sschind
Well-known member
I've been dealing with this problem for a quite a while now but i figured I ask to see if anyone else has dealt with it.
I raise a lot of mealworms and even though I am failing miserably I am also trying to raise superworms. The problem, as the subject says, is that it has lead to an infestation of pantry moths. I have lots of open bins of wheat bran because I can't seal them off because the humidity builds up from the fruits and veggies I feed. Even if I do put lids on them they are not airtight and the moths can still get in. I've been using pheromone traps and they work OK but they fill up quickly and I have also been swatting them (which means I will certainly have to repaint if I ever decide to move)
I am looking for airtight storage totes for the bulk bran (which I microwave after buying and before storing) as an initial step but that is only part of the problem. The main hatches seem to come from the rearing bins. My next thought is to get airtight containers (which would be expensive) and cover them with some sort of fine mesh that the would keep the moths out but how fine would I have to go on the mesh. The larvae are so tiny upon hatching that I'm afraid unless I went with some very expensive micro fine mesh it wouldn't do much good and I don't know if they would chew through cloth mesh (like on the fruit fly lids)
Back when I was doing more mantids I looked upon it as free food but now its just annoying. So far they have been mostly contained in my spare bedroom as I keep the door closed at night when they are active but a few have escaped into the rest of the apartment (not as bad as the fungus gnats or phorid flies or whatever but still a minor nuisance)
I'm not so concerned about eliminating them as I doubt that would be possible but just controlling them somewhat. Like I said the pheromone traps work but it seems there are always enough males that will mate before getting stuck and they goo through boom and bust cycles.
Just thought I'd ask and see if anyone had any ideas
I raise a lot of mealworms and even though I am failing miserably I am also trying to raise superworms. The problem, as the subject says, is that it has lead to an infestation of pantry moths. I have lots of open bins of wheat bran because I can't seal them off because the humidity builds up from the fruits and veggies I feed. Even if I do put lids on them they are not airtight and the moths can still get in. I've been using pheromone traps and they work OK but they fill up quickly and I have also been swatting them (which means I will certainly have to repaint if I ever decide to move)
I am looking for airtight storage totes for the bulk bran (which I microwave after buying and before storing) as an initial step but that is only part of the problem. The main hatches seem to come from the rearing bins. My next thought is to get airtight containers (which would be expensive) and cover them with some sort of fine mesh that the would keep the moths out but how fine would I have to go on the mesh. The larvae are so tiny upon hatching that I'm afraid unless I went with some very expensive micro fine mesh it wouldn't do much good and I don't know if they would chew through cloth mesh (like on the fruit fly lids)
Back when I was doing more mantids I looked upon it as free food but now its just annoying. So far they have been mostly contained in my spare bedroom as I keep the door closed at night when they are active but a few have escaped into the rest of the apartment (not as bad as the fungus gnats or phorid flies or whatever but still a minor nuisance)
I'm not so concerned about eliminating them as I doubt that would be possible but just controlling them somewhat. Like I said the pheromone traps work but it seems there are always enough males that will mate before getting stuck and they goo through boom and bust cycles.
Just thought I'd ask and see if anyone had any ideas
