Eric D. Ronning
Director
Modified on January 6, 2017

I am pleased and honored to be the one to tell you that yes, you have eaten weevils. I know its a disgusting thought (or an invigorating one, no judgement), but theres really nothing to be done about it. Most people are never even aware that it has happened. It might have simply been their eggs. It could, however, have been little bits of exoskeleton, maybe a leg or two, or possibly even the entire nasty weevil . . . or at least its larvae. With something as common as weevils, its pretty much unavoidable. They can be found in nearly any prepackaged food you buy that contains any sort of grain. Im talkin cookies, crackers, biscuits, cake mixes, pastas, breakfast cereals, anything. This is due to the fact that weevils lay their eggs in, you guessed it, grains.

The two most common types of pantry weevils are the granary weevil (Sitophilus granarius) and the rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae). They are often referred to as snout weevils. These little pantry pests are actually beetles; very small beetles that rarely get any larger than of an inch. Female weevils use their little snouts to drill holes in the casings of grains, such as wheat, oats, rye, rice, corn, barley, and various seeds and beans. Once the hole is drilled, she deposits an egg and seals the hole back up with a gelatinous glue-like substance that she creates all by her little self. The egg hatches after a few days, and the larvae uses its surroundings as a lunch box for about the next month. For this reason, it can be difficult to detect an infestation. Not only is it slow to start but the larvae are in hiding. Once grain weevils (a.k.a. flour weevils) or rice weevils present themselves, youve got a problem. A single female can lay up to 400 eggs, which means up to 400 more hungry bugs lookin for a snack. If youve experienced something like this, youll need to know how to control and get rid of weevils.

Best Natural Weevil Control Methods

Bay leaves on a little branch. Bay leaves are a natural weevil deterrent. After freezing or heating your grains, drop a bay leaf or two into the storage container on top of the food product you want protected. You may also wish to randomly scatter a few leaves around the cupboard or pantry.

Cloves are another natural deterrent for weevils. Treat your grains with cloves the same way you would with bay leaves. After treating your food with hot or cold, drop a clove on top of it before storing. Scatter a couple around the cupboards and pantry too. Hell, go crazy and try a couple of each.

Book of Matchbooks. Sounds odd, I know, but I read this suggestion in a number of places. Take a plain old matchbook, open it up, and set it in with your grains or pastas. Apparently the sulfur smell from the matches acts as a weevil deterrent.