Pantry Pests

Recently, two insects have been grabbing the headlines as their presence has been noticed: bedbugs and stinkbugs, and deservedly so. However, they have lots of company. With the nicer weather coming to a close, you will be spending more time indoors. You may start to see “flyers and crawlers” all sorts of other insects in your house. The most common are grouped together and called pantry pests.

Two important steps should be taken to manage them. First, don’t panic. What you see may not be as serious of a threat as bedbugs. Plus they are not always associated with unsanitary conditions. Most of these insects have hitched a ride in packaging material, boxes, and containers. Secondly, in order to solve the problem, the insect must be identified correctly. Please do not spray an insecticide as a first response. They are poisonous, and anything sprayed indiscriminately can contaminate food, containers, preparation surfaces, and pet areas. There may be safer ways to control pantry pests.

The most common insect pantry pest in Pennsylvania is the Indian meal moth. It prefers such foods as chocolate, dried fruits, bird feed, and dry dog food. A common flour, pasta and cereal pest is the saw-toothed grain beetle. Various other species of beetles are also common pantry pests and infest a wide variety of food items. Cigarette beetles and drugstore beetles are occasional pests, but they prefer dried plant materials such as herbs and spices. You may also come across carpet beetles, which feed on lint, hair, leather, and animal products. Larder beetles live on other dead insects, corn meal, and dry pet food.

The key to successful control is to find the source of infestation. Unless this is found, you will continue to see the insects. Finding insects in one area of the home does not mean the infestation is in that area. Many cereal pests can fly; therefore, you may see them in places distant from their breeding site. Pantry or stored product insects can feed on anything edible: cereals, various grains, crackers, spices, macaroni, dried fruit, chocolate, candy, nuts, dried peas or beans. Don't overlook pet foods such as bird seed, fish food, dog food and cat food.

Once you locate and eliminate all infested foods, the number of pests should decrease rapidly. Those you see will be adult beetles or moths looking for another food source in which to deposit their eggs. Store all pantry items in air-tight, hard plastic containers, jars, etc. Be sure to check cake mixes and other unopened items because they might also be infested. Thoroughly vacuum and wash cupboards, pantry shelves, floors, etc. to remove any spilled food stuffs. Insecticide sprays are of little value in controlling pantry pests when infested materials are removed and cracks and crevices are cleaned.

We have two publications to help manage pantry pests, ‘Identifying Common Household Pests’ and ‘Cereal and Pantry Pests’. Contact the Penn State Master Gardeners in Lackawanna County at 570-963-6842 or LackawannaMG@psu.edu for a copy.


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County

Mosquitoes

The signs of the season are upon us: the smell of charcoal grills, the new or refreshed lawn furniture, tiki torches, convertibles, short shorts, and tank tops. These are in addition to the buds and blooms forming on the landscape and filling the air with colors. We all know those long, hazy days have returned. Another telltale sign, that no one wants to see, is the ubiquitous mosquito. These pests stick their pointed “noses” all over us to remind us summer is back.

Worldwide, there are 3,000 species of mosquitoes, 200 in the United State, and about 60 in Pennsylvania. Beyond their annoying bites, the mosquito is a carrier of several diseases such as West Nile virus and encephalitis. The mosquito even puts our dogs at risk by transmitting canine heartworm disease. The mosquito most often discovered in urban areas of Pennsylvania is the northern house mosquito, Culex pipiens.

Adult female mosquitoes require a blood meal in order to produce viable eggs. While feeding, the females inject saliva-containing anticoagulants that prevent the blood from clotting. Because mosquitoes take numerous blood meals, they can acquire disease organisms from an infected host and later transmit those organisms to previously uninfected hosts.

With this in mind, it is important for the homeowner to take these steps to manage the effects mosquitoes can have on the quality of life:

Encourage indoor activities: The northern house mosquito is most active at dusk to dawn. Pennsylvanians with immune system deficiencies should try to limit outside activities to daylight hours. Likewise, parents of young children and infants should keep children inside during these same hours.

Eliminate standing water: This will reduce the number of potential mosquito breeding sites.
• Remove old tires, cans, buckets, pots, and similar items that can trap rainwater.
• Position tarps and boat covers to allow rain runoff and limit ‘ponding.’
• Turn plastic wading pools and wheelbarrows upside-down when not in use.
• Keep swimming pools chlorinated.

Exclusion: All doors and windows should fit tightly and remain closed during the peak mosquito activity. Replace screening that has holes or tears.

Effective Repellents: Materials containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) are effective in repelling mosquitoes. For more information on the safe use of insect and tick repellents, or other horticultural issues, contact the Penn State Master Gardner Helpline at 570-963-6842 or email: LackawnnaMG@psu.edu


Steve Ward
Master Gardener Coordinator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce

Avoid Attracting Bears - Part II

In an article posted on May 5th, we listed five suggestions that could prevent attracting bears to your property. Here are some tips if you actually encounter a bear – whether in your garden or in the woods.

Stay Calm. If you see a bear and it hasn’t seen you, leave the area calmly. Talk or make noise while moving away to help it discover your presence. Choose a route that will not intersect with the bear if it is moving.

Get Back. If you have surprised a bear, slowly back away while talking softly. Face the bear, but avoid direct eye contact. Do not turn and run; rapid movement may be perceived as danger to a bear that is already feeling threatened. Avoid blocking the bear’s only escape route and try to move away from any cubs you see or hear. Do not attempt to climb a tree. A female bear may falsely interpret this as an attempt to get at her cubs, even though the cubs may be in a different tree.

Pay Attention. If a bear is displaying signs of nervousness – pacing, swinging its head, or popping its jaws – about your presence, leave the area. Some bears may bluff charge to within a few feet. If this occurs, stand your ground, wave your arms wildly, and shout at the bear. Turning and running could elicit a chase and you cannot outrun a bear.

Fight Back. If a bear attacks, fight back as you continue to leave the area. Black bears have been driven away with rocks, sticks, binoculars, car keys, or even bare hands.

To report nuisance bears, contact the Game Commission Region Office nearest you. The telephone numbers for the Northeast Region Office in Dallas, Luzerne County, is 570-675-1143.

More information on bears is available on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by clicking on the “Wildlife” tab in the menu bar at the top of the homepage, and then selecting “Black Bears” From the “Mammals” section. Or contact your local cooperative extension office. In Lackawanna County ask for the Garden Help line at 963-6842 or email LackawannaMG@psu.edu.

Terry Schettini, Extension Educator
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Lackawanna County
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.