What You Should Know About Cigarette Beetles In Frisco
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is a public health organization that is in charge of making sure the food, drinks, and medicine we buy in stores are all safe to consume. In many ways, they do a great job at this. One area where they don’t have much control is with pantry pests. If you have never heard of pantry pests, today we will be talking about one that is known for crawling inside boxes of stored food. Here is what you should know about cigarette beetles in Frisco.
What Are Cigarette Beetles?
The cigarette beetle was named for its habit of invading storages of tobacco, but oddly enough, this beetle does not consume tobacco or other dried food products. It is only this pest’s larvae that need an environment surrounded by packaged food to survive and thrive. When looking for a place to lay eggs, cigarette beetles will look for any way to get into a box of food.
If they find or make an entry point they will then crawl inside and lay anywhere from 10 to 100 eggs. These eggs hatch within a few days and begin munching on the food around them. It is only after they have matured that they will leave their food-filled nest to live on the outside.
Many types of beetles invade homes, like the drugstore beetle and furniture beetles. To tell a cigarette beetle apart from these other common home intruders, here is how to identify this pest:
Size When Fully Grown: 2-3mm
Color: Light brown
Distinguishing Features: Barely visible head and humped appearance
Larvae Color: White
Why Are Cigarette Beetles A Problem
Despite their name, cigarette beetles do not just invade dried tobacco. These pests love laying their eggs in any sort of dried foods including cereal, rice, coffee beans, dried fruits, spices, and so on.
The kicker is that cigarette beetles possess the ability to chew through cardboard boxes to find their way into stored food products. Although these pests do not spread any dangerous diseases, they are still able to contaminate and spoil food.
How To Prevent Cigarette Beetles
Cigarette beetles invade home in more ways than just one. To protect your home and pantries from these food-stealing pests, here are a few great prevention steps to take:
- Thoroughly check dried foods for damage before bringing them home.
- Use a caulking gun to fill in holes, gaps, and cracks around your home.
- Repair damage to your home’s shingles, siding, and chimney.
- Make sure your window/door screens are in good condition.
- Install door sweeps on all exterior doors of your home.
- Fix weatherstripping that is damaged or installed improperly.
- Repackage dried foods into sealable containers.
- Get a professional involved.
When To Call A Professional
A professional pest control provider cannot check every box of food you buy for cigarette beetles. What they can do is help you get rid of a current infestation and set up a lasting defense around your home to keep cigarette beetles from wandering inside in the future.
At Adams Exterminating Company, we take pest problems seriously. Whether you are looking for a fast way to get pantry pests out of your home or looking for a comprehensive general pest control plan for your home, we have your options here.
Reach out to us today through our website or by phone to learn more about our services or to schedule your Frisco home for a pest inspection.