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Source: realtor.com
Source: realtor.com
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It happens to the best of us: You aspire to bake some cookies, reach for the flour, and then realize it’s moving.
Welcome to weevils, tiny pests that can infiltrate a host of food products like rice, flour, and other grains. And unless you watch out, they may take over your entire pantry!
So, in case you have your own close encounter one day, here’s more info on what weevils are, whether or not they’re dangerous, and how to get rid of weevils and keep them at bay.
Weevils are a group of beetles that are distinguished by their elongated snouts. Although they’re most often found noshing on food products, they sometimes also feed on clothing in your closet or furniture.
While thereâs a crazy number of weevil species in the worldâmore than 95,000!â only three species are pests of household stored foods, according to Scott Lingren, an entomologist and owner of Venus Pest Co. The three youâre likely see in your home: the granary weevil, rice weevil, and maize weevil.
He says these weevil species lay their eggs in corn, wheat, oats, barley, or other grains. A single larva will develop and pupate within a six-week period. New adults that emerge from the grain kernel will mate and seek out more grain kernels to lay eggs in, continuing the cycle. Adults live for about six months.
The good news: Weevils donât bite. The bad news: gross!
Odds are high that a weevil-ridden batch of flour is pretty much ruined, unless you enjoy eating these little critters. And even if your food is in bags or packages, that doesn’t mean it’s safe.
âTheir chewing mouthparts can penetrate plastic and cardboard packaging, which will enable them to spread the infestation,” says Dave Lofquist, technical training manager for Arrow Exterminators. And they can spread fast.
âThe adults can live for many months and are capable of wandering a good distance from the original infested item,â he explains.
In most cases, youâre probably unwittingly bringing the weevils home with you from the grocery store.
âMost infestations found in homes arise from grains that are already infested when purchased from the store,â Lingren says. âIn our experience in pest control, we have found that birdseed or bulk grains are the most common sources of infestation.â
Weevils can be found in all parts of the country because they are found in stored products, and those products are shipped all over the country. And you might not even be able to see them.
âWeevils’ egg, larvae, and pupal stages all occur within the grain, which makes detection difficult,â Lofquist says.
So, what if you (gulp) accidentally eat some weevils? The good news is theyâre not harmful to humans, even if the gross-out factor is significant. And unfortunately, the chances that you have unwittingly ingested them at some point in your life are unappetizingly high. (Just consider it a bit of extra protein.)
Insecticide isn’t recommended for control of weevil infestations in home pantries, but preventing and eliminating them is fairly simple. Here are some tips:
The post How To Get Rid of Weevils: Tips To Purge These Pantry Pests appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.
Source: realtor.com
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