CONTROL OF STORED PRODUCT PESTS

Sanitation is the key component to the control of Stored Product Pests. You should do the following things to make sure an infestation of these insects does not occur:

  • Immediate cleanup and removal of spilled product.
  • Immediate removal of all contaminated material.
  • Proper grounds maintenance to reduce pest source and attractiveness.
Prevention is another important key element in the control of Stored Product Pests and they include the following:

  • Inspecting all incoming items for Stored Product Pests.
  • Making sure the building is in good sound physical condition to reduce entry.
  • Making sure there is adequate ventilation (many Stored Product Pests require a minimum moisture content in their food to survive).
Proper storage includes the following:

  • Do not store items on the floor.
  • If stored on shelves, that the shelves are wire, instead of wood.
  • If stored on pallets, that the pallets are at least 18 inches from wall.
  • All torn packaging be repaired or replaced.
  • Do not store items for extended periods of time, especially flour-like products or dry dog foods.

Pesticide treatments with unrestricted pesticides are of minimal effectiveness. If the infestation is small, the homeowner should:
  1. Remove any and all contaminated product from the home (seal in plastic bag and dispose of in outside garbage container).
  2. Remove any and all open containers containing grains, processed grains, cereals, etc. (check out what the preferred foods are for the pest invading your home with the Identification Key.
  3. Remove remaining items in the area of infestation.
  4. A vacuum cleaner may be appropriate to remove any insects, either larvae, pupae, or adult, from the areas. This will also work in cleaning potential food sources from the storage areas. Make sure you dispose of the vacuum bags the same way you disposed of the contaminated food products.
  5. With an appropriately labeled pesticide, spray all areas where the insect larvae or pupae might be. See PESTICIDES for more information on pesticides.
  6. If all else fails, you should consider contacting a PEST MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL who has access to products, such as dusts and ULV machines, to better get these insects
If you have any questions, please ask Pestdude!