We haven’t talked much about pests that infest our food! So we thought we’d take a minute and tell you a little about the rice weevil. (Yes, weevils are still around!)
When you buy a bag of rice (or cereal, or any whole grain, and even pasta) from the grocery store, do you check it carefully before you just heave it in your pantry or cabinet? Probably not.
This little critter is actually a member of the beetle family, and they are very, very small. An adult is about 3.5 mm (or approx 1/8 inch). They bore a very small hole in a grain of rice (for example), lay a single egg, and the larvae develops inside the grain. So it’s possible you wouldn’t see an adult in the bag at all, but the tell-tale would be the little holes in the grain. Look carefully!
What should you do? If you’ve just brought home an infested bag of rice, whole grains, cereal or pasta, seal it in a zip-type bag and return it to the store. The store will be very interested to know so they can call their pest control professional. If you’ve already had the product for a while, seal it in a zip bag and *throw it away*! Then check all your other whole grain and cereal products in your pantry.
Finally, vacuum your pantry or cabinet thoroughly and call us! We are trained to treat the interior of your home, even in food storage areas, and you won’t be seeing weevils again! And you won’t be bringing them home again either, because now you know!
Gold Miner Pest Control and Wildlife Management, serving Auburn, Grass Valley, Rocklin, Roseville, Lincoln, Colfax, Meadow Vista, Nevada City and all of Placer and Nevada Counties.
Auburn number: 530-878-8786. Colfax number: 530-346-8379