pantry moths
Grain bin invaders
Pantry moths are small household pests whose larvae infest stored dry goods—flour, rice, cereals, nuts, pet food.
The adult moths are harmless but indicate an infestation somewhere in the kitchen.
Getting rid of them requires finding and discarding contaminated food, then thoroughly cleaning shelves.
Also called Indian meal moths or flour moths.
Milled grain powder
- cerealProcessed grain for breakfast
- grainsSmall hard seeds
- riceStaple cereal grain
- pastaShaped wheat dough
oats · cornmeal · nuts · seeds · dried fruit · spices · birdseed · pet food
Immature metamorphosing creatures
- eggsReproductive cells in shells
- pupaeMetamorphosis middle stage
- cocoonsProtective insect casings
- caterpillarsLarval moths or butterflies
webbing · silk · hatching · metamorphosis · breeding · mating · pheromones · life cycle
Intensive, comprehensive sanitation
- heat treatmentThermal processing of materials
- sticky trapsAdhesive pest-catching surfaces
- disposalAct of throwing away
- inspectionFormal assessment of condition
Introduction of impurities
- swarmMass of moving insects
- invasionForcible entry into territory
- outbreakSudden eruption of trouble
- spreadTo distribute widely
proliferation · overrun · infested · teeming · frass · castings · clumping · tunneling
Vessels permitting no gas exchange
- bay leavesDried aromatic culinary herb
- freezingExtremely cold
- inspectionFormal assessment of condition
- rotationTurning on an axis
hermetic seals · glass jars · proper storage · cool temperatures · quarantine · decanting · mason jars · vacuum sealing
Dried aromatic culinary herb
- cedarDurable, fragrant conifer
- lavenderFragrant herb, pale violet
- clovesDried flower-bud spice
- peppermint oilConcentrated mint plant extract
eucalyptus · neem · cinnamon sticks · black pepper · rosemary · citrus peel · essential oils
flour
Milled grain powder
pasta · oats · cornmeal · nuts · seeds · dried fruit · spices · birdseed · pet food · crackers
larvae
Immature metamorphosing creatures
caterpillars · webbing · silk · hatching · metamorphosis · breeding · mating · pheromones · life cycle · nocturnal
deep cleaning
Intensive, comprehensive sanitation
- heat treatmentThermal processing of materials
- sticky trapsAdhesive pest-catching surfaces
- disposalAct of throwing away
contamination
Introduction of impurities
spread · proliferation · overrun · infested · teeming · frass · castings · clumping · tunneling · holes
airtight containers
Vessels permitting no gas exchange
- bay leavesDried aromatic culinary herb
- freezingExtremely cold
- inspectionFormal assessment of condition
rotation · hermetic seals · glass jars · proper storage · cool temperatures · quarantine · decanting · mason jars · vacuum sealing
bay leaves
Dried aromatic culinary herb
peppermint oil · eucalyptus · neem · cinnamon sticks · black pepper · rosemary · citrus peel · essential oils
- pestsants, ant, bugs, cockroach, cockroaches
- synanthropeshouse mice, house sparrows, brown rats, pigeons, cockroaches
- food spoilagerot, mold growth, spoilage, rancidity, staleness
pantry mothshoneybees
Colonial insects producing wax
silkworms · butterflies · pollinators · beneficial insects · ladybugs