Dealing with recurring pantry pests when I cannot find the source

[KitchenHelpPlease]

Please help, yes I find this horrid....

About a year ago, we had flour weevils. As a result, we were fortunate to have the space to buy a little under counter freezer, so we did that and all our flour etc (and some other bits and pieces!) live there. I also changed various things to glass sealed containers.

Last year I went to bake and saw them in flour, then when I looked at other things in the same cupboard (cocoa, custard powder, other flour etc) you could also see them. I chucked lots out, read up, cleaned stuff down, had kickboards off to hoover and spray, did everything possible. Touch wood, we haven't seen them since and they were confined to one cupboard.

Fast forward to now... and I thought I saw a tiny one on the wall. I started tearing the kitchen apart and ended up finding four separate ones on walls (2x2, like the rhyme!), one in a box with peppermint tea, one in the metal spaghetti canister, and two around the food waste under the sink. These things are TINY, like a spec of dust. I can't see the "dust" weevils leave and apparently the eggs are invisible.

So, same as last time - chucked what I could (but most was sealed although I read they can get into some sealed things), everything being kept e.g. tins went into the sink and covered in boiling water, vacuumed, washed everything down, kickboards off and hoovered and sprayed underneath. Dehumidifier has now been running for 48 hours (it started off as 60 in there and is now in the 40s) as I read that can help.

The issue I have is... I don't know what they are this time. There is not one big source. Everything online says "there will be a source, you'll have forgotten something in the back of your cupboard" and yes, I found a couple of things that weren't sealed fully (cornflakes and porridge oats) that have gone but the fact I can't find a "hub" has really got me. IT GIVES ME THE ICK!!

My worry is without being able to find the source, how do I get rid of them? The spray I am using can only be used in cupboards which doesn't contain food and stays as a surface protector. I've also used it in food cupboards for now and will then wash it down. It feels ironic using a chemical spray given I changed to natural products last year...!

Does anyone have any personal experience please and any suggestions? I've read, I've googled, but given there have been a handful of tiny things on opposite sides of the kitchens and I truly cannot find the source, I am both stumped and disgusted because at the moment I seem to be trying to fight a fire and not put it out at the source. It disgusts me.

I have really struggled to get a photo but attached is the best zoomed in image I currently have. Touch wood I've not seen any today but... I will go back down and sit and look again soon.

Yikes! I have had them in flour a couple of times. I just binned everything that was kept in that cupboard and made an effort to store packets in tupperwares etc.

I don't know what the answer is here other than do the same. Throw out everything from the pantry and blitz it. Then ensure that everything is stored in sealed containers - no cardboard or paper packs, just in solid tubs or jars.

They are tiny - you're right. We've probably all eaten loads of them over the years 😧

I've had them twice, in different houses. I had to be ruthless throwing everything out that wasn't in a sealed container. I bought lots of tupperware with silicone gaskets that forms a tight seal, like lock & lock. Everything susceptible goes in the freezer for a few days, but I don't store in the freezer.

I think bread mix was my worst culprit for weevils like in the photo.

I also had what looked like a type of flea in porridge oats more recently. I may not have frozen the bag, but thankfully it was in a tightly sealed box so they were safely contained.

Thank you both - definitely been ruthless! Anything being kept (e.g. tins) has been through boiling water, and everything has been sprayed with vinegar tonight (I didn't know too much of that makes your eyes water!). Also done things like pulling the dishwasher out and hoovering dust, and spraying behind there. Really not sure what else to try given I still can't figure out the source (presuming it is the bread flour I got this week which sat out for 15 mins or so before I got it in the freezer). Dehumidifier still going.

I saw two on the windowsill this afternoon :/

I believe the weevil eggs are in the flour before you buy it, and if it's in the cupboard too long, the weevils will hatch. I’ve found weevils in white flour that has been stored too long. Good luck with finding them in wholemeal flour though. Best thing to do is watch for a few minutes to spot anything that moves. I guess it must mean that flour cannot be truly vegan - or anything baked with that flour either!

Yes, it often comes from the product you buy. Birdseed or pet seed can be riddled with them. If you keep everything sealed, that slows down the spread. I probably wouldn’t panic and be cleaning madly- just dispose of odd items if I feel they need it and Vacuum the cupboard.

It’s normal to eat the occasional bit of insect life. It doesn’t do any harm.

Having just had to throw away all our flour, pasta and other dry goods, we are now putting bags of flour etc into the freezer overnight when we bring them home. We also googled pesticides and sprayed the inside of the cupboards

Overnight freezing might not be enough. 2 to 4 days, preferably 4, is the recommendation.

I've had the same trouble and the only stuff that worked was Raid fly spray. I gave the cupboard a bleach clean and then sprayed every surface and edge and the corners.
Never had them again.

Thanks for the various replies. I finally got a good photo of one, and think they may actually be booklice i.e. the flour isn't the source (which would make sense given when we did have bugs from flour last year the source was clear!). It was also very pale, which would suggest a young one.

Apparently keeping any room impacted under 50% humidity for 2 - 3 weeks will see them off inc any eggs, so the dehumidifier is still running and we've added some of the little disposable dehumidifiers around the cupboards/under skirting etc. Also not seen any for a couple of days now so...keeping those crossed!

I live in NZ and they are pretty common here - possibly cos we have a warmer and more humid climate. They come in flour and do eat thru plastic bags. I keep a lot of stuff in plastic boxes now and also use pantry moth traps. They can lay eggs on plastic so look out for those as well. A key sign is a kind of spider web in a powder or on the top edge of a container.

First rule of baking in NZ - always sift your flour. That means you find them.