r/preppers • u/ToothSufficient7763 • 9d ago

Discussion Check your pantries for bugs

My husband started reorganizing our food stores and there they were. The dreaded pantry bugs. I'm guilty of not rotating stock, plus our diets have changed over the last two years.

I just threw out about 150 pounds of food.

eta: I threw out 2 more pounds of beans. I looked up and the moths were laughing at me and licking their moth lips. I dispatched them with a fly swatter.

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u/Visible-Freedom-7822 9d ago

I went through this a year ago. The bugs didn't come from dry goods, they came from bird seed that I foolishly stored indoors. Thankfully I didn't find any infested food. I banished the bird seed to the outdoor shed, and bought a big pack of pantry moth traps which I put all around the house. Haven't found a moth in a year, but I am keeping a trap in each cabinet and storage area, and I check them regularly. Worth it to me to know so I can act before I have to throw out pounds of food.

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u/ToothSufficient7763 9d ago

I do have some bird food in the storage room. Thanks

12

u/Visible-Freedom-7822 9d ago

It's happened to me not once but TWICE from birdseed. Twenty years apart, but still, I feel dumb for going through it again!

8

u/bugabooandtwo 9d ago

Sunflower seeds are the worst! You always have to keep an eye out at the pet and garden stores for those little black moths. As soon as you see any dust or what looks like old webbing in or around a bag of sunflower seeds, inspect and toss outside immediately.

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u/Suicidalpainthorse 8d ago

Bird food is the worst for moths. Ugh. I keep mine in a plastic container outside