Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Do you think that plastic or metal (steel?) airtight bins would be better? Any particular type of airtight bin (brand or lid type?) you recommend?
Probably doesn't matter as long as it IS airtight. I have a set of screw top plastic buckets of various sizes I've used to store bulk dry animal feed/seeds. Never got bugs using them.
Luckily, I do not have flour or cereal or crackers or pasta; my grain products are dog kibble and treats. I'll have to check and see if there is any rice left on the shelf. Do grain beetles go for boxes of powdered cocoa (Swiss Miss?) - that's not grain?
This is good information, thanks.
Inspect the packets for holes or any sign of beetles, larvae, eggs. If in doubt, toss them.
Once you get them, it is a battle to get rid of them. They can come in any grain you buy, rice, flour, the dog food, etc.
The airtight and freezer are what works.
Freeze all the grains you have now. The dog food might be a challenge, best bet is probably to throw it all out and start fresh.
Everything they like (The flour, rice, dog food, cereal,pasta, crackers) all in air tight containers afterwards. Make sure they have a seal/gasket.
We use the Chef's Path ones. Had a couple come in defective, but they are great at replacing and customer service. Lots of options on sizes, here is a sample.
The pest control company can't do much, because they are living in some of your grains.
I'm thinking of getting two or three of the 12.75 qt. Iris USA pet storage airtight containers from Amazon. I hope they are truly airtight. Could some of the smaller Chef's Path airtight containers do for dog treat containers or rice containers? Did you opt for the Iris USA pet storage containers because of the attachable wheels in the larger size or other reasons (my dog food storage containers need to be on the countertops or refrigerator top, so there will be no wheels)?
I'm thinking of getting two or three of the 12.75 qt. Iris USA pet storage airtight containers from Amazon. I hope they are truly airtight. Could some of the smaller Chef's Path airtight containers do for dog treat containers or rice containers? Did you opt for the Iris USA pet storage containers because of the attachable wheels in the larger size or other reasons (my dog food storage containers need to be on the countertops or refrigerator top, so there will be no wheels)?
I got the Iris ones because they were airtight and got good reviews. I'm sure there other good options out there, I just don't have experience with them.
The Chef's path containers are smaller than you might first think due to the the pictures. The smallest size probably fits a 1 or 2 of the individual chip bags you see at the convenience store, so not big enough for a bag of rice or so and only good for small treats, you probably need to go to go a size or two bigger.
I ordered the small Chef's Path 4-piece set (2.46 QT/ 11.83 cups/ 0.74 gallons) to hold my dog's treats; and the Iris airtight container that holds up to 10 lbs. for his kibble; since I order one 8-1b. bag at a time. Most of my dog's treats are small; if the bigger ones can't be contained in the airtight Chef's Canisters, I can always order another Iris airtight container; since I am going to dispose of my old metal and plastic food and treat canisters. I will also throw out all my dog's old treats and kibble (as soon as I get new treats and kibble, which will be kept in the trunk of my car, a few hundred feet away from my kitchen and bought at different times, since I'm not sure whether the original source of the grain beetles isn't Chewy.com., where I get the kibble.
I would get the kibble from a different source; but Chewy.com is the only place I can get the prescription kibble (Hills k/d) in an 8 lb. bag. I would find it difficult to store a 17 lb. bag (the next size up, which my vet's pharmacy has) in my apartment).
I don't know about dog biscuits but flour beetles are usually IN the flour when you buy it. My flour is kept in an airtight container and refrigerated or put in an air tight canister on the sink. But I found flour beetles in it recently. They had to have come with it in the bag.
I keep all my rice, bulgur. flour in ziplocks in the fridge. In the vegetable bin.
Years ago we had an infestation of some little bug in our pantry, and my mother was told to keep all that stuff in
the fridge.
I keep all my rice, bulgur. flour in ziplocks in the fridge. In the vegetable bin.
Years ago we had an infestation of some little bug in our pantry, and my mother was told to keep all that stuff in
the fridge.
I even keep my pasta in the bin.
The one box of rice that I have is on a shelf that is too high for me to reach at the moment. I have help coming on Tuesday and we'll get it down and ziploc it or throw it out. I don't keep any bulgur or flour. If I get any new rice, I'll keep it in the fridge.
What about baking soda, I wonder? I have a couple of unopened packages on the shelves...
Are you sure the grain beetles didn't wander into your other food sources?
Once in the home, they will be on the hunt for even more varieties of foods and places to lay eggs. While they enjoy grains, grain beetles will eat just about anything - from furniture to clothing fabric and wallpaper.
They could be even in unopened food packages. Put them into ziplock bags and observe if there is in/out of te box/bags activities.
Friend of mine was infested ( they were inside rice box but wandered into other foods in her pantry) and she had to get rid of all loose food in her pantry.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
