The last thing you want to have to deal with is getting infested with granary weevils. In order to make sure that this does not happen, or in order to know how to deal with it in case it does happen, you first need to know what a granary weevil is, how they invade, how to prevent them from invading and how to get rid of them if they do invade.
Let’s start with what granary weevils are. They are a pest which grows to be about 3-4 mm long. They are dark brown in color and are shiny. Their antennae has 8 segments. They do not have hindwings. They thrive in temperate climates, like Florida. The female weevil lays eggs inside grain kernels. She can lay up to 254 eggs. Depending on the season, the egg will hatch and then live off of the kernel for one to five months. Once the weevil reaches adulthood it comes out of the grain and then looks for a chance to mate.
Like they always say, it is better to prevent any pest from invading than to have to get rid of them after they have invaded. In order to prevent granary weevils from coming into your home, it will be important to inspect thoroughly, all grains when they are purchased. Once your grains are home, make sure to freeze grains for at least a week, in order to kill off any eggs. Also, make sure that you are only buying the amount of grains that your family can consume in a week. Further, the grains that you do buy should be stored in glass, metal or plastic containers that are sealed up nice and tight. It is also important to clean out the shelves, cracks and crevices on a regular basis. It might also help to have bags of black pepper in various places in the pantry. Finally, talk to your termite and pest control specialist to learn how they can help you to prevent weevils from taking over.
Of course, if the granary weevils have already made themselves at home in your pantry, it will be important to get rid of them before they grow anymore in number. Start with the infested foods. Throw the infested foods out. These pests are able to eat through plastic and cardboard, so make sure that you take the time to inspect everything in the pantry. Also, you can take the time to vacuum the pantry shelves and any cracks or crevices you are dealing with. After you vacuum, you can wipe down the shelves with white vinegar.
Once you have thrown out the infested foods and changed your vacuum bags, make sure that you discard of them somewhere that is away from your home. And, of course, if you need to get rid of the weevils, be sure that you call up your pest control services. Make sure that they come and check on your granary weevil problem and come up with a plan for getting rid of them.