Located in the Pacific Northwest lies the small city of Snohomish, Washington. This delightful town, situated amongst rolling hills and plentiful farmlands, is known as the "Antique Capital of the Northwest." Here, folks will find unique shopping opportunities in its historic downtown area. If shopping doesn't lure you to the city center, people can enjoy recreational parks and trails or relax by the Snohomish River.
Living in such an idyllic location brings many visitors to Snohomish, but some visitors that locals loathe are pantry pests. When these bugs appear in stored foods, pantry pest control is paramount. This guide from Guard Pest Control presents some facts on how to control pantry pests effectively in Snohomish.
Identifying A Pantry Pest Infestation
Pantries are wonderful; having an additional space for food storage makes life more manageable and gives folks easy access to products without the need to continuously go back and forth to the store. While pantries have their perks, they also have the drawback of being susceptible to attacks from pantry pests.
Three types of pantry pests in Snohomish include:
- Beetles (cigarette, drugstore, flour, and grain)
- Weevils
- Indian meal moths
Insects that get into pantry products are small, especially in their early stages of development, so early detection can prove challenging. Typically, the first clue folks have that alarms them they have a pantry pest issue is when residents see tiny moths flying around windows and lights or find beetles crawling near food packages.
The second indication of a pantry pest issue is when “stuff” appears in stored items. When weevils, beetles, and Indian meal moths get into food sources, they lay eggs, which can quickly develop into larvae (typically the most destructive stage). Most pantry pest larvae will resemble caterpillars or small grubs; they can have smooth bodies with either short or long hairs. Residents may also find silken webs in foods if they have Indian meal moths.
Since the discovery of pests in your pantry typically doesn't happen until infestations are well underway and spreading, it's crucial to have an established, trustworthy pest professional like Guard Pest Control nearby. Our technicians can provide residents with professional pantry pest identification services and a practical plan for their safe removal.
Pantry Pests And Food Safety: Protecting Your Family
Besides grossing you out when you find pantry pests in your stored items, the various pests that get into foods can pose several safety concerns for families. Pantry pests that live and feed off foods go through multiple stages of growth. As they mature and crawl through food items, they leave behind eggs, egg casings, shed skins, silken threads, and even feces; this causes contamination.
People who ingest foods infested with larvae can experience irritations to their digestive tract (mouth, throat, and stomach). Common pantry pests can also expose people to microbes that produce mycotoxins (highly carcinogenic). On top of these problems, pantry pests can cause foods to have a terrible stench and taste.
It is vital that when residents discover a pantry pest infestation, they get in touch with a pest professional like Guard Pest Control. Foods that get contaminated by pantry pests can affect the well-being of your family members, both physically and psychologically, when they discover they've eaten bugs!
Climate And Its Effect On Pantry Pests
Climate and weather play a big part in insect populations and their migration into homes. Many scientists believe rising air temperatures and precipitation lead to larger insect populations. They also think the time it takes for insect eggs to mature into adults speeds up, allowing more generations of pests to emerge yearly.
Climate can contribute to insects living longer than average. Cities in higher elevations (typically cooler) that experience lower infestation rates may find that warming temperatures promote an increase in pantry pest infestations. Another factor of increased warming is an increase in rainfall. Rain is a powerful motivator, often sending local pests scrambling for drier accommodations; this could encourage an increased presence within residences.
As temperatures warm and precipitation levels increase, residents of Snohomish may start experiencing visits from pantry pests. If this happens, it's time to get Guard Pest Control involved; we are local and can quickly provide superior pantry pest control in Snohomish.
Professional Pantry Pest Control: When To Call In The Experts
A pantry pest infiltration can start small and quickly expand without professional intervention from Guard Pest Control. Established in 2013, our locally owned and operated company has over 20 years of experience in the pest control industry. Our dedicated team of technicians provides our valued customers with the highest service standards using effective pantry pest control products; we inspect, correct, and protect.
Call Guard Pest Control today for a free estimate over the phone.