birth to new hordes of hungry caterpillars.
Getting to the fight
So, a mole was found in cereals. How to get rid of the pest, now we will understand. This will require a whole range of measures, which together will help restore purity:
- Full inspection and reorganization. If a cereal pest was discovered in the kitchen, you will have to do a lot of cleaning. Open all the lockers, take products from the most hidden shelves. This is a chance to kill three birds with one stone: carry out spring cleaning, check the expiration dates and find the moth in the groats. How to get rid of (photo see in our article) from her as soon as possible? Throw away any spoiled foods in which larvae have been found.
- Doubtful are those packages with cereals that at first glance look uninfected, but were kept leakproof. In this case, it is better to throw them away. They may contain insect eggs that you cannot see with the naked eye.
- Now, since all the same, the products have left their places, you can carry out the sanitation of the kitchen. All the remaining cereals must again be packed in a tightly closed container, and the cabinets and shelves should be washed. After such cleaning, entering the kitchen is a pleasure.
The best hygiene products
And what do you use if there is a mole in the cereal? How to get rid of this uninvited guest with maximum effect and in a short time? Experts recommend washing all surfaces with soap and vinegar solutions. However, not every soap will do. Fragrant toilet set aside. An ideal choice would be alkaline household, which has light insecticidal and disinfecting properties. That is, in addition, it is possible to prevent the appearance of the fungus.
Making a soapy solution is not a big deal. Take three liters of warm water and dissolve the ear in it until the water acquires a tangible soap. With this composition, thoroughly rinse all surfaces, and then perform the treatment with clean water. After complete drying, you can put the products in their place.
Vinegar solution
Each housewife has her own recipes, which she uses if moth appears in cereals. How to get rid (reviews emphasize that this method works flawlessly) from insects if the soap solution has failed in its task? Mistresses agree that this is only the first stage of processing. To be completely sure of the effectiveness, after drying the shelves, wipe them with a cloth moistened with 5% or 9% vinegar. Now you can expect cabinets to be completely disinfected from larvae and eggs.
The experience of our grandmothers
Remember how in childhood they visited the village. My grandmother always in the closet with cereals smelled absolutely amazing and pleasant. The fact is that they knew very well that if a moth was planted in cereals, then the products would have to be thrown away, and being practical people, they did not want to allow such waste. Therefore, they widely used the means that nature gives us.
Lavender and mint, black pepper and garlic are well repelled. Citrus fruits and tobacco do a good job of these duties. Therefore, boldly put in the lockers the skins of oranges and tangerines, cloves of garlic. Flour and cereals do not absorb odors, so your dishes will be impeccable.
Home plants against pests
It’s good to have two flowers in the kitchen. The first of these is chlorophytum. It gives a large amount of oxygen, is unpretentious and quietly tolerates poor lighting, crowding and drafts that are inherent in kitchen facilities. The second is geranium. The smell of this plant is not tolerated by many insects, including food moth. Therefore, for the safety of products in the kitchen, you can be calm.
Chemistry in your home
Talking about what to do if a moth is wound up in cereals, many immediately imagine going to the store and choosing an insecticide. In fact, their use in the kitchen is extremely undesirable, as it can result in poisoning. Therefore, it is better to focus on safe products that remove moles mechanically. These are sticky tapes. They are processed with a special substance that attracts moths. They are usually hung in the corners of food storage lockers.
If you want a quick effect, then buy a spray of Raid. It is very toxic, so use should be extremely careful. Remove flowers and an aquarium from the room, all utensils. Take family members and pets outside. After that, you can process the room and ventilate well.
Storage Tips
It used to be that plastic bags were inaccessible to moth larvae. However, it is not. She completely gnaws at the material and spoils the food. Therefore, canvas bags with good ties are ideal for storage. However, it is even more convenient to pour cereals into plastic or glass containers with tight-fitting lids. If you take advantage of our tips, then most likely you will be able to avoid the appearance of a pest in your kitchen. Now you know what to do if a mole in cereals is wound up.