Best Pantry Moth Trap: What Should I Look For?

Pantry moths might seem harmless, but you don’t want them taking over your kitchen. These pests are known to infest pantry items. These moths can reproduce quickly, leading to large infestations. Using traps designed for pantry moths can help to eliminate an infestation. We’ve gathered information about pantry moths and traps to help you keep your home free of these pests.

What Are Pantry Moths?  

Pantry moths are common household pests that reproduce and lay their eggs in dry, stored food products. They typically get into your home by stowing away in food packages. These pests can be found throughout the United States. Pantry moths are about 1/2" long and have gray and reddish-brown wings. The larvae are grayish-white and measure about 1/2". They spin silk webbing while inside food. Pantry moth eggs are tiny, round, and a grayish-white color. They can hatch within a week. Three common pantry moth species include the Indian meal moth, the flour moth, and the grain moth.

Indian Meal Moth

Indian meal moths have gray wings with patches of brown on the outer part of their wings. Larvae are white with a brown head and grow to about ½ʺ in length. They often leave behind webbing on pantry items and shelves. These pests eat a variety of stored goods including grains, nuts, seeds, and even chocolate.

Flour Moth 

Flour moths are pale-gray and their wings are decorated with black wavy lines. The larvae have a dark head and an off-white body. Some flour moth larvae have a pink tint to their coloring. Like Indian meal moth larvae, they grow to ½ʺ. Despite their name, flour moths don’t just feed on flour. They’ll eat many things in your pantry including grains and beans.

Grain Moth

Grain moths usually infest food items before being brought into homes. Larvae are small, reaching about 1/8ʺ. They have a white body with a yellow tint and a yellowish-brown head. These moths are known to develop in the kernels of corn or wheat. Though difficult to spot as larva, these pests do have an unpleasant odor, which can be a sign of an infestation.

Pantry Moths vs. Clothes Moths

If you’re noticing holes in your clothing, then it’s possible you’re dealing with a clothes moth. These moths are similar in appearance to pantry moths, which is why there is often confusion. Clothes moths grow between 3/8ʺ-½ʺ in length and larvae are about ½ʺ. Like pantry moths, clothes moth larvae are the ones responsible for eating your clothes.

How Do Pantry Moths Get into the House?

Pantry moths make their way from infested grain storage facilities and into your home in boxed and bagged food you buy at the grocery store. They can chew through plastic bags and thin carboard, so even unopened packages can become infested. Pantry moths can set up camp in a wide range of dried food products like grains, flour, cereal, beans, and more.

Are Pantry Moth Traps Effective?

Pantry moth traps can help to keep moths out of your home. Moth traps use pheromones to attract moths and larvae into a small, enclosed area. Once the moths get inside, they will get stuck to the glue and later die. This not only kills individual moths, it also disrupts their mating, minimizing the pests you will have to deal with. You'll know the traps are working as you begin to see fewer and fewer moths in the traps. 

Tips for Using Pantry Moth Traps

When you use traps, you want to make sure you set yourself up for success. Check out a few tips to help you effectively use pantry moth traps.

• Place traps in areas where you have seen moths. Though pantries and kitchens are the most common spots, pantry moths will show up wherever they can find food sources.
• Place the trap on a flat surface.
• It is best to place on trap in an area at a time.
• Replace traps every three months or sooner if they fill with moths or become dusty.
• In addition to using a trap, you will also want to keep food storage areas clean and remove infested goods to get rid of the source of the problem.

Steps to Take to Get Rid of Pantry Moths

In addition to using traps, there are other things you’ll want to do to kick pantry moths out of your home. We’ve made a list of tips to help you get rid of pantry moths.

• Locate Where Pantry Moths Are Coming From: Pantry moths are great at hiding in tiny spaces, which can make it difficult to find where they are coming from. Inspect the infested are with a flashlight and magnifying glass. Inspect food items and packaging, looking for small holes, and corners, cracks, and underneath shelves. Pour out food and sift through it thoroughly, looking for any sign of living moths or larvae.
• Throw Away Infested Goods: After inspecting your storage area, you’ll want to throw away any infested goods. This will help to remove the source of the infestation. It’s also a good idea to remove any open packages, including open boxes of cereal and rice.
• Thoroughly Clean Your Pantry: Take everything out of your pantry and vacuum the shelves to get rid of adult moths, larvae, and cocoons. With hot, soapy water, wipe down your pantry shelves. You can also use a mixture of warm water and white vinegar to kill eggs. Peppermint oil can also be mixed to help prevent future pantry moth infestations.
• Wash Food Containers: You’ll also need to wash your food containers. Wash and dry the inside and outside of the containers, even if they don’t look like they are infested. This will help to remove any hidden eggs too.
• Take Out the Trash: After disposing of infested food, you’ll want to seal the trash bag tight and discard it outside in a sealed bin. Clean your trash can after taking out the trash. If you’re using a garbage disposal, keep hot water running and run the disposal for a full minute or two, then add just a few drops of liquid dish soap along with some ice cubes to get the blades nice and clean.
• Don’t Restock Right Away: Wait at least a week before you start replacing stored food in your pantry. As with most pests, once the food supply goes away, pantry moths will go elsewhere.

How to Prevent Pantry Moths

Pantry moths, like other pests, can be prevented by eliminating conditions that attract them to your home. Check out how to prevent pantry moths.

• Keep Things Clean: Wipe down your cans and bottles when you bring them home from the grocery store. You can use a disinfectant wipe or soapy washcloth. You’ll also want to wipe down your pantry shelves or cabinets.
• Freeze Your Items: To ensure your food doesn’t have any bugs hiding in it, you can free it. Freezing dried goods in a tightly sealed plastic bag for a few days can help to kill any pantry pests in it. This will stop an infestation before it has time to start.
• Use Proper Storage: Storing your flours, grains, nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, candy, cereals, and other pantry items in air-tight storage containers will help to prevent infestations. The larvae won’t be able to chew their way into the jars, and if the items are infested, the larvae won’t be able to exit the container.
• Use Bay Leaves: Bay leaves are not only great for adding flavor to your food, they can also act as a repellent to pantry moths. Scatter a handful onto your pantry shelves or keep them in shallow, open containers.

Having pantry moths invading your kitchen can be worrisome. Removing the infested items and using pantry moth traps can help to keep these pests away. If you’re dealing with a pest problem, we have your back! Check out our Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective™ Pest Control products.