Pantry Pests &Perceived Threats -

Bees, Wasps & Others

David J. Shetlar, Ph.D.The “BugDoc”

The Ohio State University, OARDC & OSU Extension

Columbus, OH

© July, 2002, D.J. Shetlar, all rights reserved

Beetles (& weevils) Moths Mites

Stored Products Pests(=Pantry Pests)

Beetle Pantry Pests(by food type)

Internal Feeders Weevils

Grain borer

External Feeders Cigarette & Drugstore beetles

Scavengers Grain & flour beetles

Secondary Feeders

(old/moldy foods)

Mealworms

Spider beetles

Bean weevils

Cigarette beetles

Sawtooth Grain

beetles

Indian meal moth (dried fruits, processed grains, bird seed, dry pet food)

Mediterranean flour moth (processed grains)

Almond Moth (processed grains)

Angoumois grain moth (whole grains - often in farm granaries)

Moth Pantry Pests

Indian Meal moth

Beetle, Moth & Mite Pantry Pest Management

Monitor (visual inspection, pheromone traps)

Sanitation (destroy infested materials)

Exclusion (store foods in tightly sealed containers, in freezer if possible)

Freeze or heat infested products (150°F for 20 minutes or 0°F for four days)

Fumigate (large food stores only!)

Fiber, Skin & Paper Pests

Carpet Beetles(black carpet beetle, furniture carpet beetle, carpet beetle)

Clothes Moths(webbing clothes moth, casemaking clothes moth, carpet moth)

Silverfish & Firebrat(silverfish, firebrat, fourlined silverfish)

Common carpet beetle

Black carpet beetle

Webbing clothes moth

Silverfish

Fourlined silverfish

Fiber, Skin & Paper Pest Management

Monitor (visual inspection, identify species, ONLY natural fibers at risk)

Exclusion (store woolens & furs in tightly sealed containers, in freezer if possible)

Repell (“moth crystals” = paradichloro-benzene not recommended)

Freeze or heat infested products (150°F for 20 minutes or 0°F for four days; may damage furs)

Fumigate (professionals only!)

Nuisance & Filth Flies

House Fly

Blow Flies

Flesh Flies

Fruit Flies

Moth Flies (drain fly)

Cluster Fly

Phorid Flies

House fly Stable fly

Fruit fly

Cluster fly

Nuisance & Filth Fly Pest Management

Monitor (identify species involved)

Sanitation (destroy attractants – food & breeding materials; remove pet feces)

Exclusion (store foods in tightly sealed containers; seal trash & garbage)

Exclusion (seal buildings – window screens, door sweeps)

Traps (sticky traps, light traps)

Pesticides (surface residuals, aerosols – last resort! Use on exterior in severe cases.)

Occasional Invaders

Spiders

Earwigs

Millipedes, centipedes, sowbugs

Bugs (pine leaffooted, boxelder)

Asian multicolored lady beetle

Clover mite

Brown recluse spider (=fiddleback)

Black Widow spider

Shore earwig

European earwig with eggs

Millipede (Diplopoda)

Centipede (Chilopoda)

Sowbug/pillbug (Isopoda)

Occasional Invader Management

Monitor (identify species involved, find outside sources)

Modify Landscape (reduce foundation plantings, organic mulches, aphid & scale prone plants)

Exclusion (caulk & seal doors & windows; fix screens & door sweeps)

Mechanical Destruction! Pesticides (“scheduled” parameter & baseboard sprays not recommended!)

Stinging Insects

Social Wasps & Hornets(yellowjackets, baldfaced hornet, Polistes, etc.)

Solitary Wasps & Bees(carpenter bee, cicada killer, muddaubers, etc.)

Honey Bees & Bumble Bees(“killer bees” not expected in Ohio!)

Ants(Fire ants not expected in Ohio!)

Yellowjacket

Baldfaced Hornet

Polistes Wasp = Umbrella Wasp

Carpenter Bee

Cicada Killer

Digger Wasp (feeds on horse flies!)

Ground Wasps (feed on caterpillars!)

Muddauber nest(feed on spiders!

Honey bee swarming

Bumble bee

Stinging Insect Management

Monitor (identify species involved; find nesting site)

Modify Landscape (reduce ground covers, thick mulch layers, maintain turf)

Exclusion (caulk & seal access to all voids; fix screens; tightly seal garbage & dumpsters)

Mechanical Removal (professionals only!)

Pesticides (“Wasp & Hornet” sprays – prefer professional use!)

Education (notify residents of offensive materials – musk oils & strong perfumes/deodorants, body odor, patterned clothing)

http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/~ohioline/index.html

Come visit the BugDoc at:

http://bugs.osu.edu