You can develop pest infestations all around homes and businesses.

However, some pests thrive in stored food products. Frequently referred to as stored product pests, these insects are often found breeding in grains, cereals, seeds, and other stored food products. Learn all about stored product pests and find out what you can do to prevent them from taking over your home or business.

Types of Stored Product Pests

There are several insects that particularly enjoy living in stored food products. All of the following pests could put your stored food at risk:

Indianmeal Moth

Found on almost every continent, the Indianmeal moth is a common stored food pest. The insect can be identified by its brown and gray wings. Typically, it feeds on grains, dried fruits, vegetables, nuts, and pet food. Females of this species lay their eggs on food, and hatched larvae start eating the food. Although this pest doesn’t do much physical damage, the larvae make feces and webbing that are hazardous for humans to eat. 

Cigarette Beetle

This insect is found across the globe. It has a long and brown body with a serrated antenna. Although it’s named after its affinity for tobacco products, this beetle also enjoys spices, herbs, flour, rice, and much more. You can find their eggs in or near stored food. 

Red Flour Beetle

If your business is in a relatively warm climate, you could encounter a red flour beetle. The insect is brown with a segmented club-like antenna. Generally, the pests feed on grain products. Cornmeal and flour tend to be popular options for this insect. With the ability to lay between 300 and 500 eggs in one lifetime, these beetles often spread quickly. As they eat your food, they contaminate it and leave it with a flour taste and smell. 

Sawtoothed Grain Beetle

Another worldwide pest, this insect has multiple saw-like teeth. They feed on food that has oils, like candy bars, pasta, and baking mixes. Because they have flat bodies, the pest can enter the smallest of cracks. Females of the species lay their eggs in crevices of food. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae contaminate the food. 

Warehouse Beetle

If you have a warehouse, you could come across the aptly-named warehouse beetle. The insect has a brownish-black body with yellow markings on it. They feed on pet food, grain, and dried dairy products as well as dead insects. An adult female has the ability to lay almost 100 eggs across the span of a few days. The larvae have barbed hairs that can be shed into food and may cause intestinal irritation upon consumption.

The Problem with Stored Product Pests

Besides being a source of annoyance, stored product pests are also dangerous. They can be a health hazard in your home or business. Typically, food processing plants, farms, restaurants, and other establishments experience serious problems with these types of pests. 

Once the pests contaminate your food products, the food is no longer safe for human consumption. To prevent your clients from becoming ill, you need to get rid of all affected food protects. This comes at a significant economic loss. 

Resolving the Problem

If you want to prevent these pests from hurting your business, you need to identify the type of insect and exterminate them. By failing to do so, you make the problem worse. The pests will continue to spread and can destroy your stored foods.

There are only a few effective ways to eliminate pests from your stored foods. While some of those methods are costly and leave your business shut down for days, there’s one affordable and hazard-free method – Cryonite. 

Cryonite directs cold air on the pests and kills them on the spot. Because it does not use any chemicals, the pest control tool does little to no damage. It’s one of the most effective ways to say goodbye to stored food pests. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you.

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