In a recent TikTok video, a woman's holiday baking spree came to a halt when she discovered bugs in her flour. While initially alarmed, the woman was also intrigued. What are they? Where did they come from? How did they get into the container?
There are many kinds of bugs, or pantry pests, that could infest your baking ingredients like flour, oats, and even dried fruit. And they are quite common–even in the cleanest kitchens! These pests can be brought into your home with infested packages of food. Since these insects and their eggs are very small, they are easily overlooked. You might not notice you have a pantry pest infestation until you see...
- Author: Lauren Fordyce
Indoor food waste bins (also known as kitchen bins or compost bins) have become a popular addition to Californian homes. They are a great way to collect food scraps and divert food waste from landfills, but they can sometimes attract pest insects like maggots, ants, and fruit flies. Below are some tips for keeping a pest-free food waste bin:
- Empty and clean indoor food waste bins frequently. Dump the food waste into your outdoor compost pile, drop it off at a composting facility, or place it into your municipal green waste bin. Emptying your indoor bin frequently (even if it's not full) can make it less attractive to pests and...
No one likes to find pests in the pantry or kitchen, especially when they are found inside your food! A variety of insect and animal pests can infest and contaminate flours, grains, dry beans, pastas, dried herbs, dried fruit, and even chocolate!
Earlier this month, UC IPM's Urban Program hosted a webinar to discuss these pantry pests and how you can prevent and control them in your home. Watch the recording on the UC IPM YouTube channel or see the fact sheet Pest Notes: Pantry Pests for more information on the moths, beetles, and weevils...
Now is the time for planting cool-season vegetables like broccoli, carrots, and spinach. We are pleased to share new pest management resources for other cool season vegetables including beets, chard, radishes or turnips. If you're planting herbs, we've also added basil,
With the Super Bowl coming up this weekend, you may be planning delicious snacks to enjoy while watching the game. We, on the other hand, are thinking about how IPM can help home gardeners with some of the fruits and vegetables they grow that might be enjoyed on Super Bowl Sunday.
Having tortilla chips with salsa, guacamole, or 7-layer bean dip? Be sure to check out resources for growing corn, tomato, avocado,
