Go beyond the pantry to find stored product pests

John-Michael Kibrick

Just when your customers think that throwing out an infested bag of popcorn did the trick in controlling an stored product pest (SPP) infestation — they find more the next morning in the cereal box.

Why are these pests such stubborn opponents? In addition to their ability to hide in small cracks and corners where they can be easily missed, people mistakenly tend to think these annoyingly tenacious invaders can’t spread beyond the pantry into the rest of the house.

In reality, some of the species that commonly invade pantries can survive in almost any dark, moist environment where mold is likely to grow. Breaking into sealed packages of stored products simply gives them an abundance of food upon which to thrive.

Booklice (Liposcelididae), for example, are typically found in books and stacks of paper. But they may spread into stored goods. Other pests like carpet beetles (Anthrenus verbasci) and cigarette beetles (Lasioderma serricorne) also may originate in the pantry.

That’s why it is recommended to conduct a wider search and apply an effective insecticide in other areas of the house after your customers clean out their pantries.