Pantry Moth Control

First, throw away the pest moths' food supply. It may be painful, but anything that inspires the least bit of suspicion must be thrown away. Look for webbing, frass, larvae, holes in packaging . . . but if it were me I'd just toss anything with pantry moth potential. Items should be sealed (with heat or tape) in a hardy plastic bag before being taken to an outdoor garbage can. You don't want these things worming their way back inside. Some people will bury or burn the moths; this will work and earn style points.

Now it's time to clean. The pantry, the kitchen, and anywhere you've seen moths should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water. Get behind things. Get into those nooks and crannies. And above all, vacuum. Bust out those attachments and work those cracks and crevices. Don't neglect those dark corners where crumbs accumulate, or risk keeping the infestation alive. This kind of cleaning is a tedious process, but sucking up flying adults and wormy moth larvae makes a satisfying noise. "Fwump" goes the silver lining.

Next, you must starve them out with pantry pest-proof food containers. This is the most important aspect of pantry moth control. All unspoiled or new food items need to be stored in pest-proof containers. Items will be safe in the freezer, but everything else should be stored in a paranoid fashion. Glass containers with clamp lids or gasket seals work well. Thick plastic containers with an airtight seal are fine. Does the image this conjures seem familiar? Yes, your grandparents once knew how to store food, but the pesticide generation forgot how. It will seem cumbersome at first, but everyone in your home must observe the food lock down if you're going to make these pantry pests pay.

Spot treat cracks and crevices with diatomaceous earth. The food-grade DE (MotherEarth D, Concern) used for pest control is nontoxic and harmless, which makes it great for sensitive areas like the pantry and kitchen. A light dusting of cracks and crevices created by trim, baseboards, cabinets, and furniture is important. Also lightly dust areas of high moth and moth larvae activity. Moving over this dust, moth adults and larvae are inflicted with small cuts, which eventually lead to dehydration, denial, anger, bargaining, and death.

Monitor your progress with pantry moth traps. Pheromone-based pantry moth traps are growing in popularity. You set a few out, and the sex pheromone they contain will have the male pantry moths throwing themselves onto these sticky mass graves. But they don't work for all moths. Most products contain pheromones for only the most common pantry pest moths—the Indian meal moth, Mediterranean flour moth, almond moth, and raisin moth. Don't expect these traps to be a magic bullet—they are only one part of a good pantry moth control strategy.

Once things are under control, think about prevention. After a pantry moth infestation, it's important to inspect the food you bring into your home. It's very likely that your infestation began with something you bought at the local grocer. You should also inspect your home for rodent or birds pests; these creatures bring in nuts and seeds that can harbor moths. Lastly, look to repair screens and doors, fill in incoming utility holes with caulk or putty, and screen all outdoor vents.