Signs of Red Flour Beetle Infestation
Flour and other grains infested by Red Flour Beetles may be discernable by a moldy flavor and pungent odor. Adult flour beetles may be on the surface of infested foods, deep inside the food material, or scurrying away when disturbed.
1) Non-Chemical Control
Effective as pesticides are, it is not reasonable to think they will achieve total elimination of Red flour beetles without any effort on your part. Practicing good sanitation and the non-chemical control techniques (eliminating conditions that favor product pests) can both speed the work of chemical control and prevent future infestations from returning.
- Remove dry pantry foods and bulk foods from original containers and store them instead in tight-fitting containers. (Pasta, cereal, flour- anything that comes in a paper or cardboard box)
- Clean pantry shelves regularly, as this will help to remove small bits of food that Red flour beetles need to survive.
- Never purchase a broken or damaged package. The chance of these being infested is greater than for perfectly sealed ones.
- Do not mix old and new lots of foodstuffs. If the old material is infested, the Red flour beetles will quickly invade the new.
- Clean old containers before filling them with fresh food. They may be contaminated and cause a new infestation.
- Keep storage units dry. This is important because moisture favors the development of Red flour beetles; dryness discourages them.
*If you are unsure about an item being infested, test it: Place it in a plastic bag where you will be able to catch anything that emerges. If you find the pantry pest accumulating in the bag, you know the foodstuff is contaminated and needs to be discarded. To insure any item is pest free, store it in these clear bags for at least a month.
2) Traps
Pantry Pest Traps represent the simplest and most effective solution for getting rid of Red flour beetles and other product pests in kitchens, pantries, bathrooms, warehouses, and food processing plants. Pantry Pest Traps are generally constructed of cardboard or paper lined on the inside with pheromone impregnated glue strip. The insect sex pheromones powerfully attract the Red flour beetles, luring them to the trap where they get stuck on the glue strip and are not able to escape.
Benefits
- Easy To Use
- Non-Toxic
- No-Mess, No-Fuss
- Disposable
3) Crack & Crevice Spray
PERMA-DUST is a residual aerosol with a crack and crevice tip that can be sprayed into the cracks and crevices of cabinets and pantries to kill Red flour beetles in the adult stage. Full control requires at least 2-4 treatments spaced about 3 weeks apart, due to the life cycles of the pests.
View our entire line of Pantry Beetle Control products
View our entire line of Pantry Pest Control products