Small bug problem ... (Full Version)

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ladioffaith -> Small bug problem ... (4/9/2008 11:34:56 AM)

By that, I mean those little tiny mealy bugs.

They are not in my flour or sugar (keep it sealed with Tupperware) but they are all over my counter and in my sink every morning. I just cleaned the counter with windex and I KNOW they'l be back!

Do ant remedies work on getting rid of these buggers too?



Kerryannism -> RE: Small bug problem ... (4/9/2008 1:33:55 PM)

I had a problem with them about 10 years ago. My landlord at the time told me how I got them (buying food infested with them) and how to get rid of them (throw out all dry food and thoroughly clean counters, cabinets, floors) ALL the cracks. It worked. I think you may have something in your kitchen infested with them - it is usually flour, rice, cereal - something dry - so they keep coming back!

I have since seen remedies for these pests at hardware stores, etc. I am not sure how they work. You may want to check into those.



ladioffaith -> RE: Small bug problem ... (4/9/2008 4:56:45 PM)

I'd agree except that I have noticed none of them IN my food and keep all the dry goods sealed in Tupperware for that reason ... Roomie is not as vigilant but it's strange that I found them on the other side of the kitchen from where most of the dry goods are kept. I cleaned out the toaster and hope to have eliminated a source of them.



pumpkin -> RE: Small bug problem ... (4/9/2008 5:54:23 PM)

Diane, are they weevils or some other bug?

Weevils will not go away unless the food sources are totally gone. We had a problem with them about a year and a half ago. They seemed to be everywhere, and yet no where where they should be. Everything was in containers that they "should" like, and these are air/water tight containers. So no bugs can get in. I eventually found where they were living/breeding, and had the bug guy here to help me figure out what they were. He told me he could spray, but that they likely wouldn't die from what he was spraying. He told me to take absolutely every grain that they could possibly eat, and put it in an airtight container, and if anything had even one of them in it, to throw it away. Also, to vacuum everything. I took out drawers, and vacuumed behind them and everything. It turned out, in our case, that they were feasting on some forgotten nuts. When I found them (I am SO not a bug person) I cringed and ran away... and had a sick feeling. David had to take out the offensive items from the drawer, and clean the drawer. STILL, 2 months later, when all of EVERYTHING had been cleaned, vacuumed, sprayed, you name it and I probably did it... we had weevils. They just would not die. The bug guy encouraged me to just keep on trying, and to just wait it out, and keep everything spotless... it worked. I've not had another weevil since then. That was enough for a lifetime!



ladioffaith -> RE: Small bug problem ... (4/9/2008 8:25:19 PM)

I'm not sure what they are, exactly. I just know they are smaller than ants! A quick google search of them indicates that may be what they are.

We DO keep some cereal on that side of the kitchen (above the fridge) but that is the only thing I know of on that side that is not in an airtight container. Most of the grains except for pasta is on the other side of the kitchen. I'm big into Tupperware because of problems with these bugs in the past ... roomie not so much. But there IS a container of Buisquick on the other side of the kitchen that I havent' checked out yet. If they were there, it seems I'd find them crawling on the floor or counter over there, not by the sink.

I opened the kitchen window for the first time last week and wonder if something came in the house.

Only problem with vaccuming is that my sweeper does not have a hose on it ... looks like I'll have to borrow one if I see them lurking about tomorrow.



pumpkin -> RE: Small bug problem ... (4/10/2008 8:39:06 AM)

Diane, the bug guy here also told me that sometimes they are not brought in inside the package of grain, flour, cereal, etc... sometimes they are in the box, because apparently they like the glue used to seal boxes. So, even if they are not in the bags, etc.. check the boxes to be sure they aren't in them. Oh, and basically if you see a couple apart from the group... those are the foragers searching for food. They don't have to be near the food.. they are searching for more food. When you find the food source, you will know.

Also, I remember you have pets... check their food.



ladioffaith -> RE: Small bug problem ... (4/15/2008 12:21:01 AM)

Well, I found where they were hiding ... a long, long, long forgotten thing of bread crumbs that was in the cupboard. [:'(]

I cleaned the cupboard thoroughly, ditched a bunch of expired meds and napkins in open containers, sprayed it all down with Fantastic .. and still found some crawling around later. Have no idea where they could have been hiding except in plain sight ... since I didn't clean both halves of the cupboard at once.

Do we need to find some airtight container for the bread? That is the only potential food source in that part of the kitchen. They've left it alone ... until we took away the crumbs.

They'd have to get on top of the fridge to get to any cereal or stuff. Although at this point I would not put it past them.



agapetos -> RE: Small bug problem ... (4/15/2008 5:49:31 AM)

I'd be inclined to get air-tight boxes for any food stuff in the kitchen until you're sure you've got rid of the problem ~ they could be hiding behind and under cupboards. I'm like pumpkin though in that if I found bugs, I'd freak ~ and throw everything that they could eat out, regardless of whether it had them in it or not.



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