Nothing derails your dinner plans like opening a bag of rice or flour and discovering insects inside. Across Louisiana and throughout Louisiana’s humid climate, pantry pests can become a problem quickly—often long before you notice the first sign of trouble.
Pantry pests such as pantry moths, weevils, and pantry beetles target stored foods and thrive in warm, moisture-rich environments. They can sneak into your home through packaged goods, grocery bags, or tiny openings around your kitchen. Once they find a food source, they spread fast and contaminate multiple items.
Knowing how to prevent pantry pests is one of the most effective ways to protect your kitchen. At Ja-Roy, our technicians help homeowners across Louisiana practice strong pantry pest prevention habits that keep dry goods safe all year long.
Common Pantry Pests in Louisiana
Learning which pantry pests tend to show up in Louisiana can help you spot issues early. These blank bullets represent the most frequently encountered species:
- Cigarette Beetle
- Confused Flour Beetle
- Drugstore Beetle
- Indian Meal Moth
- Merchant Grain Beetle
- Powderpost Beetle
- Red Flour Beetle
- Rice Weevil
- Sawtoothed Grain Beetle
Tips for Preventing Pantry Pests
Good pantry pest prevention takes less effort than dealing with a full infestation, and it can save you money by preventing food waste. With consistent habits, you can make your home far less appealing to insects that feed on stored dry goods:
- Check all food packaging for punctures, loose seals, or signs of damage before purchasing.
- Avoid leaving food out in the open or stored without lids.
- Transfer flour, grains, cereals, nuts, and baking ingredients into airtight containers.
- Keep your pantry doors closed to limit pest access.
- Make sure window and door screens are tight-fitting and free of tears.
- Seal gaps and cracks around cabinets, baseboards, and wall openings.
- Label stored foods with the date you sealed them to keep older items from being forgotten.
- Get rid of expired or stale foods promptly.
- Buy smaller quantities of items you don’t use frequently to reduce storage time.
- Keep compost containers tightly closed indoors.
- Following any pantry pest incident, recheck every stored food item for contamination.
Removing Pantry Moths and Larvae
Adult pantry moths may catch your eye first, but their larvae are the real source of contamination. These tiny insects feed on flour, cereal, nuts, dried fruit, baking mixes, pet food, and other staples, silently spreading throughout your cabinets.
To remove pantry moths and their larvae:
- Take everything out of your pantry and inspect each item. Discard infested food in sealed bags and take the trash outside immediately.
- Clean every shelf, corner, and crack thoroughly—larvae often hide in small crevices.
- After the pantry is dry, place pheromone traps to capture any remaining adult moths.
- Restock your pantry with items kept in durable airtight containers to block re-infestation.
If moths or larvae return even after these steps, it’s often a sign that the infestation is deeper than expected and requires professional treatment.
Call Us for Professional Pantry Pest Control
If pantry pests seem impossible to get rid of, it’s time to call in the experts. At Ja-Roy, we’ve handled every type of pantry pest found in Louisiana, and we know how to eliminate them safely and thoroughly. Our team will find the source, remove the infestation, and give you the tools to keep it from coming back.
Contact us today for a free quote and enjoy a clean, pest-free kitchen once again.
