Bugs That Live in Bird Seed or Flour

It can be a startling thing to open a bag of flour or bird seed and find tiny crawling creatures inside. There are a variety of small insects that like to make their home inside of baking ingredients or packaged seeds. Being able to identify these creatures can help you to determine what sort of pests you have and if you have to worry about further infestations.

  1. Flour Beetle

    • The flour beetle comes in two varieties, the flour beetle and the red flour beetle. These beetles are one of the most commonly found insects in flour and other dry ingredients. It is important not to leave open containers in your kitchen, because these beetles will spread quickly.

    Grain Weevils

    • Grain weevils are most commonly found in whole grain that is stored for long periods of time. If you have grain weevils, you will notice signs of erosion on the outside of the grains. Weevils will lay their larvae on the insides of grain kernels, so it is common to find the larvae inside of the hollow grain.

    Sawtoothed Grain Beetle

    • The sawtoothed grain beetle has an appearance similar to the flour beetle, however this pest can be more troublesome. It is capable of getting inside of sealed packages, so not just opened containers are susceptible. Even newly purchased items can have sawtoothed grain beetles already inside.

    Indian Meal Moth

    • An Indian meal moth infestation is usually easy to identify. Grains, seeds or other foods infested with meal moths will often be clumped together with a web-like substance. These moths can be a particular problem because they usually won't stay contained in the food they are reproducing in. They will often infest an entire household if the problem isn't taken care of quickly. If you find moths inside any food item, it is important to get it out of the house and dispose of it immediately.