Household Pests Invite Themselves

This is not an article to read while sipping coffee and munching bagles. Today we’re going to peek into the world of household insects - those unnoticed critters that live quite contentedly indoors, feeding on our clothing and food.

A few years back I came face-to-face with a herd of carpet beetles that systematically wiped out a shadow box filled with dried corn, noodles, sunflower seeds and beans. Today there are only lingering reminders of what was - a few hollowed out bean shells and a pile of fine corn dust. A few empty larval skeletons cling to the side of the box, a subtle reminder that the grubs got their fill, pupated and moved on.

There are several kinds of storedfood insects - beetles, moths and weevils. They all thrive on flour, opened spices, cereals and dried foods.

Flour beetles are small, reddish brown fellows. They, along with their black-headed, yellow or white larvae, search out (as you might guess) flour and cereal products. If you have such products that have been around for a while, inspect them carefully before using them. There is nothing more unappetizing than a few tiny worms frolicking in the pancake batter.

Saw-toothed grain beetles also search out flour and cereal products. They are flat, thin, dark brown creatures with saw-tooth projections along each side of their body, just behind the head. Their larvae are yellowish with brown markings.

Two of the more common flour and meal moths are the Indian meal moth and the Mediterranean flour moth. The white or pinkish larvae spin webs throughout the food. It may go unnoticed, but the thought of it is quite disgusting.

If you spot these critters lingering about the pantry, try to locate the infestation. Throw out food that has been infested and wash down the cupboards with warm, soapy water. After the shelves have dried, spray them, especially in the corners, with pyrethrin.

A few of the fellows that compete for our clothing are silverfish, firebrats, clothing moths and carpet beetles. Silverfish and firebrats are tapered, scaly, fast-moving, wingless insects. They come complete with two long antennae on their heads and three on their tails. Silverfish are shiny and silver gray while firebrats are mottled tan. Silverfish like warm, damp areas but will travel just about anywhere. Firebrats enjoy the comforts of a warm furnace or warm water pipes. Both of these creepy-crawlers feed at night on wallpaper, bookbindings and starched clothing.

Only the larvae of the clothing moth chew into garments. They dine on wool, silk, hair, fur and feathers. If you spot fluttering little adult moths coming out of your closet, you can be sure their offspring are nearby devouring your boa.

The darlings of the material shredding entourage are the carpet beetles. The larvae are bristly, little oval-shaped brown or black creatures. They feed on carpets, clothing, feathers and an assortment of foods. If times are lean, they can survive easily on hair, lint and other materials that accumulate in corners, cracks or other forgotten areas. In other words, they aren’t particular. They’ll even eat fertilizer made from animal waste or the carcasses of dead insects.

The best way to combat these critters is with the vacuum cleaner. Don’t let dust accumulate around baseboards, on drapes or under furniture, especially under the refrigerator.

These roving little house invaders are a part of the natural order of life. If we store food properly and eat it within a reasonable time, infestations should not be a problem. If clothing is kept clean and stored properly, again, infestation should not be a problem. For the leery: Keep a friendly spider or two about the house. They’ll feast on the feasters.

, DataTimes