Recognize flour moths and fight them permanently with these home remedies

Everyone likes butterflies in the garden, but such animals are rather unpopular in their own stores. This is not only due to the fact that the butterflies in the food look quite inconspicuous and as Moths are referred to, but mainly because these pests make infested food inedible do. It is therefore important to recognize an infestation in good time and to combat it properly with appropriate home remedies.

Distinction

Is the flour moth different from other moths?

Not only are there many different types of moths, but there are also different food moths that you may find in your kitchen cabinet. To be able to combat these effectively, you must first identify which moth it is before resorting to any home remedies.

Flour moth

the Flour moth (Ephestia kueniella) from the moth family is a fairly widespread storage pest. With a body length of one to just under one and a half millimeters, this moth is quite small. The forewings are gray with a slight discoloration to bluish or reddish, they have light and dark jagged lines. The hind wings, on the other hand, are simply light gray. The caterpillars or larvae are up to two inches long and white. They can have a light greenish or reddish color. The head of the larva is brown.

If you discover a moth with black-brown, yellow-spotted wings and a dark fringed edge in your kitchen, then it is probably one Corn moth (Nemapogon granellus). It is a little smaller Dried fruit moth (Plodia punctuated). It has rust-brown to copper-colored forewings. The larvae of all food moths are very similar.

Food infestation

Which foods are attacked by the flour moth?

Basically, the flour moth only attacks dry food, so you can find it in storage cupboards and rooms, but not in the refrigerator.

Frequently infected foods:

• Flour, cereals and cereal products (e.g. B. Muesli)
• Kernels, almonds and nuts
• Seeds, herbs and spices
• dried legumes
• Dry food for animals

Recognize infestation

How can I recognize a flour moth infestation?

In the event of an infestation, you will not always see the moths flying out of your flour or noodle package when you open a package. Much more often you will discover small or tiny holes in the bag or a fine web inside. Over time, the flour, muesli or whatever is stuck with the moth. If the infestation is advanced, the caterpillars can then be seen. This is really not a pleasant sight and causes disgust in many people.

Why do I have flour moths in my closet?

There are basically two ways the flour moths got into your supplies. You either “bought” these moths or their eggs and / or larvae, that is, with your food introduced or some female moths have found their way from the outside into your kitchen and their eggs there filed. In this case, however, the moths should be able to easily get into your closet or your supplies and find ideal conditions there (twilight and temperatures of around 25 ° C). So the first case is more common, the flour moths brought in with food that has been bought.

Damage image

What do flour moths do to my supplies?

Flour moths lay their eggs in dry supplies. The larvae that hatch from it then eat their way through your stores. In doing so, they leave behind a fine web and their excretions, but also stripped hides. The resulting moisture can promote the formation of mold. It can also attract flour mites. If you do not recognize an infestation until late, these moths are no longer easy to control because they can be found in all of them hide possible nooks and crannies of your closet, lay their eggs there and then come back again and again come.

Home remedies

What home remedies can I use to fight flour moths?

It is very important to react immediately to a flour moth infestation and to take appropriate measures. Otherwise, the moths can spread unhindered and even cause disease. The use of non-toxic home remedies should come first in combating. On the one hand, the thorough cleaning of affected cabinets should be mentioned here. If all moths, eggs and larvae are destroyed in the process, you should prevent a renewed infestation. Heat, extreme cold and the drying effect of the non-toxic kieselguhr are definitely helpful.

Fight the flour moth step by step:

• clear out the entire cupboard and clean it thoroughly with vinegar water
• Blow-dry hard-to-reach areas and cracks hot and / or sprinkle with kieselguhr
• check every single food package
• Repackage unaffected food if necessary
• Use airtight storage containers
• As a precautionary measure, heat (60 ° C to 80 ° C) or freeze food without obvious infestation
• Dispose of contaminated food

disposal

Can I still save infected food?

The flour moths themselves are sometimes infested with parasites, such as mites. Even if you can get the moths and their larvae out of your stores reasonably well, their droppings and tiny mites remain in your food. Consumption can then trigger gastrointestinal problems or allergies. For this reason, you should no longer consume infected food, but dispose of it.

How do I dispose of contaminated food?

It makes sense not to just throw the infected food in the trash can. Eggs and larvae that are in it develop into moths and continue to spread. Pack the affected food and its packaging in a sufficiently large, undamaged plastic bag. Close the bag carefully with a tight knot. Then throw the bag in the garbage can, this should definitely be outside of your home.

If you want to kill all eggs, larvae and moths guaranteed, then this is best done with heat or frost. Either you "bake" the food and its packaging for a few hours at around 60 ° C in your oven or you put it in for a few days (approx. one week) in your freezer. However, because of the risk of fire, you should never leave your oven unattended during the baking time. Moth-infested foods that have been treated with heat or cold are no longer edible; they still have to be disposed of.

What can I do if I have a strong moth infestation?

If you recognize a particularly strong infestation with the flour moth, then you may not get very far with the simple home remedies. But there is a good biological alternative to controlling the moths. Get hold of it Parasitic wasps. These lay their eggs in the eggs of the flour moths, which then serve the larvae as a source of food and are thus killed. This mechanism works until there are no more flour moth eggs. Then the parasitic wasps disappear on their own. You can order cards with the eggs of parasitic wasps on the Internet.

Prevent

How can I prevent re-infestation?

One helps against the penetration of the flour moth from the outside Fly screens in front of the window. It also keeps other annoying insects like mosquitoes and flies away. Essential oils have a repulsive effect on flour moths and can at least partially keep them away or drive them away. Depending on your preferences, you can choose between peppermint, Eucalyptus, lavender, orange, lemon, anise or geranium.

If you do not trust these home remedies so completely, then there is still the setting up of Pheromone traps. They are safe for humans because they are odorless and free from insecticides.