If you keep food and starches around, grain weevils will always seek to find their way in.
In answering where weevils come from, these beetle species come from outside and target grains and starches like pasta, rice, flour, etc.
You’ve likely come across these beetles among your grains and wonder where they come from. Well, we’ll help you solve this mystery as we provide you with all the information you seek.
All Weevil Infestations Come From Outside
You may be surprised at the sudden presence of weevils in your home (food) and wonder how they found their way in. Well, there are several ways these beetles could have infested your food.
Whatever the case is, all weevils come from outside.
Weevils will gain entrance in several ways. Some of these include buying tainted food containing weevil eggs. This is about the most common way people get weevil infestation.
The eggs are invincible to the eye and will quickly find their way into homes whenever you purchase such food.
The challenge here arises when you go shopping for food. You’ll need to be extra cautious to ensure that the products you buy have not stayed for long on the shelves.
One of the ways to find out includes checking the date of manufacture and expiration of such grain or starch products.
Doing so gives you a picture of what to buy or avoid. Certain stores may be notorious for selling foods with prolonged shelf life. Avoid such areas and only buy your food from reliable and reputable sources.
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Weevils May Find their Way in Through Gaps and Cracks
A variety of factors attract weevils. The most common here include food.
Apart from grains and starches, weevils also get attracted by gardens and fruit trees. These also serve as potential food sources. When they come around such areas, they naturally want to go further by getting in.
Weevils will gather on the sides of homes and find their way through openings such as gaps and cracks that lead indoors. The problem presented by weevils is that they don’t only feed on food but also contaminate it.
Contamination comes through the casting of skins and feces, all done within your food. This is gross, and urgent action must be taken through preventive measures and discarding contaminated food as soon as you find out.
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Infestations May Worsen
Stored product weevils will move fast and spread within a short time to other food products once they find their way in. Other exposed food products must be inspected and adequately covered in airtight containers to keep out weevils.
On noticing weevil presence, inspecting your pantry and immediately discarding all exposed food thoroughly is best. As stated earlier, weevils might have come in through contaminated or tainted food you purchased in the grocery store.
The longer these food products sit in your pantry, the more likely your weevil problem will worsen. This becomes the source from which newly opened foods get infested.
Therefore, your best bet is to discard all weevil-infested food.
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Structural and Migratory Pests
Not all weevils find their way into your home through food.
Others are known as structural and migratory pests. This refers to weevils that move in great numbers and invade homes.
Your home provides critical shelter and food during the winter until climatic conditions are favorable enough for them to leave in spring.
The timeline for weevil invasion in homes isn’t static. While some invade during the fall, others invade in summer.
Whatever the case is, you don’t want to be caught off-guard. Contacting a reputable pest management service is your best bet for overcoming weevil presence.
Farmers Nightmare
As a farmer, one of the dreaded problems you’d rather avoid is stored product weevil infestation. Notorious weevils are known to cause massive damage to stored products, including cowpea weevils, rice weevils, and granary weevils.
You’ll need to be adequately prepared for such infestations and try as much as possible to prevent them before they break out.
Pest management companies will readily offer helpful tips to keep out weevils from coming in or infesting your stored grain products.
Urgent Action Is Needed
When weevils find their way to your home, they aim to find food and shelter.
As such, the smallest openings will serve as entryways into your home. If you’re lucky enough to find these on your outer or inner walls, you can take immediate action by using a vacuum cleaner.
A vacuum cleaner helps suck in weevils. Having cleared all these insects, ensure you properly dispose of them as far away as possible. Not carefully doing this will only end up creating further problems.
Preventive Measures
Taking precautionary or preventive measures is among the most effective ways of keeping your home free of pantry weevil infestation.
Since infested food is one of the easiest ways of getting an infestation, it’s best to carefully and thoroughly inspect food items before purchasing.
Common signs of weevil in food products include damage signs on food packaging, such as holes.
Avoid all foods with damaged packaging, as these might hold weevils and weevil eggs. These are infestations waiting to happen.
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Seal-Off Cracks and Replace Torn Screens
Before a weevil infestation ever happens, it’s essential to go all out to ensure your home is safe. When weevils come around, they find all possible entryways to gain access to your home.
Therefore, you’ll need to seal off all cracks by caulking. Windows and doors should also be searched for missing caulk.
What more? It’s also necessary to check or inspect vents and replace all torn screens with new ones. This way, weevils are kept in check whenever they come around.
It’s always best to be fully prepared for an infestation than be vulnerable to an attack.
By now, you should have an idea of where weevils come from. We’ve seen that these pests originate from the outdoors and come through contaminated food and other ways highlighted above.
Your best bet is to be prepared beforehand. Prevention is way better than having to manage an existing infestation.