In this article you will learn how to get rid of bugs in cereals and in the kitchen cabinet using folk remedies, as well as store-bought ones. We will also tell you what types of bugs exist, where they can live and what kind of control there is on them.

What to do if a place of residence of bugs is discovered?

If you find a breeding ground for beetles somewhere - throw away the product. This is the best way, because even if you sift, there will be larvae in it, which will still turn into bugs. And then they will move on and occupy new territories.

We draw your attention to the fact that it is better to throw it away directly onto the street. Leave them in a trash can overnight - they will still scatter and at least one will be saved. And where there is one, there are, count, a hundred, in just a couple of weeks.

There is no need to flush it down the toilet, after all, this is a product, somehow it’s not according to Feng Shui. It’s better to take it to the trash container and the people who feed homeless animals will take the cereal.

Most common places

Don’t think that bugs only love tasty things: cereals and sugar.

These are such omnivorous creatures that you can find them anywhere, even in packages (sealed!) with mustard plasters.

And also in spices, including red pepper.

And since they feel great in such a place, you yourself understand that folk remedies, which include something burning in their composition, will not help you. But, more on that later, for now let’s identify the most likely places of their deployment, since we need to act quickly and surely.

Carefully inspect all bags of cereals. Start looking for nasties in open packages, that’s where they get in most often. If there are a lot of them there, then you can be sure that they have already managed to penetrate into closed ones, you just can’t see them yet, because the holes they gnaw are very small.

Inspect all dry provisions, as they can be not only in cereals, but also in flour, pasta, and sugar.

Maybe they don’t like salt, but look anyway, it won’t hurt. Maybe you have some special salt-eating bugs? It’s better to be on the safe side in this matter, because as soon as you leave their “nest” somewhere, you won’t even have time to blink an eye before they fill the kitchen again.

Beans are the best "house". Why exactly the bugs love her so much is not very clear, but the fact remains. If beans are not stored in the freezer, but simply in a jar or bag, then sooner or later they will have to be eaten by beetles.

Most likely, it is in the beans that some special bugs appear, the larvae of which were already in it before, they just “sleep” until a certain moment. And as soon as they get into the heat, they immediately begin to turn into bugs, which leave dark, large spots and holes on the grains.

Beans are the most vulnerable, so make it a rule to keep them in the freezer.

This is the most ideal storage location. After freezing, the quality of the grain does not change at all and it can even be planted; it germinates perfectly.

Sort through spices and medicines. As we already wrote above, bugs simply adore mustard plasters. Although it’s bitter, it’s still some kind of torment. So, look, are they there? And also open the packages of patches, tablets and wipe the cabinet itself well. Maybe they will crawl out when you start rustling in the box. And spices - peppers, seasonings, all kinds of herbs. They could be anywhere!

Tea, coffee, dried fruits- they are also loved. Usually, it is precisely these things that housewives forget most often. They are practically invisible in the bank. They only float up when you pour the drink. This is a very disgusting sight! Therefore, look, otherwise, the hour is uneven, you will embarrass yourself by pouring tea for a guest.

Pay attention to the boxes with vegetables. Imagine, bugs even love onions. There are many posts on forums online where women say that pests have appeared even there. At the same time, the onion deteriorates and becomes soft. Therefore, do not be lazy and inspect all the vegetables.

Look behind furniture walls and into crevices. Bugs are different. Some are cereal, and some are furniture. They are not particularly interested in provisions, but they are great at cruising around the kitchen, making crap and ruining the mood with their appearance.

They thrive in kitchen cabinets, feeding on crumbs. Except kitchen furniture, open the drawers in other rooms. If there are already a lot of them, then they could easily spread throughout the apartment.

Check the window sills. The kitchen window sill is especially vulnerable. Housewives often use it as an additional workplace. Therefore, there may be all sorts of tiny things in the cracks, behind which bugs will stick. And there they will make a “den” for themselves.

Take a good look at the floor. They can also have a great time there. Especially if your floors are wooden and have many small cracks. They are not so easy to spot on the floor. Here you need to either etch them with steam or wipe them with bleach. Then they jump out, and you will already know where to chase them from.

Get scared of everything household appliances . Surprisingly, bugs even occupy equipment. They can be found in mixers, meat grinders and even irons.

One woman on the forum wrote that she found bugs when she started ironing her blouse. Turn on the steam and they will fall out... Brrr...

So, don't forget to take a look. It will be very disappointing if you start making minced meat and there are bugs in it.

How do they get into the house?

You buy bugs. They don't start on their own and don't fly off the street. Typically, insects come with loose cereals, which are cheaper than packaged ones.

But they can also be in sealed packaging.
Therefore, watch what you take. Although, to be fair, usually “sold” are larvae that cannot be seen.

The best way to deal with bugs in the kitchen

So, how to get bugs out of cereals in the kitchen? There is nothing better than good old Dichlorvos.

The disgusting thing is, of course, rare, but it kills bugs on the spot. But before you treat the surfaces, find a place where you can then sit for at least half a day so that it can air out.

The procedure in this case is as follows:

1. 1. Go through everything you can and take it outside (or another room)
2. 2. Wipe cabinets, floors, baseboards with a damp cloth
3. 3. Wash dishes and jars for cereals and pour boiling water over them (to kill the larvae)
4. 4. Treat everything with Dichlorvos (necessarily wearing a mask and glasses) and retreat to visit someone

No, if you have extra funds, then you can call so as not to breathe in the chemicals yourself. But, if we talk about efficiency, then there is no difference: you carry out the treatment yourself or pay people, no matter what they say, that it is unrealistic to eradicate it at home.

More humane ways (for pensioners)

Here we are not talking about humanity towards bugs, but about humanity to provisions, and therefore to pensioners. Still, if you don’t have enough money, throwing away the cereal is simply the height of madness.

Therefore, you can use this method of struggle:

1. Step 1. Sift the cereal through a fine sieve and sort thoroughly.
2. Step 2. Then bake it in the oven or put the bags in the freezer for 3-4 days.
3. Step 3: Try to use this grain as quickly as possible.
4. Step 4. Still treat the cabinets, floor and other surfaces. If you can’t use chemicals, then at least wipe it with vinegar, pour boiling water over the cracks, or you can use laundry soap (rub it and make a soap solution). You can also make a solution of boric acid.
5. Step 5. Be sure to wash the dishes, as there may be larvae there.

After you put the grains back in the box, you can place “traps” there. Pour into caps sunflower oil and the remaining bugs will certainly taste this treat. And they will drown in it, and you will simply fly out this oil and that’s it.

Then, you can place bay leaves and garlic in the cabinets. We don’t guarantee that this is very effective and will help remove the bugs forever, but it calms the soul.

How to prevent a new invasion?

There's no way you can prevent this. Little depends on cleanliness, but rather on attentiveness.

The only thing we can advise is to keep cereals in hermetically sealed glass jars, specially designed for storing bulk products.

Although this is not a panacea, at least then they won’t scatter to other places.

Also, be sure to close the packages with spices, even with regular paper clips.

In general, there is only one prevention: just try not to buy anything for future use. It’s probably not 1917, and you can go to the store at any time. It is better to buy less and a little more expensive than a lot, cheaply, but send half to feed the yard dogs.

What store-bought insect repellents are there?

We have already written what works best and what exactly can remove bugs. But, in addition to such means, there are also all sorts of traps, for example, pheromones. You can buy a couple and place them for prevention purposes and to attract those individuals that have survived the main treatment.

Using only traps is unwise and expensive. They do not act as quickly as we would like, judging by the reviews on the Internet. And as long as there are bugs in the kitchen, the cereal will become unusable.

Types of bugs

And finally, let us tell you what pests there are and what they are called. Perhaps you can identify them from the photo and then it will be easier to choose chemicals in the store if there are bugs.

	The Surinamese mucoed is light-colored, with long horns.
	Bread grinder - small brown bugs, the most common type. They are also called the Pharmacy Beetle and the Kozheed.
	Flour beetle - looks like a real beetle, with horns, but very small.
	Red mukoeater - how to deal with them is written above. It is just as difficult to remove these bugs as any other.
	Rice weevils look like ants from afar.

A separate case. The tips given above will not always help; you will have to buy products that hang in the kitchen, because these are flying insects.

What else can be said in conclusion? Now you know exactly how to get rid of bugs in the kitchen. We can only wish you one thing - that our advice will come in handy for a very long time!

March 7, 2018
Specialization: master in the construction of plasterboard structures, finishing works and styling floor coverings. Installation of door and window units, finishing of facades, installation of electrical, plumbing and heating - I can give detailed advice on all types of work.

Bugs in cereals and other products in the kitchen are an unpleasant surprise that causes a lot of problems for housewives. In the article we will figure out how to solve this problem with minimal time and effort and how to carry out prevention to prevent the appearance of bugs in the future.

How to get rid of bugs in cereals in the kitchen cupboard

To understand the topic in detail, we will divide it into several parts; you need to carefully study all the information below in order to understand what and how to do. Everything is quite simple, the main thing is to follow safety measures and do everything carefully.

Causes of pests

• Cereals, flour and other products are stored in loosely closed containers. Many people simply place open packages on shelves and use them as needed. That is, insects have free access to all your supplies, and if several insects get into the kitchen, they will multiply very quickly in such conditions;

• Old, dry furniture. Despite its non-obviousness, this aspect greatly increases the likelihood that bugs will appear in the cabinet, since they live and multiply in the cracks of dried wood and in old furniture are being created ideal conditions. To eliminate such problems, repair and replace furniture on time;

• Large stocks of cereals, flour and other products. You shouldn’t stock up on everything for the year ahead; the more products you have stored, the higher the likelihood that one of the packages contains beetle larvae, which will damage not only the contents of one package, but over time will penetrate the contents of other packages. All the savings turn into additional costs when you have to throw away half of the supplies;

• Purchase of cereals by pests. Most often, it is very difficult to distinguish between eggs and larvae; however, carefully inspect the packages and try to buy those packages in which the contents are at least partially visible. If appearance is suspicious or you see foreign inclusions, then it is better to refuse the purchase. Sometimes the bugs are visible to the naked eye, as in the photo below, which is why transparent bags are preferable;

• Clutter in the lockers. If cereals and flour spill on the shelves and cleaning is not carried out for a long time, then the danger of pests increases sharply. You need to clean the cabinets in a timely manner and try to prevent spillage of bulk products.

Remember that pests feed not only on flour and cereals. Other products must also be protected: pasta, cookies and crackers, bakery products, various nuts, dried fruits, food concentrates.

Types of bugs in the kitchen

Most often, one of the following types of pests appears in the kitchen:

Illustration	Description
	Mukoed Surinamese. Small bugs with a body size of no more than 2 mm prefer cereals and quickly breed in most bulk products that are stored in the kitchen. The bug is bred in grain drying complexes and elevators, and enters the house in bags of semolina, pasta or rice. The tiny eggs laid by the pest cannot be distinguished with the naked eye, so it is impossible to completely guarantee safety when purchasing. The red flour beetle, as this bug is also called, feeds not only on cereals, but also on breadcrumbs, dried fruits, dried fruits and much more.
	Flour beetle. These pests are much easier to detect as their size reaches 4 mm. They live in cereal bags, bread bins and crevices in kitchen cabinets. It feeds on almost all bulk foods and multiplies very quickly if no measures are taken to eliminate it.
	Grinder beetle. Grows up to 3 mm and has different colors- from dark yellow to brown. In the kitchen there is a so-called bread grinder, which feeds on any cereals, dried fruits, and baked goods. It multiplies very actively and can occupy your cabinets in just a week.
	food moth. A relative of the pest that infests wardrobes. Lepidoptera insect small size causes great damage to all bulk products in the kitchen. Moreover, the main problems are caused not by small moths, but by their larvae - voracious caterpillars.

Folk remedies for getting rid of bugs in the kitchen

Remember a simple rule - the sooner after detection you begin to fight pests, the easier the job will be. You need to complete whole line important actions:

Illustration	Description
	An audit of all available bulk products is carried out. Carefully remove the contents from the cabinets and carefully review all products that may contain pests. It is important not to miss a single package, since a good effect can only be guaranteed if all insects are completely eliminated.
	Damage caused to products is assessed. There may be several options for the development of events: If there are few bugs, you can sift the food and steam it or freeze it in the freezer; If there is a significant spread of insects, as in the photo, it is better to get rid of all affected products.
	Getting rid of pests is done like this:: All bulk products with insects are hermetically packed in plastic bags; They should not be placed in the trash bin; all products should be placed in the container immediately. It’s better to play it safe and throw away all suspicious products; you won’t lose a lot of money, but you will significantly reduce the likelihood reappearance pests
	Cabinets need to be thoroughly cleaned and washed.. For this we use the simplest disinfectant solution, which is easy to prepare: 1 tablespoon per liter of water. All surfaces are wiped with the composition, after which you need to wait until all the cabinets are completely dry. If there are cracks inside, they should be filled with a special compound, since these are the places where pests most often live.
	All products must be poured into sealed containers. It can be glass jars or special plastic containers. There should be no bags, as these are potential places for pests to spread.
	Baits are prepared and placed with boric acid or borax. They are located near cabinets, on window sills and countertops. The composition is poured onto pieces of cardboard or into can lids. It is important that the products are closed, as indicated above, so that pests do not enter them after they have tasted the bait.
	Folk remedies are used to repel pests: Pyrethrum is a special type of chamomile, the smell of which is not tolerated by pests; Cloves also repel insects and can be placed in kitchen cabinets; Bay leaves can be placed near cereals; insects do not like its smell either; Peeled garlic cloves reduce the likelihood that pests will appear again.

Let's figure out how to prepare bait, everything is quite simple:

Powdered sugar is the second component of our composition

• Preparation is simple: the components are mixed in a 1:1 ratio. After this, a little of the composition is poured into the lids, which are placed near the places where the pests were found. You can also place baits in the corners of the kitchen, since it is possible that insects have scattered around the room.

Prevention of bugs

In order not to think about how to remove pests from kitchen cabinets, you need to follow a few simple recommendations:

• Buy cereals only in transparent bags. More often visual inspection gives an idea of ​​the quality of the cereal; if there are a lot of impurities in the packaging, then most likely the product has not been processed thoroughly enough. At the slightest suspicion, refuse to purchase. Ideally, if you know which manufacturers' products have high quality and you constantly acquire only it;

Very often, pest larvae are found in cheap cereals that are offered for sale.

• All bulk items, as well as flour, pasta, dried fruits, etc. store in airtight containers. After purchase, unpack the packaging and pour it into a container, then immediately close it tightly with a lid. Ideally, if the jars are transparent, then you will be able to see the condition of the products and immediately notice any problems if they arise;

• Do not store large amounts of flour and cereals. At room temperature they begin to rot, which is why the likelihood of bugs and moths appearing increases tenfold. In addition, large volumes are difficult to control and most often the problem is discovered only when it is impossible to save the products, and your savings turn into large costs;
• Do not buy bulk products in large packages. The likelihood that a ten or twenty kilogram bag contains pest larvae is many times higher than in small packs. In addition, it is unlikely that you will have enough containers to hermetically pack the entire volume. And even if all the food in the kitchen is stored properly, an open bag will be a potential hazard;
• Maintain order in lockers. Done at least once a month spring-cleaning with removing all the contents and wiping the walls with a disinfectant composition. Never put spilled cereals or flour in the cupboard; clean it up immediately and the likelihood of insects appearing will decrease significantly. Try to arrange the products so that they are all visible and can be visually inspected from time to time;
• Fix problems with furniture. It was already written above that cracks in wood are ideal for pests, and they live and reproduce there. Fix all problems not only in cabinets, but also on window sills and other elements.

Conclusion

Now you know about all the main pests that appear in the kitchen and can effectively deal with them. But it is better to carry out timely prevention so as not to solve such problems. The video provides additional information on the topic, and if you suddenly do not understand something, write questions in the comments.

March 7, 2018

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How to get rid of bugs in flour and cereals? This question worries many housewives, because household pests can appear in any home! We know how to deal with this scourge, and we will be happy to share this knowledge with you!

The following pests can appear in the kitchen:

• Bread borer - small (length - 3 mm) light brown insects. They are attracted to book bindings, crushed grain mixtures, coffee, dried herbs, tea, animal feed and dried bakery products (crackers, crackers, cookies, biscuits). The bread grinder flies well - it can fly into a window, guided by the light. But most often, bugs enter the house along with store-bought food and animal feed;

• Weevils are small dark brown or black bugs with a long proboscis. At favorable conditions They produce offspring up to 6 times a year. Most often they can be seen in packages with buckwheat, pasta, rice, flour and legumes;

• Flour bug– a small insect (length – 4 mm) with a red-brown body. These pests are brought into the house along with flour and starch. The flour bug easily penetrates into any container. They happily live in all types of flour, buckwheat, rice, semolina, dried fruits, and rolled oats. These insects reproduce incredibly quickly. Eggs are laid not only in food, but also in the crevices of furniture, as well as in home textiles. Hatched individuals are able to crawl throughout the house in search of food;

• Food moth - the adult resembles a gray butterfly with a body 10 mm long. The reason for its appearance is inadequate processing and storage. food products. Moths can also fly into the kitchen through open windows. Most often it settles in packages of tea, pasta, cocoa and dried fruits. Infected products are covered with a thin cobweb, yellow worms appear in them;

• Red flour beetles are miniature bugs (length - 2.5 mm), the source of infection of which is low-quality grain food for pets. It is a frequent inhabitant of bakeries, mills, and factories. They like to eat grains, cereals and spoiled flour with a moisture content of more than 15%. Unable to find suitable food, the red mucous eater dies.

These photos will help you recognize these bugs.

Attention! In case of severe bug infestation the nutritional value products is reduced to zero. Together with insects, bacteria settle in them, which can lead to allergies and food poisoning.

How to kill kitchen bugs

Method 1. Hot processing

To get rid of bugs and larvae in the cereal, you need to fry it in the oven - the insects will die immediately

Method 2. Freezing

Freezing food for 24 hours will also help kill the bugs.

Method 3. Soaking

The easiest way to remove bugs is from beans and peas. They need to be filled with salt water for half an hour. As soon as the insects float to the surface, the liquid is drained and the fruits are thoroughly dried on a dry and clean towel.

Method 4. Light warming

With flour the situation is a little different. Experts recommend sifting it through a special sieve with very fine holes, and then heating it in an oven set at 50 degrees.

How to remove insects from kitchen furniture?

If there are bugs not only in food, but also in furniture in the kitchen, you need to urgently take measures that will allow you to get rid of not only adult individuals, but also larvae and clutches of eggs.

Step 1. Empty all cabinets of boxes and bags of cereals.

Step 3. Wipe the surfaces with water and vinegar (1 tbsp per 1 liter of water).

Step 4. All holes and cracks must be filled with boiling water.

Step 5. Wash jars for storing flour and cereals with soap and rinse with very hot water.

Step 6. Wash textile bags in saline solution and dry without rinsing. After this treatment, the bugs will no longer be able to lay eggs.

Step 7. Pyrethrum (Persian chamomile powder), a natural insecticide that allows you to fight household pests without harming your body, will also help remove insects. own health. It is scattered inside cabinets or poured into fabric bags. Repeat treatment once every 1.5 weeks.

Step 8. You can use bait to lure kitchen bugs out of secluded crevices. There are several recipes for their preparation.

Recipe 1. Mix powdered sugar, borax and fine grains. Place a small amount of the mixture on sheets of paper and place them around the kitchen.

Recipe 2. Combine powdered sugar with borax and millet, crushed in a coffee grinder (take everything in equal quantities). Roll small balls, dry them slightly and place them in cabinets.

Recipe 3. Mix sugar, borax and dry yeast. Pour the composition onto pieces of paper and place on the shelf.

Step 9 By the best means from food moths are lavender and wormwood. You can use both the plant itself and essential oil. In the first case, small bouquets are made from fresh or dried branches, in the second - essential oil soak a piece of cotton wool. Anti-bug esters also include basil, geranium, cloves, fir and rosemary.

Step 10. Most beetles are afraid of sunlight. When you come home from the store, pour the cereal into glass jars without lids and place them on the windowsill.

To prevent pests from appearing in the future, take care of the following prevention measures:

• Regularly wash the inside of cabinets and all kitchen utensils;
• It is best to use airtight containers to store food. These can be tightly tied linen bags, glass jars or metal boxes;

Glass jars with tight lids are an ideal place to store cereals, as bugs do not like light

• Do not forget to periodically check stocks of flour products, starch, cereals and flour for the presence of pests;
• Kitchen pests can't stand it strong aromas. Scatter garlic, lemon peels, nutmeg, red pepper pods, bay leaves or walnuts;
• Place only purchased cereals in a freezer or warm in the oven. Under the influence of temperatures, eggs and larvae die;

• Dried fruits and nuts should be stored on refrigerator shelves;
• Ventilate the kitchen regularly - most insects cannot stand fresh air;
• If you notice bugs, eggs or larvae in the cereals you purchased, throw your purchase in the trash. Refuse products at a reduced cost - they are fraught with potential danger;
• Cover the ventilation with a fine mesh;
• How to store flour to prevent bugs from getting in? Place a few cloves of garlic in the bag. They do not affect the taste of flour in any way;

• Scientists have proven that kitchen pests are afraid of metal. Place a teaspoon, a couple of nails or a piece of foil in the jar.

Is it possible to eat foods that have insects in them?

Is it possible to use flour with bugs? We repeat once again - products can only be used if there is minor contamination. In all other cases, it is better to throw them away - such food will not benefit your body!

Takes ~3 minutes to read

Cereal dishes are among the most popular in the daily diet. Many housewives prefer to purchase cereals in large quantities in order to always be ready to prepare this or that dish. But such thriftiness can backfire if insects take up residence in the reserves. If bugs appear in the cereal, how to get rid of them will be a matter of first importance. How to deal with uninvited guests, and what to do to prevent their appearance?

What bugs are found in food?

First of all, it’s worth figuring out exactly what insects can live in cereals. This will make it much easier to choose methods of struggle and assess the danger.

Among the most common “inhabitants” of cereal bags are:

• Suriname mucoed - beetles are light-colored and have long horns.
• Bread borer is one of the most common pests, small brown bugs.
• Flour beetles are beetles with horns and a shell, but very small in size.
• Red mucoed - they differ from the Surinamese mucoed by their red tint.
• Rice weevils - from a distance they can be mistaken for ants.

Food moths can also settle in cereals. In this case, it is important to consider that she not only crawls in her rump, but can also fly around the kitchen.

How do insects get into cereals?

Most often, beetles appear in an apartment already with cereals. When you buy low-quality cereal, either loose or already packaged, insects or their eggs may already be there. If you buy cheap cereals from unreliable manufacturers, the risk of infection becomes much higher. To be sure that pests will not appear in your kitchen, it is better to give preference to well-known brands that value their reputation. Such products undergo repeated testing, and the conditions of their production exclude contamination.

Insects can also enter the kitchen along with dried fruits. If you buy them by weight at stalls or markets, you may receive a product with an additional weight in the form of bugs. They are especially common in goods from Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The same applies to spices and other bulk goods offered by weight.

Effective methods of control

If flour bugs appear, how to get rid of them is important for all housewives. Most effective method to destroy any insects - this is “Dichlorvos”. Not the most harmless and safe to use, but it kills any insects with a 100% guarantee. But before processing, it is important to consider that the product will evaporate from the apartment for a couple of days, and during this time you will have to live somewhere else.

The procedure for poisoning beetles with Dichlorvos is as follows:

• All things that can be accurately checked for the absence of bugs are inspected and removed from the premises.
• Wipe cabinets, floors, baseboards.
• Throw away all the cereals, wash the containers under them, as well as all the dishes.
• Put on funds personal protection and treat the kitchen with Dichlorvos.

After the poison has disappeared, it is important to wash all surfaces in the kitchen thoroughly and ventilate the room. Returning to the apartment earlier than 12 hours after treatment can be dangerous.

If you don’t have the opportunity to move somewhere or are afraid to use toxic substances in the kitchen, there are less drastic ways to get rid of bugs in flour and cereals. Also, these methods are suitable for those who do not want to part with their reserves and lose money.

How to get rid of pests if there are bugs in the cereal? In this case, you must proceed as follows:

• Sort all the grains and sift using a fine sieve.
• Place bags of cereal in the freezer for several days or pour the cereal onto baking sheets and bake in the oven.
• Use cereals as soon as possible, and when purchasing new ones, avoid contact with them to avoid infection.
• The floor, cabinets, baseboards and other surfaces in the kitchen must be treated. If you don't want to use strong chemicals, you can use a solution acetic acid, laundry soap, hot water. You can also dilute boric acid in water.
• It is very important to wash all the dishes thoroughly - bugs may remain in the cracks.

Once everything is in place, you can make traps for the bugs in case there are any left. Pour into bottle or jar caps vegetable oil and pour out the remains of the bugs you found. This will attract their relatives, and the oil with the insects drowned in it can simply be poured down the drain.

You can also place garlic and bay leaves on the shelves. Both of these plants repel bugs, although they are not 100% guaranteed.

How to prevent a new invasion?

Nothing can guarantee 100% protection of your home from the return of beetles. Even if the photo of the kitchen is sparklingly clean, it will not be a hindrance to bugs. Unlike cockroaches, these insects do not require dirt for normal functioning. The most important thing is attentiveness. The quality of purchased products should be approached with caution.

You should also pay attention to the jars in which you store cereals. It is best to choose glass jars with tight-fitting lids for this. Special jars can be purchased at the store. They will not help prevent infection, but they will prevent them from getting into other products. Bags and other packages containing spices should be secured with clothespins or paper clips.

It is recommended not to make too large purchases if you are not sure that you will have enough food until your next payday. It is better to save money to buy food, rather than the food itself. Fortunately, stores are open every day and we are not yet threatened with shortages. It is better to buy a few decent quality products than to buy huge bags of cheap food and throw away half because of pests.

Preventive treatment of bulk food products

Cereal processing is one of the the best ways prevent the appearance of bugs. To protect your kitchen, you can use heating or cooling. Bugs die at temperatures below minus 16 degrees or plus 50 degrees. To do this, you can put buckwheat or rice in the oven for half an hour. Spread it on the baking sheet in an even layer. Or put a bag of oatmeal or semolina in the freezer.

After this, the cereal is placed in a dry package, preferably tightly closed, but with ventilation. To ensure safety, dried fruits can be scalded with boiling water and dried. If bugs are found in any products, throw them away immediately.

Tara

Cereals are stored in a variety of containers - in polyethylene bags, metal boxes, glass or plastic jars, fabric bags. If the packaging is done correctly and has holes for ventilation, then it is not necessary to pour the cereal somewhere. An additional advantage is the reusable zipper on the bag.

Metal and glass containers can only be selected if they are equipped with a tight lid. Insects can enter the container through the gap between the wall and the lid. Cereal bags can be used by first boiling them in salt water.

Pest mixtures

Strong chemical substances- Not the best choice How to get rid of brown bugs in the kitchen, so it is better to give preference to simple and proven means.

Has a good effect against insects boric acid. It can be mixed with powdered sugar and flour. Insects will be attracted to flour and sweets, and boric acid will get rid of the problem.

Another common recipe is a mixture of sugar with yeast and borax. An equal amount of ingredients is ground until smooth and laid out on the shelves of the cabinets.

Previously, cereals were often stored in large bags, so there are a lot folk recipes recommending what to do if there are bugs in the cereal. Garlic cloves can be placed on shelves with cereals. You can’t cut it - it can start to rot and spoil the food. As the garlic dries, replace it with fresh one.

Prevention from pests and musty smell - hot peppers. You can also put a mixture of starch, salt, flour and bay leaf. Chestnuts and the zest of any citrus fruits will help remove food moths and midges.

Plastic or glass jars can be wrapped in foil - bugs do not like metal containers, so the risk of cereal contamination will be lower in such packaging.

Small brown, black or white bugs in the kitchen are very easy to start - we can bring them from the store along with a pack of oatmeal, rice, flour, biscuits or dried fruits. A product infested with larvae in the warmth of kitchen cabinets quickly becomes a source of insect spread to all other products. And if you don’t remove them in time, you will soon be able to find pests even in empty pots, and then even on walls and curtains. In this material you will find photos of the most common types of bugs (namely the Suriname flour beetle, bread borer, flour beetle and weevil), as well as instructions on how to deal with them and what to do to avoid recurrence.

4 steps to get rid of pests

Step 1: Inspect and discard any contaminated food

Identifying all outbreaks and potentially contaminated products, and most importantly, getting rid of them - required condition successful control of insects in the kitchen.

• The outbreak can be anything - not only cereals and flour, but also nuts, spices, cookies, animal food, fishing bait, dried flowers.
• If you see a beetle somewhere on a shelf, apron, facade or tabletop, then most likely the hearth is located somewhere very close, but... not necessarily.
• Check also unpacked products; beetles can easily chew through cardboard, foil and cellophane.
• It is necessary to inspect products for the presence of pests not only from above, but also throughout their entire depth. So, for example, some bugs in cereals (for example, bread grinders) can “live” at the very bottom.

Keep in mind that if at least one insect is found in the product, this means that it is infested with larvae and must be disposed of. However, if you wish, you can clean the grains from adult individuals by thoroughly sifting and sorting it out, and then do everything described in the next step.

Step 2: Treat Foods That Do Not Look Contaminated

It is clear that the product in which insects have settled must be thrown away. But what if bugs were not found in flour or cereal? However, it is best and easiest to get rid of supplies, because everything that was in one kitchen cabinet with an outbreak, may already be infected. However, you can save food in the following ways:

• Pour the cereal/flour onto a baking sheet and place it in an oven preheated to 50 degrees for 40-60 minutes.
• Place food on the balcony (in winter time) for 3-4 days or “freeze” in the freezer for 3-4 days.

Step 3: Clean shelves and jars

Now you should thoroughly clean the empty kitchen cabinet and its surroundings, turning Special attention on cracks and corners.

• Use a vacuum cleaner to suck up bugs, their larvae, and excrement hiding in the cracks. After this procedure, the vacuum cleaner bag should be thrown away or, after emptying it, “frozen” for 3-4 days to prevent re-infection.
• Do not use washing powders, bleach, ammonia or chlorine-containing cleaners. They will have no effect on kitchen pests.
• Don’t forget to wash and treat the container in which the spoiled cereal was stored with cold or heat.

Vacuuming should be enough to remove all traces of bugs, but it is also recommended to wipe down the shelf with a laundry soap, and then vinegar diluted in water.

Step 4. Protect products from re-infection

As a precaution against re-infection, you should:

• Store cereals, flour, pasta, cookies, dried fruits, spices and pet food, etc. in tightly closed glass, metal or heavy plastic jars/containers. This will prevent not only insects from getting into the container, but also their escape and spread.

• Another reliable way food storage - in the refrigerator or freezer.

To enhance the protection of products from bugs, place the following in a jar or container on top of cereal or any other product:

• A couple of cloves of garlic, peeled (no need to cut off the top of the garlic);
• Bay leaf;
• A couple of pieces of mint chewing gum;
• Nail or steel wire. Keep in mind that they cannot be washed, otherwise the metal will rust and spoil the food. Dry cleaning with a cloth will be sufficient.

By the way, all these “repellents” can be placed on shelves.

And a little more about prevention

The following tips may be helpful:

• Buy food in small quantities so that you can use it in no more than 2-4 months. Try not to store food longer than this period.
• Use products from older (or opened) packages that were previously freshly purchased/closed.
• When purchasing packaged foods, check the integrity of the packaging and, if possible, the presence of insects.
• Remember that cardboard, foil, paper or plastic bags will not prevent insects from breeding.
• Keep food storage areas clean and do not allow crumbs or food particles to accumulate, as stale food will attract insects. Cleanliness is especially important in animal feed storage areas.

If bugs appear in the kitchen again, check other rooms in the apartment for breeding sites and repeat the described steps. If your pest problem persists, seek help from a home pest control professional.

Meeting the enemy in person

And now we invite you to get to know the inhabitants of your kitchen better. Here we have collected photos of the 4 most common types of bugs and links to articles from Wikipedia about their characteristics and favorite food.

Below is a photo of the Suriname Mucoeda ( Latin name mucoeda: Oryzaephilus surinamensis). It is difficult to confuse the Surinamese mucous eater with anyone else due to its saw-toothed body.

Next is a photo of the Flour Beetle or Flour Beetle (Latin name: Tenebrio molitor). By the way, mealworms are the larvae of the mealworm.

The next photo shows the Bread Grinder, Carpet Beetle or Pharmacy Beetle in the company of their own kind (Latin name for the borer: Stegobium paniceum).

And finally, a photo rice weevils or elephants.