A homeowner from the United States turned to Reddit seeking guidance on how to deal with a troublesome moth infestation that destroyed products in her pantry.
The unnamed woman shared images of the moths infesting her rice container on the social media platform, expressing her frustration. She stated that despite her best efforts, she had been unable to get rid of them.
She posted three images of the moths in her rice, with the caption: 'These bugs keep getting into my sealed rice container! How do I stop this?'
She also mentioned that she had discovered the same pests in her oatmeal container, even though it was securely sealed with a Tupperware lid.
She added:
'I also have pantry moths that get inside my oatmeal container even though it's sealed with a Tupperware lid.
'I have cleaned the pantry area thoroughly and put up moth traps that have been effective and then I open up my rice and oatmeal today and find bugs in both.'
Her post quickly went viral, and many people shared their unique tips for keeping the moths away. Many suggested that the homeowner should place her containers in the freezer to combat the issue.
Research advises rinsing rice before cooking it to remove any contaminants. These pantry moths, also known as rice moths, have a knack for penetrating plastic and infesting rice, grains, cereals, seeds, dried fruits, and more. They commonly lay their eggs in these food items, exacerbating the problem for homeowners.
Some online users recommended storing rice in glass jars and incorporating bay leaves into the jars to deter moths. In the event of a pantry moth infestation, it is essential to discard any contaminated food and thoroughly clean the pantry using white vinegar.
One person said: Or perhaps rather than panicking about a few bugs that were probably in the food when purchased, just wash it, remove the bugs, and get on with it. We all ingest several bugs or parts every day in food, and it won't kill us.
A second wrote: Put Bay leaves in the containers, that’s what I do to the flour.
A third commented: You can buy glue boards that have fermones on them that attract the months, they get stuck on the board problem solved.
Someone else wrote: Need to clean out the pantry. Box foods like cake mixes flour corn meals do expire and they should be thrown out. But if you don't the moths will come to pay you a visit that will remind you to clean out the pantry
Another said: I had an infestation of those when I lived in Wisconsin. Once they emerged they went EVERYWHERE! I had to wash every dish and everything in my drawers. So much food had to go. It was a nightmare.
Someone added: A lot of infestations are due to the eggs, larvae, etc. being present before storage. I usually place a sheet of plastic wrap tightly over the top before sealing. If it remains unbroken, I don't usually have a problem, unless the product was already contaminated.
Another continued: The eggs were probably already on the food source. Try placing food in a glass container with tight-fitting lid.
