What could be eating the food in your pantry?

If you have been finding that there is a lot less food in your pantry than you would expect, you should not necessarily blame your kids. Uninvited guests could be the culprits. Pests often take a liking to food they found in the homes that they invade.

If you suspect that pests like ants, flies or rodents have got into your home, you need to find out more about pest control as soon as possible. If you do not take immediate action, the problem is only going to get worse.

What sort of pests could be eating your food?

There are many different pests that can make their way into a home and help themselves to pantry items such as breakfast cereals, pasta and rice. In addition to ants, flies and rodents, you may find that you have beetles, moths and spiders for housemates, amongst others.

It’s important to remember that losing some food from your pantry could be the least of your worries. Depending on the type of pests you have a problem with, you could face several issues including:

• Droppings and urine that can cause breathing problems such as asthma to worsen.
• Chewed wooden structures.
• Chewed electrical wiring.
• Bites and stings to people living in your home.
• The spread of bacteria and germs causing illnesses such as salmonella.

You can see why it’s so important to deal with a pest problem as quickly as possible.

How to get rid of the pests in your home

If you discover that pests have been eating the food in your pantry, you should get rid of any affected food straight away. You should also thoroughly clean and disinfect the pantry. Once you have done this, you can take other DIY measures to try and control the problem such as:

• Setting mouse traps where you see signs of the presence of mice such as urine, droppings or chewing of wires.
• Using a soap and water solution to spray pests such as flies and ants.
• Spreading Diatomaceous Earth around your home to kill insects.
• Using nematodes (microscopic worms) to kill termites.
• Filling in gaps and cracks in the walls of your property, so that pests can no longer gain entry.
• Fixing leaks and dealing with damp issues so that pests do not have access to water.
• Making sure that the pantry and kitchen in your home are kept clear of food debris, removing a potential source of food for pests.

Taking all of these actions can help to relive a pest problem in your home. However, infestations are often best dealt with by seeking help from professionals; click here to find out more.

If your pantry stock is depleting, you may be able to solve the issue by identifying a pest problem and getting professional help to rid your home of these pests. In doing so, you an also save yourself from a lot of expensive repairs necessitated by damage caused by the invaders.