Comments | hammercock: alt.grainmoths.die.die.die

hammercock

alt.grainmoths.die.die.die

Feb 24, 2009 01:50

So, after coming home this evening to find 9-count-'em-NINE wormy things on the ceiling and then seeing more a little while ago, I lost my shit and started really digging into the cabinet that seems most affected. I threw away most of what was in there (including a bunch of dry pasta, because it was so old), kept what wasn't compromised, and put ( Read more... )

cleaning

Comments 16

deguspice February 24 2009, 07:07:21 UTC

Yikes!

Have you also tried grain moth traps to kill the moths?

hammercock February 24 2009, 16:40:30 UTC

Yes, we have, and it's caught a number of them, but it can't possibly keep up with all of them.

tisiphone February 24 2009, 12:51:09 UTC

I went through this for months this summer. Check your spices! Get up there with the vacuum and vacuum the cracks between the cupboard and the wall, that's where they lay their eggs (vacuum is also good for removing the fucking larvae from the ceiling! AGH!) Also, they make really awesome pantry pest traps that work like a charm, they're called Safer pantry pest traps and they're about $7 for 2. I'd recommend one per cupboard for now, when things return to normal levels of occasional bugness you can go to just one or two for the kitchen though. Be warned - the net effect of these is a sticky box full of dead moths.

hammercock February 24 2009, 16:58:25 UTC

*nod* We don't keep the spices in the same area as the infested cabinet, and most of them are in glass jars, but it's a good idea for us to check them anyway.

We have a sticky pheromone trap that's caught a bunch of moths so far, but it just couldn't keep up as long as there was a major hidden source of infestation.

klingonlandlady February 24 2009, 13:07:13 UTC

and if something SEEMS uncontaminated? Put it in the freezer for 3 days anyway. Fuckers.

awfief February 24 2009, 13:09:18 UTC

This. Actually mycroft taught me to freeze things like flour when you first get it, just in case there are eggs in there anyway.

He had a bad experience once with King Arthur flour.

It's very likely that you picked up something nasty from a nice organic shop and now it's living forever.... :(

awfief February 24 2009, 13:13:05 UTC

Also, wash all your appliances, even/especially a toaster.

hammercock February 24 2009, 16:58:52 UTC

Hmm. Good point, time to empty the crumb tray.

quezz February 24 2009, 13:27:24 UTC

There is a grain moth killer that's all natural that Whole Foods has, or at least used to. I found that helpful in addition to throwing things out and ziplocking them.

goddessfarmer February 24 2009, 14:10:27 UTC

If you really want to get rid of them here is the process: 1. remove, inspect, freeze, seal-up-tight ALL usually non-refrigerator items, everywhere in the house. (Canned goods are exempt)
2.Vacuum the entire house, top to bottom, under, over, in and through.
3. disinfect with either chlorine bleach or hydrogen peroxide (sometimes sold as chlorine-free bleach) by wiping down every, and I mean EVERY, surface, nook, crannie, cupboard, drawer again over, under, in and through.

I know that sounds extreme. But it is the ONLY way to be really sure. Oh, and then, do it again in a month.

After - make sure you keep everything not just in baggies (moths larvae can chew through them) but in things like mason jars if you are going to keep it more than 2 weeks after opening the factory packaging. Tupperware does not seal well enough. Do you really want to know how I know this????

intuition_ist February 24 2009, 23:45:07 UTC

*nod*

bleach, especially. that was my first thought.