Pantry Pests: How They Get In, What They Are, and How to Get Rid of Them
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
You open your pantry looking for a snack… and something tiny flies out of a cereal box. Or you notice small beetles crawling inside a bag of rice. Or worse, you spot tiny larvae stuck to the corners of food packaging. That’s when it hits you: You’ve got pantry pests.
Pantry pests are extremely common in Rialto, Fontana, and surrounding Southern California homes, especially when temperatures are warm or when food sits in storage for too long. They spread quickly, hide easily, and contaminate anything they touch.
Let’s break down what pantry pests are, how they get in, which species you might be dealing with, and the best way to get rid of them before they take over your shelves.
How Pantry Pests Get Into Your Home
Most pantry pests don’t sneak in from outside. They arrive inside your groceries. Yes… they come prepackaged.
Infestations often start in:
Rice
Flour
Pasta
Cereal
Bird seed
Pet food
Spices
Dried beans
Nuts
These products sometimes already contain eggs or larvae before you buy them. Once they sit in your warm pantry, the pests hatch, feed, and spread to everything nearby.
You may also bring them in through bulk foods, online food orders, or older items stored in the garage.
Common Pantry Pests You’ll See
Here are the main culprits inside Southern California homes:
1. Indian Meal Moths
These are the little flying moths you see fluttering near your pantry or kitchen lights. Their larvae spin silk webbing inside food bags, leaving behind crumbs, droppings, and a mess.
2. Cigarette Beetles
Cigarette beetles are tiny, tan-colored beetles that infest:
Spices
Tobacco
Pet food
Dried herbs
Pasta
Flour
They chew tiny holes in packaging and leave behind fine dust. They’re especially common in homes with stored spices or old pantry items.
3. Drugstore Beetles
Drugstore beetles look similar to cigarette beetles but infest an even wider range of foods.
They target:
Grains
Flour
Spices
Dry mixes
Prescription pills
Dry pet food
They get their name because they were once common pests in old drugstores. Now, they show up in modern kitchens and pantries just as easily.
Both cigarette beetles and drugstore beetles are persistent, able to chew through cardboard, plastic, and even foil to get to food.
When You’ll Notice Them
Pantry pests are active all year in Southern California because our winters are mild. You’re most likely to see them when:
You open a food container.
You notice small moths flying around the kitchen.
You find tiny beetles near shelves or on countertops.
You see larvae crawling on pantry walls or packaging.
If you see one, there are usually many more hiding nearby.
Why You Don’t Want Them in Your Home
Pantry pests aren’t dangerous to your health, but they destroy food and create a major sanitation problem.
They:
Contaminate groceries
Lay eggs inside food products
Chew through packaging
Spread quickly to new items
Cause you to throw away expensive food
Once they get into one bag or box, they almost always spread to others.
How to Get Rid of Pantry Pests
Getting rid of pantry pests takes more than spraying. You have to eliminate food sources and stop the life cycle.
Here’s what works:
Empty the pantry completely.
Throw away any infested food. (If in doubt, toss it out.)
Vacuum shelves, cracks, and corners.
Wash surfaces with warm, soapy water.
Store all new food in airtight containers.
Use pheromone traps for moths.
Schedule a professional pantry pest treatment to eliminate hidden larvae and eggs inside cracks, crevices, and wall voids.
Cigarette beetles and drugstore beetles are especially stubborn, so DIY rarely gets the entire infestation.
Professional Pantry Pest Control in Rialto and Fontana
At TruPest Solutions, we deal with pantry pests every single week. We know where they hide, how they spread, and how to eliminate them at every stage — from egg to adult.
Our pantry pest service includes:
Full inspection of kitchen and pantry
Treatment for pantry moths, cigarette beetles, and drugstore beetles
Crack and crevice applications where pests lay eggs
Guidance on how to store food and prevent reinfestation
Follow-up support to ensure the problem stays gone
If you’re seeing moths, beetles, larvae, or webbing in your pantry, the problem will only grow.
Call 951-334-5288 or visit TruPestSolutions.com to schedule your pantry pest inspection today. We’ll help you reclaim your kitchen — clean, safe, and pest-free.
