Pancake Day is nearly upon us, with all the excitement of what topping to choose for your Shrove Tuesday pancakes, however as you reach into the back of the cupboard, to pull out that extra bag of flour. The one you thought was lurking beyond the tin of baked beans and the half eaten jar of honey, beware…
…Rentokil warns, you could find some very unpleasant surprises in the back of your food cupboard, and not just in the flour. Insects such as the Confused Flour Beetle feed happily on flour and cereals, laying eggs in the food. Their whitish-yellow larvae then pupate in the foodstuffs, while Flour Mites like warm, moist undisturbed corners to multiply. Indian Meal Moths however, will feed on grains, dried fruits and nut debris at the back of your cupboards.
The good news is there are simple measures that you can take to help avoid these stored food pests:
1) Don’t keep foodstuffs beyond the ‘use by’ date.
2) Keep grains and cereals in air-tight plastic containers, instead of the original paper packaging.
3) Rotate food stored in cupboards, placing newer purchases behind existing items to ensure things don’t get pushed to the back of the cupboard and forgotten.
4) Regularly clean cupboards to remove any flour dust, food debris or residues that will attract pests.
5) Ensure areas of food storage are dry and well ventilated.
If you are concerned you have a problem, seek professional advice.
For more information about Rentokil services call the national service team on 0800 917 1984.
About Rentokil Pest Control http://www.rentokil.co.uk
Rentokil offers comprehensive pest control services in 40 countries and supplies Rentokil branded pest control products to industry. The highly regarded Rentokil European Technical Centre continues to introduce leading innovations and effective solutions for pest control with specific emphasis placed on health, safety and protection of the environment. It is one of the market leaders in commercial pest control worldwide.
