Find the sources of stored product pests

Dr. Brittany Campbell, BCE

Stored product pests (SPP) are common invaders in the pantry and other areas where food is housed, including pet food and bird seed. Occasionally, SPP will get into other interesting items like dried flowers, tobacco, rodent bait, decorative arrangements and even bean bags.

It’s essential with any SPP problem, regardless of whether it’s a moth, beetle or other pest, to determine which items are infested and to find the source. Often, simply removing the infested item(s) will resolve the problem.

In food processing plants and other commercial accounts, communication with the client is key to addressing the problem. Be sure to discuss the sanitation and exclusion practices required to keep SPP at bay before a full-blown infestation occurs.

A residual crack-and-crevice treatment along shelves and in voids can also target any SPP that may be hiding, in combination with other non-chemical methods.