You feel that there are small bugs in your kitchen? In this article you will learn how to fight flour beetles.

My grandma always stressed the importance of keeping food in the kitchen airtight to prevent flour beetles from getting in. And she was absolutely right about that! If you want to know how to effectively control flour beetles, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, you’ll find all the important information you need to keep your kitchen flour beetle-free.

Where do flour beetles actually come from?

Flour beetles can enter the kitchen if they are already present in contaminated food that is brought into the pantry. They can also enter from the outside through open windows, doors or other openings. Flour beetle larvae can be found in food packages that are already infested, allowing them to enter the kitchen. It is important to check pantries regularly and dispose of infested food immediately to prevent the spread of flour beetles.

5 Tips to control flour beetles in the kitchen

Flour beetles are a common nuisance in many households. The tiny pests can multiply quickly, contaminating your supplies such as flour, grains and dried foods. If it’s already too late for you and you’ve found a flour beetle or two in your kitchen, here’s how to combat them.

  1. Proper stowage against flour beetles

To avoid flour beetles, you should properly stow your food. Use airtight containers made of glass or plastic to store flour, cereals and other dry foods. Therefore, make sure that the containers are clean and free of holes to prevent re-infestation.

  1. The right storage place

Flour beetles like warm environments, so it is advisable that you store your supplies in a cool place. Therefore, place your food in a cool area or refrigerator to extend the life of the food and decimate the flour beetle population.

  1. Fight flour beetles: thorough cleaning

Start your control efforts by thoroughly cleaning all infested areas. To do this, remove all affected food and thoroughly clean cabinets, shelves and pantries with warm soapy water. Also vacuum all corners and crevices to eliminate any flour beetle larvae.

  1. Pheromone and UV light traps against flour beetles

You can find so-called pheromone traps in drugstores or specialty stores. These work with sex pheromones, which attract male flour beetles. Test: If many beetles accumulate over several days, a larger infestation can be assumed.

UV light traps can also help: The nocturnal flour beetles are attracted to an adhesive surface using UV light. In addition to spreading the infestation, this also allows the sources to be searched for. The trap should also be set up on several consecutive days.

  1. Food in the freezer

You suspect an infestation of flour beetle eggs? Then put the sealed food in your freezer. The reason: flour beetle eggs do not survive sub-zero temperatures. If you store larger quantities of flour at home, you can thaw it in portions for later use and then put it in airtight containers.