Can you eat food that has pantry moths?

Pantry moths, also known as Indian Meal Moths, are the most common moth to infest food in North American homes. So will pantry moths or their larvae, eggs and webbing make you sick if you accidentally eat them? The experts say no. So, if you ingest them, don’t panic.

What happens if you eat pantry moths?

Basically, nothing will happen if you eat pantry moth larvae in food or in the flour. When one ingests the larvae, there would be no effect on the physical state. The most common caterpillar ingested is the cereal moth larvae or the Indian meal moth larvae.

What foods do pantry moths get into?

They attack a wide range of products, including cereal, grains, beans, nuts, flour, dried fruit, birdseed, dry animal food, spices, chocolate, and candies. Indian meal moth is the most common pantry moth, but properly identifying your pest will help you target your efforts.

Why do I have moths in my food pantry?

What attracts pantry moths is the presence of open food containers in which they can lay their eggs. If food isn’t regularly disturbed and moved around, the flying pantry moth may go unnoticed enabling effective breeding, eggs developing into pantry moth pupa or larvae and on to their adult flying form.

How do I get rid of moths in my food pantry?

How to Get Rid of Pantry Moths

STEP 1: Empty the pantry and inspect its contents. Empty out the affected area—completely.
STEP 2: Dispose of non-airtight containers.
STEP 3: Vacuum the area, then clean with a vinegar-and-water solution.
STEP 4: Don’t re-stock the pantry right way!

How do I get rid of moths in my pantry?

Can pantry bugs get into sealed packages?

Pantry pests are most likely to infest products that have been opened but they also can get into unopened paper, thin cardboard, and plastic, foil or cellophane-wrapped packages. They may chew their way into packages or crawl in through folds and seams.

Do pantry moths eat paper?

Since pantry moth larvae can eat through paper or plastic, any food that’s not in a can or jar is a potential food source and breeding ground for them. This includes dry goods that haven’t even been opened.

What causes Pantry moths?

Pantry moths mainly cause contamination damage to infested foods. They leave various by-products in the food containers, including cocoons, webbing, excrement, dead bodies and skins. As the pantry moths feed on the food materials and move around, they spin silken threads that cause food particles to stick together in webs.

Are Pantry moths harmful?

Pantry moths aren’t known for spreading disease, but they can contaminate food in the home kitchen or pantry which is unsettling to see and expensive to replace. In food processing facilities, their webbing can cause major damage to machinery. Preventing household pests is easier than cleaning up after an infestation.

What kills pantry moth eggs?

Moth-infested clothing can be placed inside a freezer to kill moth eggs and larvae. Pantry moths can be killed with glue traps placed strategically inside pantries or cabinets. Regular vacuuming also helps kill moths because it gets rid of their food sources.

Do Pantry moths eat sugar?

Pantry moths almost inevitably seem to be in our grains, flour, nuts and seeds, but also go after foods with high sugar content like dried fruits, candies, cereals, cocoa powder and icing sugar. If you have pets, watch out for their food as well.