Weevils!

Yes yes it is the dreaded pantry pest...Weevils.

So we have discovered some black insects in our house (both dh and i had no idea what they were). Mum proceeded to inform me they were weevils!

So of course i had to go through my pantry and check EVERYTHING, feeling highly disgusted these little vermin found their way into my cupboard!

A couple of weeks ago I had opened some cannoli shells from an Italian bakery we use when we visit Melbourne, and they had been ridden with some form of larvae, so i had to throw the whole lot out. They were a sealed pack though so didn’t think much else of it.

So now i was thinking, maybe this packet infected my other foods?? As i start throwing everything that has been opened and "pegged" shut out, i come across my selection of pasta. This was my shocker.... I had decided to invest in some organic Italian imported pasta figuring, i should reduce my chemicals in pregnancy. The WHOLE packed was invested, but still sealed AND they had bitten their way out. Cue me throwing out ALL pasta that was near it.

The rest of the pantry was clear, and i bleached all my shelves (great i know introduce a worse chemical lol).

Has anyone else had this with sealed packets?? How can i make sure they dont come back? Is there anything i can put in my cupboard to prevent them???


Thanks!!

Tupperware!

You need to store all your dry goods in air tight containers. Make sure when you buy new products, you open them, check them and put them into air tight containers.
Inspect your flour too, that is where mine came from - Woolworths had flour that was almost 12 months past its use-by on the shelf and it was totally festy :o

Mine came from flour too and everything ended up infested. As soon as I buy it now, I open it up and check. Thankfully, they haven't returned.

Clear the weevils out first. They're not harmful to you, and are a main source of protein in some parts of the world. But they are annoying.

Assume that anything you buy has wevil eggs in it. You won't be able to see them, so the best course, especially with flour, semolina, polenta etc, is to store in the freezer for 24 hours after you bring it home.

Next, store everything in airtight containers. Tupperware is best, recycled glass jars are good too. Add a bay leaf or two to every canister, they hate the smell.

Wipe down your shelves with lavender or bergamot oil in a 1:100 water mix. Much safer and nicer smelling then bleach. Do this weekly until they're gone, monthly as maintenance.