Red Flour Beetles

[Annarchy]

We were lucky to catch these beetles before they did too much damage. We feed the birds and the last bag of seed was infested with them. When DH poured the bag in the tin we use, they swarmed out of the bag. We kept the tin next to the washing machine outside.

 

After finding them in the house, coming up the drains and out of any crack, we began a search and destroy crusade. As it turned out, the bricks around the outside sewer pipe for the washer, had a hole next to it, the size of a dime. As the bugs came out of the seeds, they found access into the house, following the sewer and water lines.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_flour_beetle

 

We have reviewed and secured all our foods, only loosing one box of rice a roni. (We do not buy it very often, only as a simple easy variety to our normal diet.) However, we did find a few items where the bugs were congregated in the seams of the sealed bags, like they were trying to get in. Thankfully, we have caught the influx soon enough and have staved off any more damage these little creatures can cause.

[Twilight]

I wonder if that is what happened to my cayenne pepper.

I cleaned out all my cabinets and my C.pepper was seriously compromised.

There were several moths but there was 1/8 inch of tiny bugs on top. I had

had this 1 lb jar for over a year and there was less than 1/3 left. I am at loss as to

how they got in the jar.

I also lost 1/2 of a container of Basmati Rice...plastic jar with plastic screw on lid

,once again something I had over a year.

[Mt_Rider]

Glad you caught the invasion early!!!!!

 

 

MtRider ...whew!

[Annarchy]

Twilight, sorry you lost your cayenne. Someone mentioned, some time ago, that the bug eggs are sometimes in the products before we buy them. The eggs may have been dormant for a while, then, when the conditions were right they hatched and reproduced. I am surprised they liked cayenne.

[Twilight]

Ann , thanks for posting about the ants/beetles I appreciate someone

else doing the research on this!

[Jeepers]

I've always heard the eggs are in the stuff when we buy it and hatch later as Annarchy said.

 

That's why they say to freeze rice and flour etc. for a few days before storing... to kill the eggs. I never thought about spices though. Especially hot pepper! I guess the eggs are in pasta and cereal too. Sigh. Guess I have some checking to do.

[Mt_Rider]

.....Wake up, MtRider! You just bought a whole big bag of flour from the store. It needs to go into freezer....really quite soon! Or in the vehicle at night cuz we're freezing quite soundly every night.

 

Thank you for this thread ....I haven't bought for quite a while and would have forgotten!

 

MtRider ...love that off 'n on brain!