Content

• Steps

A grain beetle, also known as a rice beetle, often gets into food stored in the kitchen cabinet such as flour, cereal, spices, sugar or candy. There are many types of common grain weevils such as rice weevils, flour weevils, and moths. If you find an infestation of this pest, it is important that you remove the infestation and take precautions to prevent it from returning.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Clean up infested weevils

1. 

   Check all the food containers in the kitchen cupboard for any grain bites. Grain weevils and rice weevils are tiny brown or black bugs. The ghost butterfly is gray in color with brown and brass wings. Also, look for silk webs left behind by ghost butterfly larvae.
   • Pay special attention to bags of flour, rice, and other grains.
   • Keep in mind that these weevils can be difficult to spot right away, so you should stir the cereal or pour it on a baking tray to check it out.
   • Do not assume that food in its unopened packaging is free of beetles. Many grain weevils can slip through very small gaps in search of food.

2. 

   
   
   Throw away all infested food and open bags. If you have found an infestation, it's best to also throw away any open food bags from the kitchen cupboard. Even if you can't see the beetles, chances are they will lay eggs in open food bags.
   • If you really do not want to throw away all the open food bags, you can freeze for 3-4 days bags that you do not see any beetles to destroy the larvae.

3. 

   
   
   Take everything out of the kitchen cabinet and vacuum it. Be sure to vacuum all shelves, corners and slots in the cabinet with the tip of the vacuum cleaner. This will remove the remaining beetles and their cocoons and the spilled grains.

4. 

   Clean shelves with soap and warm water and a clean rag or sponge. This step is to remove any grain debris, dust, and weevils or cocoons that have not been vacuumed. Remember to clean every corner and slot in the cabinet.
   • Wash all food containers with soap and water before leaving them in the refrigerator.

5. 

   
   
   Wipe all shelves with a solution of 1 part vinegar to 1 part water. Vinegar acts as a repellant to prevent the grain beetle from returning. The vinegar will also kill any worms that still lurk in the kitchen cabinet!
   • Do not use pesticides, bleach or ammonia to clean the appliance. These substances work to prevent infestation, but are dangerous if they get into food.

6. 

   Get out the trash right away. Tie up all the garbage bags that you have thrown out the contaminated food and taken out of the house. If you leave these bags in the kitchen, chances are your kitchen cabinet will be re-infested.
   • Kitchen trash also needs to be cleaned with soap and water.
   • Regularly remove trash from the kitchen to reduce the risk of attracting grain weevils.
   • If you do spill contaminated food in the garbage disposal, run it under hot running water for 1 minute.
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Method 2 of 2: Prevent infestation

1. 

   Clean up food and drink spills immediately on kitchen tables, cabinets and floors. Always keep the kitchen and kitchen cabinets as clean as possible. The longer the food and drink are spilled, the more likely it is that a grain beetle will come to find food.
   • Use soap and water or a counter sanitizer spray and a clean rag or sponge to wipe away stains.

2. 

   Choose to buy packaged foods with intact packaging. Check the packaging of the dried produce to make sure they are not exposed before taking them home. Just a hole or a small tear in the package can be penetrated inside.
   • Try to buy flour, rice, and other grains for only 2-4 months. The longer it is left in the kitchen cupboard, the more likely it is that the food will become infested.

3. 

   Store food in sealed glass, plastic, or tin cans. Buy good, well-fitting food containers to store grains and other foods. Remember that a grain beetle can get through very small crevices, so a sealed box is your most trusted ally.
   • Manson jars (Food Glass Containers with Tight Lids) are great for cereals and other food, and they look great in the kitchen too!
   • If there is something in the kitchen cabinet that can be kept in the refrigerator, keep it in the refrigerator to prevent beetles.

4. 

   Place bay leaves in your kitchen cupboard and in a food jar or bag to keep away ghost butterflies. Spread laurel leaves on kitchen cabinets or place a few in food jars. Put a few bay leaves in open bags or a jar of rice, flour and other grains.

5. 

   Clean kitchen cabinets periodically every 3-6 months. Even if you are not infested with a grain beetle, you should remove everything from your kitchen cabinet and throw away any old food that attracts the beetles. Wash shelves with soap and warm water, then wipe with a half vinegar half water solution.
   • If the infection does recur, call a professional pest service provider to fix and prevent the problem.

   

   Scott McCombe

   Pest control specialist Scott McCombe is the CEO of Summit Environmental Solutions (SES), a family company that specializes in solutions for pest control, animal control, and home sound insulation in Northern Virginia. Founded in 1991, SES is A + rated by the Business Improvement Council and has been awarded "Best of the Best 2017", "Top Rated Professional" and "Elite Service Award" by HomeAdvisor.

   

   Scott McCombe
   A pest control specialist

   Pesticides can be helpful in dealing with infested weevils. Set up a food-beetle pheromone trap to disrupt their reproductive cycle. If necessary, use limited, targeted residual insecticides and insect growth regulators (IGR).

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