Pantry Pests

Pantry pests are insects that infest and contaminate stored food products. They are commonly found in kitchens, pantries, cabinets, warehouses, grocery stores, restaurants, and anywhere dry goods are stored.

These pests often feed on items such as flour, cereal, rice, pasta, grains, seeds, spices, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, birdseed, and dry pet food. Some pantry pests are brought into homes inside food packaging that is already infested, while others may enter through gaps around doors, windows, or damaged screens.

Common pantry pests include Indian meal moths, confused flour beetles, grain weevils, and cigarette beetles. While they are not usually dangerous to people, they can ruin food by contaminating it with eggs, larvae, shed skins, droppings, webbing, and other debris.