Pantry Pests in Florida Kitchens

Pantry pests are insects that live in and eat dry stored food. Florida’s warm, humid climate lets them breed year-round. They usually come home in a package from the store, then spread to other foods in the cupboard.

The most common pantry pests

• Indian meal moth: small moths with copper-tipped wings flying in the kitchen at night. Their larvae leave silky webbing in cereal, flour, nuts, dried fruit, pet food and birdseed.
• Cigarette and drugstore beetles: tiny, round, reddish-brown beetles found in spices, flour, dry pet food and dried flowers.
• Rice and granary weevils: small dark beetles with a long snout that develop inside whole grains like rice and popcorn.

How to get rid of pantry pests

1. Find the source: check every dry food item, including spices, pet food, birdseed and decorations made with dried plants.
2. Throw out infested items in a sealed bag, taken outside.
3. Vacuum and wipe shelves, cracks and corners, then let them dry.
4. Store dry food in airtight glass or hard plastic containers.
5. Monitor with pantry-moth pheromone traps to catch any that remain.

Insecticide sprays aren’t used on food, and they won’t fix the problem while the infested food source is still there.

Related pest spotlights: German Cockroach.

Frequently asked questions

Did my house cause this? Usually not. Pantry pests most often arrive in food that was already infested.

Are they harmful if I eat them? They’re not known to spread disease, but infested food should be thrown out.

Why do the moths keep coming back? There’s almost always one more infested package, often pet food, birdseed or something at the back of a shelf.

Sources: UF/IFAS EDIS, Stored product pests. Reviewed by Ricky Williams, Certified Operator in Charge.