How Did I Get Indian Meal Moths?

Indian Meal Moth close-up

Indian meal moths are among the most common stored food pest in Michigan. They infest and lay eggs inside dry stored food like cereal and bread. When the moth’s eggs hatch, their larvae eat stored food continuously until they grow large enough to pupate. After pupating, adult moths reproduce and lay eggs, and the cycle begins again.

Unfortunately, anyone who keeps food in their home can attract Indian meal moths. In fact, you might even bring them in with you! Here are the most common ways Indian meal moth infestations happen, and how you can prevent them.

How Did Indian Meal Moths Get In My Home?

Adult Indian meal moths don’t eat, but they seek out dry foodstuff anyway. When they find a good food source, they lay rows of eggs onto or into it. When larvae hatch, they begin eating the food immediately. In the process of eating, larvae burrow into the food. Depending on where they hatched, larvae may also burrow through packaging to get to food. Once burrowed inside, larvae become difficult to see. Therein lies the problem.

Indian meal moths usually infiltrate homes inadvertently, as larvae. You bring them in when you inadvertently buy the food they’re feeding on and bring it inside. Indian meal moths can infest a wide variety of different stored and dried goods. They could feed on cereal, pasta, bread, pet food, nuts, seeds, flour, dried fruit, sugar, or even spices. After the larvae pupate, they grow into the full-grown adults you might encounter in your pantry.

When Can I Get Indian Meal Moths?

Unfortunately, there isn’t really an “off-season” for Indian meal moths. Normally, meal moths can’t grow or reproduce as quickly during cold seasons. When the moths find their way indoors, however, they may reproduce all year. Moth development and pupation speed depends partially on environmental temperature. The warmer the environment, the faster the meal moths’ life cycle completes. Adult moths seek out warm places to lay their eggs, to make sure they hatch as quickly as possible.

Indian meal moths are a particularly common and troubling pest for grocery stores. As Indian meal moths continue to reproduce, they also spread. Adults constantly seek out new food sources where they can lay eggs. In all likelihood, you picked up your moths from your local grocery store. Indian meal moths don’t necessarily inhabit pantry food exclusively. They could also hide in your pet food or bird seed. All it takes is one infested food item to kickstart a full-scale invasion. Food is like an Indian meal moth’s trojan horse.

How Can I Tell If I Have Indian Meal Moths?

How Can I Tell If I Have Indian Meal Moths?

It can be hard to tell if you have a moth infestation at first. Indian meal moth larvae tend to burrow into the food they’re eating, making them invisible from the outside. Usually, people realize they have an infestation one of two ways. Either they see the adult moths themselves… or they find an unpleasant surprise in their food. You want to avoid both of those realizations. To do that, you’ll have to take a close look at the food in your pantry.

As larvae eat, they also spin a fine silk-like substance. This silk-like substance tends to collect their waste, shed skin, and eggshells over time. It may look like a fine spider web or clear thread over the surface of your food. You may also be able to identify small signs of burrowing or chewing on pest-vulnerable food. When larvae are ready to pupate, they leave food and spin silk cocoons on walls and ceilings nearby. Finding these cocoons will tell you there’s an infestation in progress. You could also look for packaging damage.

How Can I Prevent Indian Meal Moths?

The best way to prevent Indian meal moths is to pay close attention to the food you buy. Take care to look at dry goods carefully before you bring them home with you. Remember: larvae can chew through packaging, so even goods in boxes or plastic bags aren’t necessarily safe. If you notice anything that looks like damage on food packaging, don’t buy that food! Make sure all boxes or bags you buy are airtight and sealed.

Double-check your pantry goods one last time as you’re putting them away. If you notice anything suspicious, don’t leave the food in your pantry. Instead, take it outside and throw it out immediately. If you’re worried you already have Indian meal moths, you should take an inventory of your pantries. Take all the food out of your pantry and transfer it into hard plastic containers. Wash out the inside of your pantry thoroughly with soap and hot water. If you find any larvae, throw out the infested food right away.

 

Indian meal moth infestations are easy to get and frustratingly difficult to get rid of. You might feel sure you’ve removed all the food that the moths could possibly infest… only to see a moth flying around a week later. Even worse, the longer your infestation goes on, the more expensive it becomes. Food isn’t cheap!

If you need to make absolutely sure your moths are gone, professional treatment is the way to go. Next time you have an Indian meal moth problem, give Griffin Pest Solutions a call right away. We’ll make sure your moths can’t waste any more of your time, food, or money.

The Pests That Sneak Into Your Kitchen

the pests that sneak into kitchen

Most pests at least have the common courtesy to hide in your basement most of the time. Not kitchen pests, though. Oh no. Kitchen pests are a special kind of upsetting. They come after YOUR FOOD. You could end up biting into your favorite snack only to find something… considerably less appetizing inside.

Yeah. That’s just untenable. The last thing you want to is to be paranoid about the food you eat every day. To avoid that situation, you have to do everything you can to keep pests out of your kitchen. We’re here to help. These are the four most common kitchen pests in Michigan, and how to keep them out of your food.

Indian Meal Moth

There are several species of pantry moths that will wreak havoc on your stored food. The most common and problematic of these pests is the Indian meal moth. Indian meal moths lay eggs in dry, stored food like cereal, bread, and sugar. When these eggs hatch, Indian meal moth larvae feed on your food continuously. In the process they produce waste and excrete a fine, web-like silk. Indian meal moths inflict a surprising amount of damage to your food, and they inflict it surprisingly quickly.

Indian meal moths generally get into your home when you accidentally bring them in on food packaging. Adults are brown or tan and tend to blend in with brown paper bags or packages. Larvae can chew through cardboard and some plastic, and often sneak into boxes. Check your groceries carefully before you bring them inside. Don’t buy food items with damaged packaging. Clean your pantry regularly to prevent crumb build-up and clutter.

fruit flies

Fruit Flies

Fruit flies are attracted to organic foodstuffs that’s ripe, fermenting, or moist in any other way. The food that attracts fruit flies constantly produces a thin film of moisture that coats its surface. Fruit flies lay their tiny eggs inside this thin layer of moisture. A single fruit fly can lay up to 500 eggs, and the flies complete their life cycle very quickly. Unfortunately, that means fruit fly infestations grow rapidly. Virtually any amount of food moisture will foster fruit fly eggs.

To keep fruit flies out of your home, you have to deprive them of nesting environments. Pay close attention to where you’re keeping your food. Never leave fruits or vegetables sitting out in the open for extended periods of time. Store fruit and vegetables in their appropriate fridge cabinets, and keep them in bags. Clean surfaces thoroughly after preparing meals and eating. Fruit flies are also attracted to garbage, so make sure you take your garbage out regularly.

Cockroaches

The most common cockroach in Michigan is the German cockroach. Roaches are attracted to dark, moist areas where they can feed in peace. Generally, you’ll find them under your sink or in and around your garbage. They may also congregate around spills or puddles you didn’t find fast enough, especially in your pantry. Roaches contaminate any food they come into contact with. They’re also capable of spreading potentially dangerous pathogens like E. Coli.

Roaches are attracted to moisture, especially in dark and messy places. As always, garbage duty should be your first consideration. Make sure you store your garbage in a tidy, sealable plastic bag. Thoroughly rinse and dry food containers before you throw them away. You should also clean out the space beneath your sink frequently and check for leaks or puddling. Cockroaches don’t need much moisture, and they’re very attracted to humidity. Keeping your kitchen clean will help keep them away.

rodent in kitchen

Rodents

Yes, every home’s eternal nemesis is also a particularly common kitchen pest. Rats and mice find hidden or secluded routes through your home into your kitchen. They follow utility pipes, squeeze through holes in cabinets, or just run beneath furniture. Once they reach your food, they chew holes through packaging to munch on whatever they can. In the process, they often contaminate a lot of food at once. Rodents can also carry and transmit diseases.

Rodents will pretty much always be able to smell your food, but you can stop them from getting it. Keep your stored food in airtight, hard plastic containers. Clean out your cabinets and pantry frequently to prevent crumbs. Wipe down kitchen counters and dining tables after every meal. As always, take your garbage out frequently, and make sure you don’t leave any behind. Patch up holes leading into your food areas, especially around pipes and other utility lines.

If you find a pest in your kitchen, it’s important to act fast. The longer you wait, the more extensive kitchen infestations tend to become. There’s also the psychological factor: no one deserves to be afraid of their own food!

Next time you notice a pest in your kitchen, give Griffin a call right away. We’ll be able to identify the full extent of your infestation and wipe it out just as quickly. You’ll be able to go back to using your kitchen without preparing meals for any unwanted guests.

The Indian Meal Moth in Michigan

Close-up of an Indian Meal Moth

At first, the Indian meal moth probably doesn’t seem like that scary a pest, all things considered. It doesn’t look big or dangerous, it’s not destroying your home, and it’s not biting you while you sleep! If that’s how you feel, then consider yourself lucky. If you’re not afraid of Indian meal moths, then you’ve probably never encountered one… in your food.

Food-infesting pests are a special kind of scary. You might accidentally eat them. It’s gross. Indian meal moths are one of the most notorious food-infesting pests in Michigan. Every year, they infest thousands of Michigan cupboards and pantries. You don’t yours to be one of those pantries, trust us. Here’s everything you need to know to make sure it won’t be.

What is an Indian Meal Moth?

Indian meal moths are a common stored food pest insect in Michigan. The name “Indian meal moth” references the fact that it frequently feeds on cornmeal (or “Indian meal”). Adult Indian meal moths are around ⅝ to ¾” long, reddish-brown or copper-colored torsos. Their wingspan is about ½” long. The wings are also copper-colored, but they have a distinctive light tan or grey-colored top section. When Indian meal moths aren’t flying, they fold their wings together along their bodies.

Indian meal moths actually spend a good deal of their lives in their larval or caterpillar form. These larvae are a very light, clear white, yellow, pink, or greenish shade, with a brown head. They start very small and grow consistently longer. Mature larvae grow to around ½ to ⅝” inches long. They often crawl along sheer walls and produce a silk which they spin into cocoons. An Indian meal moth’s entire life cycle completes in about six weeks.

What do Indian meal moths want?

What Do Indian Meal Moths Want?

Contrary to popular belief, adult Indian meal moths lack mouthparts and can’t actually eat anything. Instead, they only live long enough to reproduce and lay their hundreds of eggs. Adult meal moths lay their eggs on (or in) any number of food sources. That way when these offspring hatch, they’ll have food to eat right away. Indian meal moth larvae actually do all the eating–and damage–that you’ll want to watch out for.

Indian meal moth larvae feed on all kinds of stored dry pantry foods. They’ll eat cereal, pasta, bread, sugar, flour, cornmeal, pancake mix, oatmeal, nuts and seeds, cornmeal, and more. Larvae eat constantly until they’ve stored enough energy for adult metamorphosis. Often, they’ll eat their way inside the food they’re feeding on. When they’ve feed enough, larvae spin themselves into cocoons made of a fine silk. Pupation and metamorphosis takes around 30 days. When it’s finished, an adult moth emerges and the cycle begins again.

Where Do Indian Meal Moths Come From?

There are two common ways Indian meal moths infiltrate homes. Either they get in through regular access points, or homeowners inadvertently bring them in themselves. Like all moths, Indian meal moths are attracted to light at night. They may fly toward home lights and, in their confusion, accidentally enter homes through cracks in window and door frames. Moths often enter homes by flying through damaged window screens during the summer time.

More frequently (and upsettingly), however, Indian meal moths get inside your home by stowing away in your food. Meal moth larvae can be very difficult to see, particularly when they’re young. They often eat their way inside the food they inhabit, so they’re not visible from the outside. Many meal moths work their way inside food boxes, as well. Homeowners buy this food and bring it inside. From there, the meal moths can spread to other food sources in their pantries.

How can I prevent Indian meal moths?

How Can I Prevent Indian Meal Moths?

The best way to prevent Indian meal moths is to pay close attention to the food in your pantry. Store all your dry goods in airtight, hard plastic containers. Take cereal out of its cardboard boxes and transfer the bag into hard plastic. Keep pasta boxes inside hard plastic containers. Make sure you fasten the lids of these containers tightly whenever you’re not using them. Clean out your pantry itself frequently, as well, to prevent crumb buildup.

If you’re worried you have pantry moths, take all the food out of your pantry. Thoroughly scrub down the shelves and walls of the pantry. Look for cocoons, silk, or other signs of moths. Then, examine the food itself for silk or signs of damage. Pull apart bread or other foods larvae or eggs could hide in. Throw out all the food that Indian meal moths could have infested. Both at home and when you’re shopping, watch out for food with broken packaging.

‌

If you’re worried you might have an Indian meal moth infestation, don’t panic! Just clear your pantry and give Griffin a call right away. No matter how big or entrenched your infestation may be, we will root it out and eliminate it permanently. Call us, and we’ll make sure you can get back to enjoying your food bug-free.

The Most (Potentially) Destructive Pest Infestations

The most (potentially) destructive pest infestations

If there’s one thing worse than finding out you have pest infestations, it’s what happens next. As you begin to investigate how long you’ve had the infestation and how extensive it might be, you start to worry. “How long have these pests been living in my home?” “What have they been doing since they got inside?” “What have they been doing since then?”

The scariest thing about pest infestations is how they can do some serious damage before you even find them. Pests like the four listed here could cause hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of damage to your home or property. We’re not writing this just to scare you, however. We say “could” because if you find these infestations fast enough, you could prevent all this potential damage. Here are four pests you want to deal with as soon as you find them.

 

Termites

Termites can inflict major damage on wooden structures.You knew termites were going to occupy the #1 spot on this list. No other pest does nearly $5 billion dollars worth of property damage every year! Termites have the shocking damage potential they do because they (infamously) infest and eat wood. Termite colonies eat by breaking down the cellulose in wood and carrying it back to their colonies. As their colonies expand, they venture further into the wooden structures they inhabit, carving deeper tunnels. Eventually, these tunnels seriously compromise the structural integrity of the infested wood.

When load-bearing wood becomes compromised, it could fail to, well, bear its load. Termite-infested wood may crack, splinter, or even give way entirely. It’s not unheard of for entire buildings to collapse following a particularly bad termite infestation! As generations of termites grow, they’ll even create “satellite” colonies in new wood sources, spreading the damage they inflict. The longer termite infestations go unaddressed, the worse the damage they inflict could be.

Pantry moths

Pantry moths eat grain products right out of your pantry, which can get expensive surprisingly quickly!Pantry-infesting pests like the common Indian meal moth do a very different kind of damage compared to termites. Where termites could destroy an entire home, moths can’t do any property damage at all. Instead, they go after something even more basic: your food. It might seem silly to call humble, food-infesting pests like moths “destructive”. After all, you can always get more food. But that’s just it. Consider how much you spend on groceries!

If all that food was ruined before you had the chance to eat it, it would be like flushing money down the drain. And pests will ruin that food. If you found caterpillars writhing around in your cereal, you’d lose your appetite–and the cereal box–pretty fast. The damage inflicted by pantry pests adds up in a hurry, especially if you don’t address the root of the problem. Then there’s the psychological toll to consider. Imagine looking forward to some tasty cereal, only to find that some pest beat you to the punch. Not a pretty picture, is it?

Powderpost beetles

Powderpost beetles hollow out wooden furniture, and inflict serious damage on it over timePowderpost beetles tend to be far less well-known than other wood-destroyers, which accounts for some of their destructive potential. Beetle damage can be difficult enough to identify. Some homeowners may not realize they even have a problem until significant damage is done. Powderpost beetles are wood-boring insects that reproduce and lay eggs in the cracks of furniture and other wood sources. When the eggs hatch, larvae begin eating the wood they hatched on immediately.

The tunnels larvae carve through their food sources in the process of eating damages the wood’s structural integrity. Powderpost beetles can eat, mate, and reproduce on a single wood source for several generations, inflicting continuous damage. Identify powderpost damage by looking for small exit holes left behind when larvae emerge from the wood to molt. They also tend to infest moist and/or unfinished wood. Furniture is expensive and difficult to replace, so powderpost beetles can be a particularly infuriating infestation to contend with.

Rodents

Rodents can start fires if they chew through electrical chords.Yes, unfortunately, the extremely common mice and rat infestations also have the potential to be seriously expensive. Our furry foes can do just about any kind of damage you can imagine. They’ll go to ridiculous lengths to access your food. They’ll nibble and push their way through structures to get inside. They’ll make nests out of paper, insulation, and other materials. And worst of all, they never. Stop. Chewing.

Did you know that rodent teeth never stop growing? To keep their teeth sharp, mice and rats have to teethe continuously by gnawing on… anything and everything. Unfortunately, that can include things that are very bad to gnaw on, like electrical wiring. Rodents start a surprising number of serious home fires every year after biting through wires. It’s a frustrating absurd way to have your home burn down, but that doesn’t make it any less tragic. Don’t underestimate the destructive potential of a rodent infestation–and don’t let it go unchecked.

 

Remember:we call these infestations “potentially” destructive because they don’t have to be. No matter how severe the infestation, taking care of it quickly spares your home (and pocketbook!) from the worst of the damage.

Next time you need some help making sure a “potentially” destructive infestation stays that way, give Griffin a call. We’re always happy to help protect your home and well-being. Especially if it means we can send some termites packing.