Which Insect Pests In Georgia Are Most Likely To Feed On Stored Food Kept Within Kitchen Cupboards And Pantries?

Finding out that your home is infested with bugs is always a serious downer, but some insect pests are worse than others. While a cockroach infestation might be commonly regarded as one of the most nightmarish scenarios imaginable, bed bug infestations often cause victims a degree of distress that no other type of insect infestation can match. While there are plenty of negative aspects of a bed bug infestation, it can be particularly frustrating to find that your home is infested with the types of insects that feed on stored food items. Finding one or two bugs skittering around within kitchen cupboards is enough to make many homeowners throw all of their dry food into the trash. Most insect pests of stored food items are either beetle or moth species. The Indianmeal moth is one such insect pest, as these insects often invade homes solely to feed on the food stored within kitchen cupboards and pantries. Unfortunately, this insect is the most common insect pest of stored food items in the state of Georgia.

Indianmeal moths are not too picky about what they eat, but they prefer to feed on grains, like oatmeal and cereal products, as well as birdseed and numerous other types of food. In most Indianmeal moth infestation cases, the insects can be found feeding on food in areas of a home where food is most abundant. However, these insects are well adapted to flying, so they can disperse immediately from a food source in order to relocated to another area of a home. Adult moths can be found in an area of a home that is located far away from their larval food source.

Indianmeal moth larvae look similar to maggots, as they possess a dirty white or pinkish outer color and are just a bit longer than half an inch. Adult moths of this species possess wings that alternate in color from beige to copper. These moths cannot be eradicated easily and infestations require the assistance of a trained professional.

Have you ever found insects infesting your food storage areas?