dangerous pest- barn (mill) moth and its caterpillar.

Big Trouble with Small Wings

Many millennia food pests accompany a person through his life and harm as they can. They are so arranged that they feed on the reserves that a person prepares for himself. And not only eat, but spoil them.

Few of the housewives are not familiar with this burning problem.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, small gray butterflies begin to fly around the house. You open the door of the cabinet with the cereals stored there, and a new portion of greywings flies out of it.

Such a nuisance happens not only to negligent and sloppy, but also to ideal housewives, in whom everything in the kitchen shines and pleases the eye.

Before you understand how to get rid of food moths in the kitchen, you need to figure out how harmful it is and whether it has accomplices.

Pests - you need to know the enemy in person

The fact is that food moth comes to our house with cereals, flour, dried fruits and other products brought from the store.

Pests live and breed in granaries, warehouses and other places where food stocks accumulate.

And not only flying. For example, pests such as barn mites number up to two hundred species worldwide. Yes, and flying moths are not harmful themselves, but their larvae are harmful, such small caterpillars.

It's hard to list all known to man insect pests that encroach on food supplies, here are some of them:

1. caterpillars of the barn moth, damage cereals, bran, crackers, cookies, dried fruits;
2. caterpillars of the barn moth, preferences, as in the caterpillars of the barn moth;
3. a bread grinder, this bug, or rather its larvae, love cookies and pasta, cereals, sculpt lumps of flour;
4. granary weevil, this bug likes to eat grains of wheat, rice, barley, buckwheat and corn from the inside;
5. rice weevil, here the name speaks for itself, it can eat all grains, but prefers rice;
6. Suriname flour-eater - a bug, a lover of flour, cereals, dried fruits.

So, we understand that it is necessary not to catch moths, but to look for methods of dealing with those who do not fly, but sit quietly in our reserves and eat them, pollute and infect.

We start a war with moth larvae and other pests.

Prevention is our main weapon

As you know, it is always better to play it safe than to lose all the products.

To control pests in our kitchen that encroach on family stocks and prevent their occurrence, it is necessary:

1. store all products in special, preferably glass containers with a tight-fitting lid in a dry place;
2. every month to view the containers in which the products are stored;
3. if a small infection is detected, the flour should be sifted through a sieve, and the cereal should be sorted out and dried in an oven with a temperature of 60-70 degrees;
4. in case of severe infection, food is not suitable for food and should be thrown away;
5. wash kitchen cabinets for food storage regularly with a soap and soda solution;
6. in winter time you can periodically take food to the balcony, as a temperature of -2 degrees kills pests.

Advice. How to get rid of moths in the kitchen cabinet? For prevention purposes, sheets of paper with a mixture of equal parts borax, crushed millet and powdered sugar.

But what if the moth is already there, prevention did not help, how to get rid of the kitchen moth, by what means?

Getting rid of food moths is not so easy. But you should not give up in the fight against her.

Advice. Protect your kitchen from the penetration of moths from neighbors, stick a fine mesh on a large ventilation grill, you can use a nylon stocking.

Applying traps

Of course, you can try different chemicals, such as antimoth. But the instruction to them says about their toxicity and incompatibility with products.

You can use special food moth traps. They are harmless to humans, but they cannot completely save us from the problem, since they only act on flying subjects, but do not get rid of the larvae in the products.

The price of such traps is not very high and you can hang them in places where moths accumulate, but you will have to deal with the larvae by other means.

There are a lot of natural substances, the smell of which repels moths.

No wonder our older generation was so fond of growing geraniums in their homes. Geranium bloomed on all window sills, including in the kitchen, and the housewives did not have a question about how to get rid of moths in the kitchen, since it was not there. The smell of geranium repelled pests.

Fresh air is good for everyone except moths

Doesn't like moth Fresh air. It is necessary to regularly ventilate all rooms, especially the kitchen. Arrange cross-ventilation, just do not catch a cold for your household.

And the moth is afraid of fresh newspapers, but it’s bad for her not from the news, but from printing ink. You can cover the shelves on the mezzanines where food is stored with newspapers. But do not forget to change them to fresh ones.

Lay out

The most effective advice is related to the dislike of pests for garlic. And we can say thank you to this wonderful savior.

Put a clove of garlic in each jar of bulk products, arrange the cloves on the shelves. This is very effective remedy.

You can also lay out the skins of mandarin, orange, lemon on shelves and cabinets. Essential oils help to get rid of pests.

Tobacco, dry lavender, Dolmatian or Caucasian chamomile flowers can also be scattered on shelves or placed in corners in open containers,

We wipe

Another tip on how to get rid of kitchen moth folk remedies by wiping surfaces.

It is useful to wash all shelves and cabinets regularly various formulations that repel and kill pests, but are not harmful to humans and pets.

These compounds are easy to make with your own hands, they are not dangerous to humans:

• formulations of geranium or lavender oil and water(for 1 liter of water - 25 drops of flavor);
• compositions of lemon juice and water(per liter of water - the juice of one lemon);

Summary

Food moth is a real disaster. Mankind has been fighting with it for many years, but success in this struggle is variable.

Take preventive preventive measures and she will bypass you. And we have attached a thematic video on this issue, in which you will find a lot of useful information.

Moth butterflies (flour, cocoa, fruit and others). These small brown-beige insects they are happy to settle in food warehouses, in shops and other places where groceries are accumulated.

They are also attracted by the extensive food stocks in the apartments. Adult insects are not dangerous, life cycle butterflies are very short. But caterpillars live longer (up to one and a half weeks) and are distinguished by amazing voracity.

It is they who cause the main harm to products, not only eating them, but also leaving excrement, skin particles and other inclusions harmful to human health.

Caterpillars are whitish, with dark dots on the head.. Insects prefer secluded dark corners, you can find them by sorting through food stocks.

Where to look for pests?

Food moth and its larvae live in places where food is concentrated: pantries, buffets, chests. eat a variety of groceries: cereals, whole and crushed grains, flour, pasta, dried fruits, biscuits, crackers, cereals, sugar, cocoa, tea, bread, various spices.

A clear preference is given to dry products. Insects Easily penetrate any leaky packaging, from cardboard boxes to plastic bags.

You can detect pests by sorting through groceries. Bare white caterpillars, small nests with worms, silky threads of cocoons resembling cobwebs are found in boxes and cans with food.

ADVICE! Having found extraneous inclusions in one of the products, you need to review all the packages that are nearby. Most likely, pests will be found there.

Moth larvae and eggs get into the house along with contaminated products. A weak insect cannot fly into an apartment from the street. A butterfly that has entered the house begins to multiply rapidly.

Wrestling Features

The clothes moth can be destroyed with the help of toxic repellents and other potent means. Food pests are more difficult. It is impossible to process cereals and flour with pesticides, it is also undesirable to use a food moth remedy near kitchen surfaces, utensils and household heating appliances.

That is why universal preparations for room moths, skin beetles and other pests will not work. Then how to deal with kitchen moths?

In shops you need to look for means designed to destroy food pests.

How to get rid of food moths in the kitchen?

The most important thing is to get rid of the larvae that have appeared in time. First, the affected products are sorted out. If too many pests are found in grocery bags, it is best to destroy the affected cereals or flour. The remaining products are poured into clean containers.

Cabinet interiors, shelves and doors are treated with non-toxic products from food moth. These can be aerosols or gels diluted in the proportion indicated on the package. Instead of ready-made repellents you can use an aqueous bite solution. They smear the grooves of drawers, door hinges and other secluded places.

Next to the product packages are placed special traps for food moths that attract insects.

The most common and effective option – Aeroxon traps. They contain non-toxic, pest-killing substances that are safe for food, children and pets.

adult butterflies can be destroyed with fly tape. It is placed inside cabinets and hung next to them. This simple measure will help prevent the emergence of new insects.

Preventive measures

Having destroyed the already existing moth, it is important to do everything so that it does not reappear in the apartment.

Do not buy bulk products in markets and dubious outlets especially if they are selling suspiciously cheap. There is a high risk of acquiring infected and unfit for food cereals, flour or nuts. Prioritize products in sealed packages with normal shelf life.

Don't stockpile strategic food stocks. The more cereals and pasta in the pantry, the more favorable conditions are created for moths. Products are best poured into containers with tight-fitting lids.

Freshly bought bags of cereals or nuts can be placed in the freezer for 6-10 hours. Freezing kills existing insects. After the procedure, the cereal must be sorted out and poured into clean, dry containers.

With this kitchen pest, many housewives are familiar firsthand. It can ruin all food supplies, including groceries. How to get rid of moths in cereals and prevent their reappearance?

first aid

Step 1. Revision. Review all food stocks - jars and packs of groceries and other long-term storage products. You don't have to sort through everything manually. If there is even a hint of moths, discard the entire package. Do not keep what you think is not yet spoiled. You may not see eggs or larvae, but that doesn't mean they won't be there.

One moth butterfly can multiply very quickly and infect all your food stocks with larvae

Step 2. Sanitization. Rinse detergent all the insides of cabinets, sideboards or pencil cases, as well as other surfaces and containers that could get moth larvae or its waste products. For these purposes, a solution of crushed laundry soap(10-15 grams) and boiling water (1 liter). Rinse everything at the end clean water, dry and leave to be ventilated during the day. If possible, make a draft in the kitchen.

Step 3. Heat treatment. Pour the surviving stocks onto a dry baking sheet and bake in the oven at 60 degrees for two hours. The same procedure can be carried out in the microwave.

Step 4. Freeze. For those who do not want to mess with the oven, we advise you to send food to the freezer for 2-3 days. Prolonged exposure to cold will completely kill the larvae and disinfect the cereals.

Advice! To prevent food from spoiling during freezing, pack them in intact bags (preferably made of paper). Another important condition- the cereal must be dry!

Step 5. "Relocation". What to do if food moths start up in stocks? Pour processed cereals into new or well-washed dry containers. They can be metal, plastic or glass. The main thing is that they are closed with airtight lids.

Shop remedies for kitchen moths

In the store you will find several modern preparations for food moths. The most common are aerosols and traps.

Insecticide sprays

They guarantee 100% results, but require extra care. This method is radical, so when using it, be sure to follow the instructions and dosage - they are indicated on the package. Another important condition is the presence individual means protection. These include a mask, gloves, goggles and a long-sleeved robe. Before starting processing, dishes and food are taken out of the kitchen, and the doors of cabinets and bedside tables are opened. Curtains, tablecloths and other textile accessories should be washed at the high temperature, and wash containers for storing cereals in a solution of soda.

The most popular aerosol moth insecticides are:

• Antimol - suitable for spraying fabrics and kitchen furniture, reliably protects the house from any type of moth within 12 months;
• Raptor - very effective drug, which allows you to bring out not only adults, but also larvae. The active effect of this aerosol lasts for a year, provided that the furniture is not washed. Otherwise, the treatment will have to be repeated after each wet cleaning;
• Kombat is a universal remedy that copes with all types of moths. Absolutely safe for people and pets. "Combat" should be sprayed on the joints and walls of furniture, as well as in the corners of the kitchen.

Improper handling of chemical insecticides can result in burns to the mucous membranes and hands, as well as severe food poisoning.

Traps

Another effective method from kitchen moths. Unfortunately, they are not able to rid the kitchen of the entire population, but they can significantly reduce the number of adults. The main advantage of such traps is ease of use.

How does the trap work? Her secret is very simple - inside there is a paper tape impregnated with glue with the addition of adult female moth pheromones. Attracted by this smell, insects immediately stick to the tape.

On a note! You may have noticed that moths almost never start in dried peas, buckwheat, prunes and polished rice.

Tips to help get rid of moths in the kitchen:

Folk remedies for cereal moth

What to do if a mole is wound up in cereals? Use simple and time-tested means to deal with it:

• Garlic. To scare away moth butterflies, place a few slices of this fragrant vegetable in containers with cereals. Do not worry about their taste - garlic will not affect it;
• Spices. Lay bay leaves, cloves, peppers, or oregano around the perimeter of kitchen cabinets or shelves. Also toss a couple of them into food storage containers;
• Walnut. This plant has a specific smell that repels insects. Spreading just a couple of fresh leaves in the corners of cabinets, you will forget about all the troubles associated with moths for a long time;

• Perfumery is a rather unusual, but effective tool. To prevent the larvae from destroying all supplies, spray the insides of cabinets with any cologne or perfume;
• Tobacco. Tobacco leaves, laid out on shelves, have a very strong deterrent effect;
• Natural camphor - break into pieces and scatter around the kitchen. An alternative would be camphor alcohol or essential oil. They are used during cleaning;
• A solution of tea tree oil (2 tablespoons), alcohol (1 tablespoon) and water (1 glass). Mix all the ingredients and use to wash furniture and dishes in which cereals were stored.

Treat kitchen cabinets and containers with cereals with a solution of tea tree oil - the moth does not tolerate this smell

Can you eat contaminated food?

Experts categorically do not recommend using infected cereals for cooking. When you see a butterfly in the kitchen, look for its offspring and destroy it along with the stocks in which it is based. The faster you do this, the more products will survive. Kitchen moth larvae gnaw through packages and eat their contents at an enviable speed, infecting everything around with their waste products, dead individuals and chitinous shells. Once in the human body, such food can cause the development of a serious allergic reaction.

Now you know how to get rid of moths in croup. It remains only to take measures to prevent its reappearance. Our helpful tips will also help you with this.

Tip 1. Be sure to process the purchases brought from the store in the oven or freeze in the freezer.

Tip 2. Do not store cereals in plastic. After processing, pour them into plastic container, cans or glass containers with tight lids.

Tip 3. Keep the room clean - regularly wash the furniture with vinegar or detergent, both outside and inside.

Tip 4. Ventilate the kitchen daily by opening cabinet doors.

Tip 5. Even after getting rid of moths, continue to use the above remedies for prevention.

Tip 6. Check stocks from time to time for lumps, cocoons, glued particles, cobwebs, etc.

Tip 7. Dismantle all the rubble and take out those things and objects that you have not used for a long time. This is an ideal environment for the development of moths and other insects.

Tip 9. Don't buy more food than you can eat in a week.

Tip 10. Do not let the butterflies fly around your apartment - be sure to catch and destroy them. The main harm of adults is the ability to produce new offspring.

In this article, we will look at several ways to get rid of moths in cereals. On the one hand, this problem may not seem so urgent, because, sometimes, it is enough to protect your products by placing them, for example, in hermetically sealed containers, where not only the pest, but also moisture cannot penetrate - another phenomenon that often makes throw away food in bulk.

However, situations can happen in life, for example, a long business trip or ordinary forgetfulness, which led to the appearance of the so-called kitchen moth, which tries to have offspring right in a bag of cereals or flour.

So, what to do if moths start up in the groats: homemade and absolutely safe for human health methods - the topic of our today's article. After all, it is precisely such factors that are extremely important, because, trying to deal with pests in the kitchen cabinet, you can get poisoned yourself.

What to do if a mole is wound up in the croup

Probably many of us have dealt with quite annoying pest, the so-called kitchen, or food moth, which mainly affects cereals, dried fruits and nuts. Since the pest prefers cereals more, its another popular name that can be found is cereal moth.

The larval stage of this insect is especially harmful, and all because of its increased appetite, and the larvae not only feed on food, but also pollute them. So, what to do if a moth is wound up in the croup? We will tell you how housewives with experience deal with this phenomenon.

First of all, regardless of what means will be used, it is necessary to carry out a complete audit of all stocks, to detect and remove all moth-affected products. Our readers often ask - is it possible to eat such products, because cereals are the product that is subject to heat treatment, which means that all toxic substances that may be there will be neutralized.

Actually, in this matter, the choice is a personal matter for everyone. It is not worth saying that the moth in rice poisoned him so much that it should not be eaten. Pest larvae, as they live, do not emit any serious toxic substances, therefore, after cooking porridge from such rice, it will be difficult to get poisoned. The exception is barley-based products.

However, it must be remembered that the pest, as it feeds, enriches the product with its excrement, excessively moisturizes it, thereby creating a favorable atmosphere for the development of bacteria and moldy fungi. But this can already be a big problem, especially with regard to mold. In addition, the organoleptic characteristics will be greatly affected. food product, it is unlikely that someone at the table will like pilaf with a taste of musty rotting remains. Therefore, if you cook something from such cereals, then only dog ​​food. But barley porridge and semi-finished products will have to be parted forever.

After all products with signs of moth infection are removed from the bins and removed away, you need to general cleaning all internal surfaces in cabinets, preferably - slightly acidic aqueous solution bite. If possible, it is better to vacuum everything before wet cleaning.

After carrying out these radical measures, all other measures will be aimed at preventing the further spread of kitchen moths. After all, why do moths start in cereals? It simply flies there from the space of the room, or the product is already purchased initially spoiled, then already flour, rice or millet become a source of moth spread. Moreover, I would like to remind you that the moth itself does not eat cereals, only larvae feed on it, and adults do not even have mouthparts and, therefore, do not eat at all in their entire short life.

To get started preventive control with these insects, you will need a number of products that are always available, and moreover, are present in the kitchen of almost every household, because we promised that all our moth remedies in cereals will be extremely safe. So, the following "ingredients" will be useful to us:

• Regular table 70% acetic acid.
• A couple of cloves of garlic.
• Smelly peppers, bay leaf or cloves.
• Adhesive strips.
• Herb go peppermint oil.
• Peels of any citrus.
• Lavender.

Option 1

Cereal moth is best bred in conditions high humidity and lack of ventilation. Therefore, the first step is to ensure proper and safe conditions storage of their stocks. How to store cereals so that moths do not start? If the product is purchased in a hermetically sealed polyethylene package, it can be stored directly in this form until the container is opened and part of the product is used.

Some manufacturers deliberately leave holes in the packages to provide ventilation, but at the same time, these holes become a tempting gateway for pests to enter. In this case, as well as after opening the package, all cereals, flour and other products from the risk zone should be placed in plastic or glass containers with a tightly screwed lid. In this form, rice is not afraid of any moth, and it can be stored for years.

Option 2

You can put a few cloves of garlic in a container with flour, and place fabric bags with black pepper on the shelves of the cabinet. Other spices that work well are bay leaf, oregano, and cloves.

Of course, the smell of garlic is partially absorbed by flour, therefore, if the menu is mainly confectionery, then this option can be abandoned if the smell of garlic is too persistent. So that the moisture from the garlic does not soak and dump the flour, it is better to soak it in salt beforehand.

Option 3

Chemicals, especially those with a strong persistent odor, should not be used in the kitchen near food.

Thus, it is better to use special adhesive strips that can be pasted over internal surfaces kitchen cabinet. You need to purchase such funds specially made against moths, since their working surface contains substances that attract pests. A specific aroma will attract adults, and they will stay here forever.

Option 4

Clover, sweet clover and peppermint have fairly effective repellent qualities. For this purpose, you can use any above-ground part of the plants, dry it, sew small bags from gauze or cotton fabric and place a little plant material there. The bags can be laid out anywhere in the kitchen cabinet and in any quantity, there are no restrictions here.

In addition, from effective means plant origin, with a repellent effect, is the geranium on the kitchen windowsill.

Option 5

You can arrange the peels of any citrus fruits on the shelves of the cabinet. The smell of orange or lemon will not only scare away moths, but also refresh the aroma of the interior space.

For lovers of extravagant aromas, the smell of lavender may be suitable. You can use any remedy made from this plant - dry leaves, flowers or essential oil. But it is impossible to drive away moths with the help of commercial chemicals that have a lavender smell and are designed to scare away clothes moths in closets with clothes. In addition to the synthetically synthesized aroma, chemicals hazardous to health can be released from the surface of such things.

We really hope that our advice will help housewives get rid of cereal moth in your kitchen. If you have any of your own, proven options - we will be happy if you share them with us and other guests of the site in the comments to this article.

Did you notice moths in the house? Do not think for a minute, but get to work before the butterflies and larvae spoil your clothes and food supplies. How to get rid of moths in the apartment? Read right now!

In cereals, flour and products, larvae often grow into moths. Getting rid of them is not difficult, the main thing is to take preventive measures in time.

• Step 1. Carefully review the contents of the cabinets. If you notice food spoiled by moths, immediately throw them into the trash can.
• Step 2. Dry what could survive in the microwave or oven (temperature - 70-80 degrees, time - up to 20 minutes, open the oven door a little), transfer to clean containers and close with a tight lid.
• Step 3. Wash all cabinets, shelves and dishes with soapy water, and then with vinegar. If there are cracks and crevices, it is better to use a brush. After the soap treatment, leave the cabinets open for a few hours.
• Step 4. Ventilate the room.

Attention! For three days, make sure that the larvae do not reappear.

How to get rid of food moths in the kitchen? Take advantage of our selection of these effective remedies.

Moth herbarium

Wormwood, geranium, lavender, leaves are often used to combat food moths. walnut(fresh), sweet clover or tobacco. Geraniums can simply be placed in a flowerpot, and herbs can be laid out on shelves. Keep in mind, geraniums have a very strong scent that can cause various allergic reactions.

Citrus

Moths simply cannot stand the citrus aroma. Spread lemon, orange, grapefruit or tangerine peels all over the kitchen. You can also apply on a cotton sponge a little essential oil and put it on the shelf.

Bay leaf

How to remove moths with bay leaves? Lay them around the entire perimeter of the cabinet, which contains food, cereals or flour.

Essential oils

To get moths out of the kitchen, soak a piece of cotton wool with any of the essential oils:

• Geranium;
• Tansy;
• Fir;
• Basil;
• Carnation;
• wild rosemary;
• Rosemary;
• Camphor (can be replaced with natural camphor).

Garlic

Young garlic is an excellent remedy for food moths. Clean one head, divide into teeth and throw into jars of grits. Don't worry about the scent, it will fade very quickly.

Perfume and cologne

Moths are repelled by any pungent odors, so after cleaning you can sprinkle perfume and cologne in the cabinets.

Video tips:

How to get moths out of wardrobes?

To remove moth larvae in cabinets with outerwear, take note of this simple algorithm:

1. Go through all the clothes and find the nest - it looks like a ball of cobwebs in which the larvae live.
2. Moth hates fresh air - feel free to send things to the street or balcony so that they are well ventilated.
3. Affected clothing can be put in a bag and sent to the freezer for about 20 minutes. Repeat the procedure at least 4 times. In the cold, moth larvae die very quickly.
4. Do a general cleaning in all cabinets. Vacuum all corners, wipe the shelves with soapy water and diluted table vinegar.
5. Let the wardrobe dry and air out for about 3 hours.
6. Bring clothes from the street, after shaking so that the moth falls out of a fur coat, jacket or coat.

Another effective folk recipe:

Prevention of the appearance of moths

Now you know exactly how to remove moths in an apartment, but wouldn't it be better to prevent this problem? It's very easy to do this:

• Freshly bought cereals need to be calcined in the oven, and then poured into a special container made of glass, metal or plastic. It is better to forget about zip-lock or regular bags forever;
• Remember, in a transparent container it is much easier to keep track of whether there is a moth in cereals or not;
• Keep the kitchen in order - regularly clean, ventilate, throw away leftover food and do not leave garbage;
• Review stocks, especially if you have them for a very long time;
• Dismantle all the rubble, stale things and dowry in the form of feather beds, rolled carpets, pillows, scarves and other things. If this is not done, the moth will return to the kitchen again;
• Do not store dirty and worn clothes;
• Ventilate the apartment almost daily;
• Treat wool and fur products with anti-moth sprays;
• Pack your items in newspaper bags.

Shop remedies for moths

To get rid of moths at home, purchase special traps in the store (Aeroxon or Raptor). As a rule, they are placed in all kitchen cabinets or on wardrobe shelves. Now you have to wait about 60 days. That is how long it takes for a small larva to turn into a large moth and, attracted by the smell, fly right into the trap.