How to get rid of food moths in an apartment

Each housewife can boast of a kind of "strategic" stock of food: cereals, pasta, sugar. However, such a storage is fraught with danger - a food moth may be "interested" in it. And getting rid of this parasite in an apartment or house is not at all easy.

Reasons for the appearance

There are several reasons why food moths appear in your kitchen:

1. You are buying already contaminated food. Unfortunately, this is the most common explanation for the appearance of winged inhabitants in your kitchen. Most of the larvae are found in flour, nuts, cereals, dried fruits and herbs. Therefore, it is better to purchase products only in trusted stores, do not pursue cheapness and carefully check the tightness of the packaging.
2. Neighbors are another common way food moths appear. If the parasite is found in the neighbors, and they did not immediately begin to fight it, be sure that after a short time this "happiness" will settle with you.
3. Hitting through the window. Yes, yes, no matter how strange it may sound, but such cases are known. They are extremely rare, but they do occur.

The best "cure" is prevention

And you can't argue with this statement, it is much easier to prevent the appearance of winged insects in the house than to get rid of them later. Remember, food moths multiply very quickly, and this factor often makes many control methods useless.

It is much easier to prevent moths from appearing. There are simple, but very effective recommendations in this regard.

• Purchase foods that could be potential sources of contamination from trusted stores. It is better to avoid promotions and discounts if you are offered cereals and pasta of "dubious" quality. Often, with the help of a price reduction, the owner tries to get rid of products that have not been stored properly, or their shelf life is about to expire.

• Take a close look at the products you have already purchased. Even if there are no adults in them, carefully transfer food from one container (or bag) to another. If strange lumps come across your eyes, they may be maggots. It is better to throw away such a product. Eating contaminated cereals is hazardous to health!

• Even if you do not visually detect any problems, but doubt the quality and purity of the products, subject them to processing. Some housewives recommend putting cereals in the refrigerator for a while (right in the freezer). Alternatively, microwave them for 30 seconds at maximum power.

• Most often, an insect starts up in a leaky container. Better not to store food in bags, buy special containers with a tight-fitting lid.

• Parasites cannot tolerate clean places, so hygiene is the key to your safety. Wash kitchen cabinets well with detergents, and make sure that not a single grain spills past the container.

• The moth, however, like many insects, does not tolerate pungent odors. Therefore, someone puts cloves of garlic in cabinets with food. Of course, then you will "reward" not only moths with this smell, but also products, and how your household will react to this is a big question. More gentle and no less aromatic ways are lavender, rosemary and bergamot essential oils.

How to get rid of moths

Folk remedies

1. The simplest answer to the question: how to get rid of food moths is to regularly ventilate kitchen cabinets. Not everyone is aware of this, but the moth does not tolerate fresh air.
2. Garlic (as mentioned above). If all household members perfectly tolerate the characteristic aroma, then garlic, as a means of fighting food moths, has a right to exist.
3. You can use not just one spice, but make a kind of mix: put bay leaf, cloves and pepper in a bag. A mint-lavender duet is also suitable. Such a remedy will not affect the food in any way, but it is guaranteed to scare away insects.
4. Citrus peel is an affordable and effective remedy. Many housewives use only this method.
5. Geranium on the windowsill: beautiful and practical. It will scare away not only food moths, but also other insects.
6. Finally, the usual mechanical method is a fly swatter or something similar. The thing is that the moth does not differ in speed of reaction and powerful flight, so you will definitely succeed in slamming it.

Chemicals

If the prevention did not work, or you spent it too late, and you do not really trust folk remedies (which also happens), you will have to use more serious means. First of all, remember that the fight against food moths is a long process and not always successful, therefore, you should have patience and determination to bring the job you started to the end.

Important! Be sure to follow the instructions and use protective equipment so as not to harm your health and the health of your loved ones.

Insecticides. A very common way to deal with moths. Most often it is produced in the form of aerosols. During processing, you need to ensure that the product does not get on food.

Repellents. Usually, these products are available in the form of tablets, briquettes or plates. These substances repel insects and prevent them from laying eggs. Some products contain naphthalene, and then the drug should not be used in residential premises. Read the recommendations for use carefully.

Pheromone traps

Fighting the larvae will take a lot of time and effort from you, but adults easily fall into pheromone traps. These devices impregnate females with pheromones. The moth reacts to the bait and flies inside, and since the walls of the trap are treated with an adhesive composition, it is no longer possible to get out.

The only drawback is the characteristic smell, which not everyone likes, but for the sake of cleanliness and hygiene, you can endure a couple of days. And 3-4 days after removing the trap and good ventilation, the smell disappears completely. Some also complain that, in addition to the moth living in this apartment, traps can also "lure" the neighbors' inhabitants.

Another effective remedy for fighting food moths is ultrasonic scarers. Such devices cost a lot, but they fully justify their price.The main advantage is efficiency and complete safety for people and households.

Finally, the most expensive and most effective way to forget about parasites forever is to call a special antiparasitic service. Of course, in this case, the highest result is guaranteed. But it is worth resorting to such extreme measures only if the infection has reached alarming proportions.

Obviously, getting rid of food moths is possible. Having gained patience and willingness to bring the work started to the end, you are guaranteed to get the result.

And do not forget: it is easier to prevent than to eliminate later. In some cases, competent prevention will solve all your problems better than expensive drugs.

Video: how to get rid of food moths permanently