Vox Humana wrote:
>
> "Unlucky" <pipsqueak@netspace.net.au> wrote in message
> news:ds0njb$2l9n$1@otis.netspace.net.au...
> >I have been having trouble with moths in the pantry, I have sprayed and
> >cleaned out the pantry, but they keep coming back in large numbers. I
> >would like to know if anyone has had a similar problem and how to fix this.
> >I don't know if they are breeding in the flour, but it is in a closed
> >tupperware container, and just last night I noticed little grubs and specks
> >of black int the flour. ANY SUGGESTIONS PLEASE I am stumped :( ! Thank you
> >in advance.
>
> Often the insect eggs come packaged with the flour. Once they hatch you
> have a big problem as they are very difficult to get rig of. The larvae
> seem to be able to eat though a lot of packaging. When it happened to me, I
> removed everything from the pantry. I washed every square inch with a good
> detergent and then wiped it all down with a 1:10 bleach solution. I put
> everything that wasn't in a can, bottle, or jar into a large garbage can
> linger and sealed it. I put that in the trash. The larva will turn into
> moths and they will lay eggs in all the boxes of grain products like
> breakfast cereal, flour, cornstarch, oats, etc. If you don't pitch
> everything, then you will just perpetuate the problem. Before putting the
> cans, jars, and bottles back, you should wash them well with detergent and
> then dry them. In the future, you can store your flour in the refrigerator
> or freezer.
>
I've learned to keep beans, rice, and pasta in airtight jars, but I
leave flour out in paper packages. I haven't had any trouble in
years.
I just checked my old flour bin with a sifter in the bottom.
There's flour and weevil trash in the bowl underneath, but I guess
the flour is too old for them. I'll bet that bin was the source of
my moths in the past.
If sealed jars don't have eggs and the food that's added to them
doesn't have eggs and the kitchen continues to have moths, they
could be coming from forgotten food storage like my flour bin, or
from paper or textiles somewhere in the house, or from outside.
Borax is a long-lasting insecticide that seems to stop most insects
and, like table salt, poses little risk to humans.