How to Get Rid of Pantry Weevils

Nothing ruins breakfast like finding pantry beetles in the cereal box. These tenacious little stowaways hitch a ride in the whole grains you bring home from the grocery store and spread to other food in your cupboards. Discover how to get rid of pantry weevils with a few simple tricks and pest control strategies we’ve put together.

The most common weevils found in food and cupboards are the rice weevil, granary weevil, and maize weevil. The rice weevil is a flying beetle that thrives in warm temperatures; they’re a dull brown color and have four tiny spots on their bodies. Grain weevils and maize weevils enjoy cooler climates and are similar in appearance; both are red-brown with shiny shells.

Grain beetles, pantry weevils, and rice bugs all procreate the same way; they bore a hole in a grain seed and lay eggs inside. The young develop and break through the seed as fully-formed adults. Empty seed husks are a huge indicator of a weevil problem.

How to Get Rid of Weevils in the Pantry

Pantry weevils and flour mites are a real pain, and dealing with an infestation can feel overwhelming. If you’re tired of finding flour moths and pantry beetles in your breakfast, follow our guide to a weevil-free life.

Pantry Inventory to Check for Weevils

Few things are more disappointing than opening a flour, rice, or pancake mix package to see it crawling with weevils. If you are concerned about a weevil infestation in the pantry, it’s time to do a full food inventory to gauge the level of infestation.

Pantry pests love dry goods and are quick to set up shop anywhere that provides a secure food source. Zero in on cereal grains, open boxes, unsealed foods, and especially, anything at the back of the shelf. Don’t forget about pet food; this is a particularly tempting invitation for granary weevils and even rodents.

It may seem wasteful, but pest control experts recommend homeowners throw away any compromised or infested food; look for brown spots moving through it. Use this as an opportunity to rid yourself of anything that has expired and be secure in knowing you’re eliminating your weevil infestation with confidence.

Try Extreme Temperatures for Infested Food

It’s not always possible or practical to get rid of dried food exposed to grain beetles. If you must recycle food affected by weevils, it’s possible to use extreme temperatures; placing your affected food product in the freezer kills the adult weevils and the eggs and larvae.

Whether you’re dealing with a flour weevil, pantry moth, or even an Indian meal moth, cold temperatures have the same outcome. Subzero air will kill weevils in the pantry items you want to save. Seal your food in a bag, pop it in the freezer, and inspect it in a couple of days to ensure the weevil infestation is no more.

How to Get Rid of Pantry Weevils With a Clean Sweep

Getting rid of weevils in the pantry requires several steps to destroy the infestation entirely. Unfortunately, a weevil infestation means some dedicated deep clean time for your pantry, cupboards, and kitchen space. Roll up your shirt sleeves and get ready to give it some elbow grease.

Start by pulling all the pantry food and containers off the shelves; this makes it easy to access dark corners and dried-on food residue. Bring the vacuum in, if necessary, to take care of crumbs and dust before you start scrubbing.

Grab a pair of rubber gloves, and fill a bucket with hot water. Add a few drops of an all-purpose cleaner or mild dish soap to scour the shelves, walls, and floors. Do not reuse the scrub brush for dishes or countertops; dispose of everything afterward.

Make a DIY Disinfectant for Pantry Weevils

If you want something a bit stronger than dish soap, learn how to get rid of pantry weevils with a homemade disinfectant spray. It’s easy to make mild disinfectant with common ingredients around the house, so you can keep a steady supply on hand for unexpected visits from flour bug friends.

This DIY spray is easy to whip up and generally lasts for several cleanings. Fill a small spray bottle with water, rubbing alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide. Finish up with the essential oil of your choice. We like cedarwood for its antibacterial and antimicrobial benefits, but citrus scents work just as well.

Getting Rid of Weevils in the Pantry With Airtight Packages

We all have a few open bags of food somewhere in the cupboard. Unfortunately, these seemingly harmless bags make attractive targets for any invasive insect looking for an easy meal. Discover how to seal all those open bags of rice, grains, and oats with this cool trick.

Once you discover how to get rid of weevils in the pantry, you definitely don’t want them returning. When you have a grain product that needs protecting, prevent the transfer of bugs from one food source to another by rigging an airtight plastic bag of rice, cereal, or flour.

Cut a plastic water bottle just above the plastic label; you want to keep the spout piece. Cut an opening along one side of your bag of rice. Gather the end of the bag and thread it through the bottom of the water spout piece upward; the bag should come up through the opening of the bottle lid.

Push the water bottle piece down until it meets the food. Fold the ends of the plastic bag down over the outside of the bottle; you should be able to look down into the bag through the hole and see your food. Screw the lid into the bottle top and enjoy your newly sealed dry goods.

Home Maintenance to Prevent Weevils

The common pantry pest has no place in your kitchen. It’s essential to conduct frequent checks to keep your home safe and secure. It’s possible to prevent weevils and most other insect infestations by pest-proofing your pantry; here are our top tips for keeping the creepy crawlies away.

Start from the bottom; check the baseboards, look for loose floorboards, and peeling linoleum, and check for cracks in the walls and foundation, which might allow pests to drop in uninvited.

Do a thorough once-over of your window stripping, and always keep something on hand to help seal things up. Quarterly maintenance is a great way to keep track of your to-do list while keeping your home free from a stubborn flour beetle infestation.

How to Make an Herbaceous Pest Repellent

Getting rid of weevils in the pantry should be followed with deterrent strategies. Make your kitchen inhospitable with powerful scents that signal to insects your house in a no-go zone. You don’t even need to resort to expensive chemical repellents because we have an all-natural herbal approach for you to try first.

Combine a tablespoon of each herb, garlic powder, and five crushed-up bay leaves to make your herbaceous repellent. This herbal mixture is very aromatic and works as a repellent potpourri inside your cupboards and pantry.

Divide it into a few small containers and place them strategically throughout the cabinets. Refresh the herbs monthly; substitute them with anything you prefer.

Eucalyptus Repellent Spray for Pantry Weevil Pests

Eucalyptus refers to a family of over 600 trees and shrubs. These unique and naturally beneficial plants are native to Tasmania, Australia, and neighboring islands. The leaf glands of certain eucalyptus trees produce a potent essential oil that helps repel many pests.

Once you find out how to get rid of weevils in the pantry, following up with some natural deterrent is best to prevent a future pantry bug or carpet beetle infestation.

To make a helpful repellent, fill a medium-sized spray bottle with water, witch hazel, and distilled white vinegar. Add 20 drops of your favorite eucalyptus essential oil, and shake well to emulsify.

Use this insect deterrent spray weekly in the pantry, garbage bins, under the sink, and wherever pests like to linger. Always use caution when spraying essential oils around pets and children; some essential oils may be irritating, even when diluted to a generally well-tolerated percentage.

We hope you benefit from our step-by-step guide showing you how to get rid of pantry weevils and keep them away for good. The key to successful weevil management is to act quickly and deal with the problem as soon as possible by doing an inventory and disposing of contaminated food.

If you’ve been the victim of a recent infestation, disinfect and sanitize your food stage area. Be sure to use hot water and a reliable disinfectant to help eliminate any trace of pantry weevils. Don’t buy dry goods in boxes or bags with damaged packaging, and always keep the pantry tidy and free of food crumbs.

Store pet food, cereal, grains, and flour in sealed containers. Stock up on airtight jars and resealable storage bins at discount stores or during sales to grow your collection. Where weevils are concerned, sometimes an unexpected inconvenience provides a reason to revamp your system and try something new. Plus, a freshly organized pantry is a joy.

If you liked learning how to get rid of pantry weevils with our practical pest control tips, share this article with friends on Pinterest or Facebook who enjoy learning new weevil-fighting skills.