Pantry Bugs: What Are They?

If you’ve ever found pesky little insects in your pantry (particularly grains), you may have tried to identify them before. Here’s some tips on identifying pantry bugs to better equip you on how to fight off these insects or keep them away altogether.

The three most common pantry bugs are the confused flour beetle, the red flour beetle, and the grain weevil. Pantry bugs may be found nesting in:

• Corn

• Rice

• Barley

• Corn meal

• Flour

• Pasta

• Cereal

• Oats

• Rye

Confused Flour Beetle is a dark brown almost black color. They are six-legged, have long narrow bodies and can be between 3 mm and 6 mm long.

Red Flour Beetles are brownish-red in color, are 3mm to 6 mm long and also able to fly short distances. Females are known to deposit eggs on dry food products such as flour, cereal, rice, or dry pet food.

Grain Weevils are brown in color, have eight legs, and long narrow bodies. Grain weevils cannot fly, however like the flour beetles, larvae often nest in grain kernels, wheat, oats, barley, rice, or corn.

Good News:

If you are trying to rid your kitchen of pantry bugs, the good thing to know is that they are all similar enough in that they can be treated. You can protect yourself from pantry bugs in the same way, no matter what kind they are.

Easy ways to prevent pantry bugs:

• Buy grain in small quantities

• Freeze grains for one week to kill any eggs

• Store grains in tightly sealed containers

• Put 1-2 bay leaves in your containers

• Insect repellent (you can try homemade or store bought options)

Now good luck and stay safe out there, kids.