Here, we show you how to get rid of rice weevils. Dealing with rice bugs can be challenging, especially when you have no idea how to deal with the problem.
Are you worried by the sudden appearance and worsening presence and activity of rice weevils in your house? These are pantry pests that have a preference for rice grains.
How to Get Rid of Rice Bugs
This guide provides tips on dealing with the problem, such as symptoms of rice weevil infestation, how to identify, and how they get into rice.
Other vital points covered include preventing rice weevil infestation and simple techniques for getting rid of rice weevils in the house.
Getting rid of rice weevils in rice is another point covered.
Symptoms of Rice Weevil Infestation
There are tell-tale signs to look out for if you suspect rice weevil infestation or presence in your home. They include tiny brown flying insects, especially around the pantry area.
Other symptoms include silky webbing in stored grains. Besides rice, such silky webbing may also be found in other grains like wheat, corn, rye, barley, and oats.
A musty odor from carcasses and droppings can also identify rice weevil infestation in a home. A close examination of stored rice may also reveal the presence of tiny bugs with dark brown bodies.
What more? Other tell-tale signs of rice weevil presence include droppings, which usually appear as little black dots or powdery substances in rice.
Any or a combination of these symptoms confirms weevil presence and requires urgent action.
What are Rice Weevils?
Part of dealing with rice weevil infestation in a house includes proper identification of the problem. Here, you want to be sure about what you’re dealing with.
In terms of size, rice weevils measure around one-eight of an inch lengthwise. They’re also dark brown with four light-colored patches on their wing covers.
Closely observing the head area will reveal its prolonged nature attached to a thin snout that projects downward. These prolific breeders will feign death when disturbed as they lie still with legs folded close to their bodies.
Observing these features is essential, as other weevil species may be mistaken for rice weevils. Examples include the pea weevil, bean weevil, granary weevil, flour beetle, and maize weevil.
How Rice Weevils Get into Your Home
Now, you may wonder how these weevils came into your home. Rice weevils come from the outdoors. They find your home a suitable shelter, breeding ground as well as a source of food.
Grains that aren’t properly stored or covered are easily infested by these pests. Foods easily targeted include rice, seeds, wheat, rye, grains, nuts, etc.
Besides flying into your home through openings, rice weevils will also hitch a ride in food packages bought in stores. Sometimes, stores may sell weevil-infested grains or food.
This is why you must closely inspect food packages from the store before purchasing. It would be best to look out for rice and other grains sold in transparent packs, as these allow for better inspection.
Preventing Rice Weevil Infestation
You don’t have to wait for rice weevil infestation before taking preventive measures. Adopting proactive measures goes a long way toward lowering the chances of infestation.
The deployment of rice weevil traps serves to keep them at bay. It must be said that these traps aren’t sufficient to offer 100% prevention.
Instead, they lower the likelihood of rice weevils coming into your home.
Also, adjustments need to be made to your shopping habits. When visiting the store to buy grains, thoroughly inspect the package to ensure you aren’t getting infested grains.
You’re better off buying in smaller quantities as rice and other grains stored in bulk are easily infested. Consider using airtight containers to keep your rice, and pay attention to expiry dates.
How to Get Rid of Weevils in Rice
Getting rid of rice weevils in the home can be done in several ways, including thorough vacuuming, disposal of infested items, and sealing cracks & gaps.
You should also consider regular kitchen cleaning, applying diatomaceous earth around infested areas, and applying insecticide outdoors. Let’s briefly discuss some of these as follows;
i. Thorough Vacuuming
Although a simple activity, vacuuming can prove effective in rice weevil control. This control method removes adult weevils, larvae, and their eggs.
It can also be applied as a preventive measure. You can begin by incorporating this procedure into your deep cleaning activities. Here, your store and pantry areas should be targeted.
ii. Disposal of Infested Items
The longer rice weevil-infested items are left unattended, the more challenging it gets to deal with the problem. Plus, the more damage is done.
Disposal of infested items is one of the most common ways to prevent the worsening of an infestation. Any rice or grain kept loosely (not in an airtight container) must be thrown away.
iii. Sealing Cracks & Gaps
Cracks and gaps around your home are openings that rice weevils exploit to get in. No matter how tiny these are, consider that these pests are small and can crawl through.
Caulking and other strategies to keep rice weevils at bay are essential. It must be noted that sealing up cracks & gaps alone without eliminating these pests won’t be enough.
iv. Regular Kitchen Cleanup
How frequently do you clean your kitchen? Regular cleanup is essential. You’ll have to strategize your cleaning approaches.
Deep cleaning is another necessary approach as it extends to areas not usually covered by routine cleanup. This way, you can eliminate rice weevil larvae and eggs and increase your chance of identifying early infestation.
v. Diatomaceous Earth
The sprinkling of diatomaceous earth around your home is one of the ways you can eliminate rice weevils. It’s essential to look for food-grade diatomaceous earth as this is safer to use around your pets and kids.
Does it pose a problem? Not at all. Diatomaceous earth isn’t toxic to humans and pets and will do the job. Here, adult weevils and their larvae are destroyed.
So far, we’ve seen how to get rid of rice weevils in the house. By carefully following the procedures mentioned, these pests won’t have a chance to thrive.
If DIY pest control isn’t your thing, consider calling a pest technician.