Home Remedies for Pantry Moths

Pantry moths (also known as Indian meal moths) can infest many foods, especially grains, that can be found in most household pantries. Although these pests are incredibly difficult to get rid of, there are ways to rid your abode of them if such an infestation has occurred.

Acting Quickly

• As soon as possible after an infestation has been discovered, quick action must be taken to regain control of the pantry. Cornell University's Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County released an article in 2003 containing tips on how to quickly contain an Indian meal moth infestation.

  Examine all food carefully, including birdseed, dog, cat and fish foods. Even sealed packages can be infested, so leave no container unexamined. Throw out whatever has been infested since separating infested portions from clean portions is often impossible.

  Any foods that appear uninfested should be immediately transferred to sealed glass jars since they may still contain very small eggs or larvae and keeping them contained and separated from clean foods is imperative to prevent further spreading.

  Remove absolutely everything from the pantry or food storage area and clean thoroughly. Start with a vacuum, then use soap and water. Clean every surface, edge and corner very well.

  Return good food to the pantry with caution; you may want to check everything one more time before it is returned to its proper place.

Other Methods

• Although insecticides are not generally recommended in such close proximity to food, there are pheromone sticky traps available that may kill adult males, thus stopping the reproductive cycle. Use these only if the above methods do not work, however.

  Also available at some home and garden stores are insecticides containing cyfluthrin. These can be painted in the corners of pantries if absolutely needed, and will usually help to exterminate pantry moths.

Afterward

• Remain vigilant in your fight against pantry moths. Continue to observe the site of the infestation on a regular basis for months. Moths could reappear if just a few eggs or larvae were missed in earlier scans. Start the process again if more insects are found. It may be frustrating to find that the moths have returned, but don't give up. Eliminate all you can find as soon as they're spotted, keep everything clean and sealed tight, and your chances against the winged foe will be increased exponentially.