Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum

Turkey Related Subjects => Turkey Discussion Forum (Not Calis specifically) => Topic started by: catsrus on September 04, 2014, 16:51:39 PM

Title: Pantry Moth
Post by: catsrus on September 04, 2014, 16:51:39 PM

Does anybody have any idea of how to get rid of pantry moth.    I keep all my dried food in sealed plastic containers and the other day to my horror found 2 plastic containers containing lasagne and ryvita type biscuits had the little sods flying about inside.    These items were bought in Migros.    Needless to say they went into the bin and the cupboard cleaned with a bleach based product.   Every item was throughly inspected before being put back and if I wasn't sure binned.    To my horror I found quite a lot of moths and also their grubs.    Since cleaning the cupboard I have found more moths and grubs, I know some moths escaped and I managed to kill a few but obviously not all.    I am now obsessed with inspecting the inside every hour!!!   Any help would be gratefully appreciated. 


Sue
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: Lotty on September 04, 2014, 17:49:30 PM
I had this infestation a few years ago and was beside myself with what to do because once they are there, they're hard to get rid of. The only solution I found was to throw everything out that is in a bag or box and then I bought airtight sealed containers of different sizes for all foods. I have nothing in my cupboards in a bag now. I wash and keep every jar especially big ones and use them too. If anything living does come in from a supermarket, it's isolated from other foods, though nothing has since (touch wood), its worked well and I've never had such tidy cupboards either!  :D
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: WordBird on September 04, 2014, 18:27:26 PM
Mr WB is amused by my obsession with buying plastic tubs and can't understand why I say I never have enough.

There are still items in my cupboards that aren't boxed, but after reading this thread that won't be the case for long!
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: Rimms on September 04, 2014, 18:32:31 PM
We had decanted a brand new bag of breakfast cereal into a clean airtight plastic container only to find a moth in there after a while, we can only think that it must have been in the bag in the first place.
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: catsrus on September 04, 2014, 19:46:00 PM
We had decanted a brand new bag of breakfast cereal into a clean airtight plastic container only to find a moth in there after a while, we can only think that it must have been in the bag in the first place.

Yes that is what happened with the lasagne, ryvita biscuits and I forgot some porridge oats as well.
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: catsrus on September 04, 2014, 19:47:30 PM
I had this infestation a few years ago and was beside myself with what to do because once they are there, they're hard to get rid of. The only solution I found was to throw everything out that is in a bag or box and then I bought airtight sealed containers of different sizes for all foods. I have nothing in my cupboards in a bag now. I wash and keep every jar especially big ones and use them too. If anything living does come in from a supermarket, it's isolated from other foods, though nothing has since (touch wood), its worked well and I've never had such tidy cupboards either!  :D

Thats what I do but still got the little sods, I never buy any loose dry spices etc from the market just in case they are in there.
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: kayakebab on September 04, 2014, 22:55:53 PM
When you buy loose spices freeze them overnight, that kills any potential nasties.
We've put bay leaves in our kitchen cupboards, in the corners and not had any moths this year.
Loads of bay trees all along the Migros road.
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: Lotty on September 04, 2014, 23:06:34 PM
I found plastic boxes/containers are not always airtight, plus eventually they do wear out and lids curl? I prefer Oxo containers, see photo, Kilner or just plain screw top jars. However, there's not much you can do if they're already in the pack you buy.

(http://s29.postimg.org/ujo16qjwj/image.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/ujo16qjwj/)
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: Scunner on September 05, 2014, 00:24:01 AM
Which ones are Oxo containers??

I don't see any red boxes with white writing :D
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: kayakebab on September 05, 2014, 07:14:37 AM
That's way too neat and tidy. I feel like a right slob now!
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: Lotty on September 05, 2014, 08:39:10 AM
Lol! :D yes it also amazes my kids! Really it's hard not to look tidy when they all fit together and there are no crumpled bags. This is an OXO (brand name) container Keith, they're all square / oblong shaped and fit together easily - they have the best vacuum seals too. :D

(http://s12.postimg.org/8irfffksp/image.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/8irfffksp/)
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: catsrus on September 05, 2014, 13:55:10 PM
Well this morning I have been on "Operation F Off Pantry Moth" as last night I found more of the little dears together with their delightful offspring.

Once again the cupboard was emptied, not an easy job as I had it made by a joiner and its as tall as my wall cupboards so holds a lot of stuff.   Shelves were taken out and these and the cupboard itself cleaned with neat bleach.   

Whilst this was drying all containers were once again emptied and washed and anything I had which was in a packet within a box was taken from the box and the box binned.  I did find some grubs in sealed plastic bags which held Bisto Gravy Granule tubs  which I only got brought over in July and which were put in the bags before going into the cupboard.    The plastic bags were binned but I cannot throw the 5 tubs of granules so these are on my dining table awaiting plastic boxes which I will buy tomorrow.

As the lazy joiner had only laminated the front of the shelves, the sides and back being cut off MDF we thought that maybe the moths were laying the eggs here so hubby came up with the bright idea of putting superglue on the raw edges and then masking tape on top,  so the raw edges were superglued along with my finger and the masking tape applied.    I can now straiten my finger but am still picking bits of glue off!!!

I opened the cupboard door to start putting the stuff away and lo and behold a grub was crawling up the back of the cupboard.  Offending grub removed and stuff put back.

I am now on 15  minute monitoring and have found 3 more grubs so goodness knows where they are coming from.

Sue :-\

Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: WordBird on September 05, 2014, 14:54:34 PM
That's just so soul-destroying after all that effort. Really hope you clear them soon.  >:(
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: catsrus on September 12, 2014, 11:30:01 AM
Well the pantry moth issue is now more or less taken care off, I've not seen any grubs for a few days but still find about 3 moths a day flying about in the cupboard but these are swiftly squashed.

Since the pantry moth episode, I've had an influx of ants!!!!!    >:(  Hopefully with the aid of ant spray, which luckily is on offer in Migros, I think I may have disposed of the majority of these critters.   Goodness knows where they came from, not from the balcony.    I even found some in the dishwasher!!
The dishwasher put on rinse soon got rid of these.

I am wondering what the third invasion will be, hope not locusts!!  ;D


Or could it be a case of the song "There was an old woman who swallowed a fly"   so I will be waiting for the cow and horse to come along.!!
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: Kevin Sowten on September 12, 2014, 12:43:07 PM
A man walked into a doctors and said 'Doc I keep thinking that I'm a moth'
The doctor said 'You don't need me you need a psychiatrist'
'I know' said the man 'but your light was on' !!!!    ;)
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: desmartinson on September 13, 2014, 08:01:14 AM


I am wondering what the third invasion will be, hope not locusts!!  ;D



Probably Germans, or Russians, oh no!!!! sorry, wrong area, that's Side or Belek.  ;)  :)
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: kevin3 on September 13, 2014, 13:39:50 PM


        Standby with the towels, just in case.
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: buzz58 on September 13, 2014, 15:59:39 PM
Or a cat in the jam pan.
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: catsrus on September 13, 2014, 20:22:31 PM
Or a cat in the jam pan.

Well I think I'm the only person who has had to take my cat to the vet to be shaved after jumping  into my Turkish neighbours jam pan and then rolling in  grass and leaves.  Apparently you can make jam by leaving it in the sun to fester!!!.  Luckily she didn't bring me any of this jam!!!!

My vet fell about laughing when he saw the state of the cat.
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: Scunner on September 13, 2014, 22:14:51 PM
Not too relevant to the topic but in the time since it first appeared I have misread the title dozens of times  :)
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: grahamturner09 on September 15, 2014, 20:26:31 PM
Me to Scunner I was wondering what panty moths were
Title: Re: Pantry Moth
Post by: Scunner on September 15, 2014, 20:43:21 PM
And where can we get some for the missus

It varies for me, sometimes Panty moth, other times pantry mouth :o