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Pantry Pests
- Insects that infest a variety of food products -
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Summary: Certain moths and beetles specialize in living off our stored food products like dried meat, grain, flour, cereal, dry fruit, nuts, dry pet food, and spices. When these insects are found in homes they are called pantry pests.
Jack DeAngelis, PhD
OSU Ext. Entomologist (ret.)
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 There are a number of insects that infest stored food. Collectively they are called pantry pests, warehouse pests or stored product pests. Some of these insects, for example grain beetles, only attack whole, unmilled kernels of grain such as corn and wheat, while others infest a wider variety of foods and dried skins.
Pantry pests are quite mobile so you often find individual insects away from the source of the infestation. The first step to control pantry pests, therefore, is to find the actual source of infestation. Once found you can generally eliminate the source with simple sanitation. Insecticides are never needed in homes. In some cases pheromone traps can be used to find the infestation while in other cases you'll need to do careful searches by hand.
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Indian meal moth; note dark coppery band across wings
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A number of small beetles infest dried skins, natural hair-based fabrics, dried meats, dried plant-based material and stored grains -- virtually anything that contains of even a small amount of protein. The larvae of carpet beetles are somewhat "fuzzy" and they often leave these characteristic skins behind in drawers and such. Use the link above for additional information about these beetles.
Several different moths infest stored foods such as nuts, cereals, seeds, dried fruits, dried pet food, crackers, etc. The most common are Indian meal moth and Mediterranean flour moth. The larvae of both moths produce webbing under which they feed. The Mediterranean flour moth is more commonly a pest in mills and warehouses while the Indian meal moth is more common in homes.
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Grain and flour beetles
Grain beetles can be divided into two groups, those that feed internally in whole, intact grains of corn, wheat, rice, legumes, etc., and those that are less particular. Some grain and flour beetles feed on broken kernals and some will develop on flour and even processed grain such as pasta. These insects are more typically pests in warehouses and grain storage silos rather than kitchens and pantries.
For homeowners the most frequently encountered pantry pests are meal moths and carpet beetles. See those individual pages for identification and control details regarding these pests. Both insects can be difficult to control. Remember, the key is to locate the source of infestation and dispose of the infested product. Do not treat infestations with insecticide because of the proximity to food.
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