Pantry pest control that finds the source first

Almost always Indian meal moths. The adults flutter around kitchens in the evening, but the damage is done by their larvae, which spin webbing in flour, cereal, rice, nuts, dried fruit, spices and especially pet food and birdseed.

Most arrive already inside a product from the store or warehouse, as eggs too small to see. Once established, larvae chew through thin paper, cardboard and plastic bags, which is why one infested box can spread through a whole cabinet.

No product goes on food or food-contact surfaces, and spraying would not reach larvae inside packages anyway. The fix is finding and removing the infested source, cleaning the shelves and cracks, then using targeted crack-and-crevice treatment and pheromone monitoring where appropriate.

Only what is infested or cannot be confirmed clean. Unopened cans and glass jars are fine. Dry goods in paper or thin plastic get checked; anything with webbing, larvae or tiny beetles goes. Freezing questionable items for several days kills eggs and larvae in many dry goods.

Store dry goods, pet food and birdseed in sealed glass, metal or heavy plastic containers, buy smaller amounts you use quickly, and wipe up spills in the back corners of shelves. Pheromone traps left in the pantry give early warning if a new infested product comes home.

Indian meal moth larvae wander away from the food source to pupate, crawling up walls and into ceiling corners, closets and even neighboring rooms, so moths and cocoons turn up far from the kitchen. The source is still a food product somewhere; a bag of birdseed in the garage, dog food in a hall closet or a decorative arrangement of dried corn or flowers are common culprits. The inspection checks the whole house for those secondary sources, not just the pantry.