Aside from the groceries you just purchased, do you know what else may be in your grocery bag? Sometimes your fruit or shelf food purchases could come with more than you had bargained for. Pests such as fruit flies and pantry pests have a way of making it home with your groceries if you are not extra observant on your shopping trips. To avoid bringing an infestation into your home from your local Minnesota grocery store, this Minneapolis pest control company encourages you to read on to learn just what may be in your grocery bag. The produce section has a plentiful display of all of our favorite fruits and vegetables. But with fruit often comes those pesky fruit flies. In order avoid bringing any flies home from the grocery store, you want to inspect your produce very carefully. Since fruit flies are more attracted to decomposing fruit, try to buy your produce before it has ripened, which will reduce the risk of a fruit fly infestation. Keep in mind, fruit flies do come in from the outdoors and find your fruit bowl more often than riding home from the grocery store, but it’s still good to be aware of which bunch of bananas you select. Another common pest from the grocery store is the pantry pest, also known as stored product pests. A few of the common pantry pests are the Indian meal moth and the saw-toothed grain beetle. These pests have usually found their way into packaged food such as cereals, flour, pastas, spices and even dog food before these products even reach the store shelves. While you are at the store, inspect your stored food products for any signs of a damaged package. Any small opening is enough for a pantry pest to squeeze in and leave their eggs as a surprise for you at home. Another good idea is to try to buy food items with smaller packaging. If you do not need the bulk size, it’s best to purchase the smaller package so the food is not sitting as long on your shelf. Once at home you can also seal your shelf foods in containers with tight fitting lids to help keep out any pests. So on your next shopping trip, try to be aware of everything that is going into your grocery bags. Grocery store pests can be avoided just by taking a closer look at your common food purchases. If you do find that your food pantry or cabinets are infested with flies, pantry pests, spiders or any other pests, be sure to contact the professionals right away at Plunkett’s Pest Control. Leave the hard work to the experts who know residential pest control in Brainerd, Davenport, Duluth and our other service areas.
