I had a problem with this at one point -- I found out that it WAS the store I was buying from (a small natural foods market). Once I switched to my co-op I found out that the place I'd been going to had a repuation for that sort of thing, and I've not had any problems since.

The maggots you see are most likely grain moth larva. I avoid buying bulk for this reason alone.

I put all of my bulk purchases in the freezer for at least 24 hours before I put it in my pantry. I've never had a problem.

will the bay leaves change the flavor of the bulk items? I am just curious...

I had a similar problem with moths, and hadn't been buying everything from one store. I was told to put all dry goods in the freezer overnight when I got them home, and that worked.

Another vote for the source of your food.

I've had really bad luck with buggy bulk items at Whole Foods. And sometimes I choose bulk-packaged items (large bags of lentils etc) if the bulk-bins look a little iffy.

maybe you should buy those airtight jars instead? that way there's no way for anything to get in.

Pantry or flour/grain moths. I've had them and they are disgusting. It's likely that you bought a contaminated bag of granola or something and then they managed to creep into your other containers (they are REALLY good at fitting into unlikely spaces).

What worked for me: Throw out everything. Put your dry food in plastic zip-lock bags and then put the bags into the storage jars. Buy moth traps and set them around your pantry. Depending on how big your infestation is, it might take just a few weeks to clear up or months. Good luck!

Agreed. Occam's razor says your source is probably to blame. If your containers are sealed tight, then there's no way for bugs to get in unless they were there to begin with.

- Amelia of Gradually Greener

It isn't the bulk, the larvae are in almost all grain products regardless of packaging and they feed off certain spices too, such as cayenne and chili powders. Either store in the refrigerator or freeze for 24 hours first on all grain products and said spices to kill so that they do not hatch/multiply. Also, if you have been keeping grain items in your cupboard, you will need to remove and clean them out to make sure you have gotten rid of all the bugs - they can live in the cracks/wood looking for food.

Vacuum the space first the clean with bleach and water mix (if you are not adverse to bleach) then again with soap and water.

* yes, I have clearly had this problem in the past - I won't tempt fate at this point and just store all grains in the refrigerator now.

The freezer is the most effective solution. Why? It's kind of gross to think about, but freezing kills the moth and bug eggs that would hatch later. My favorite containers are the Click-Clack ones from the Container Store because they are very airtight, but even the most airtight container in the world won't help if there are bug eggs in the grains in the first place.

This will happen no matter which grocery store or co-op or source you buy from. It's just the nature of bulk bins in any store - critters are going to get in there. I freeze every bulk purchase I buy for a few days before I decant it into containers. No more bugs, ever.

im guessing, like everyone else, its probably the bulk containers where youre shopping. ive had this problem even when buying packaged goods like flour. just throw it out, clean up, and restock.

I tend to avoid bulk bins for this reason, as well, after a very bad experience (I inadvertently ate them). I second cherrybomb's thorough cleaning advice, as well as that from people saying to put dry goods in the freezer for 24 hours. I personally just stopped buying from bulk bins and have never had the problem since.

Ugh. I used to have the same storage containers, and learned over time that they are not, unfortunately, moth/bug proof. It took repeated discoveries of our little friends in bags of dried fruit (not bulk), blocks of chocolate (who knew that moths liked chocolate?) and other non-bulk items that were stored in the containers. I've thrown everything out a number of times and done a thorough cleaning in an effort to rid the cupboards of the moth scourge.

I've recently ditched the bug motels and moved to old fashioned glass jars with the seal ring around the neck (I bought them at the Container Store, but they are available many places). Truly airtight, and no more bugs.

Now if only I could get rid of the other gang of moths in my clothes closet...

I haven't had trouble with this for a long time, but I agree that the pests likely came home with you from the bulk store. I've also found contamination in packaged food from the grocery store - whole wheat flour, oatmeal, and bran.

Here's what I have done in the past:

Inspect all your stocks of dried food for signs of infestation and dump anything that even looks suspicious.

Put the emptied containers through the dishwasher.

Check containers to see if they seal properly. Dump any containers that don't seal. This way you can at least contain any infestation that you get.

Clean cupboards thoroughly.

That should do the job!

I had not known about freezing food to kill off the infestation - good to know!

no expert, but i wonder how long you've had your bulk items in the bins now? the only time i remember having bugs in a container is when i let some popcorn sit in the container untouched for well over a year. i now keep larger containers for things that i use lots (beans, rice, oatmeal) and much smaller containers for other things. could that affect it?

I had this problem too. It was the store's warehouse area. Apparently the dry dogfood in the warehouse came got infected. The bugs migrated to the bulk food sacks in the back and eventually infested all the bulk bins. The store had to close down the bulk food section, throw everything out, sanitize the bins and start again. They reimbursed me for the infested items and those contaminated at home too. Now I check all bulk containers very carefully for signs of webs or bugs and store all my grains and flours in the refrigerator. Cleaning up after a major infestation is miserable, labor intensive and not something I want to do again, so everything ends up frozen or refrigerated.

Freezing is good... but wouldn't you still be eating the bugs and their eggs? Eww!

I mean, you buy your flour, take it home and freeze it. That's great. But what if there really were bugs in there? Do you all sift through your product after freezing?

I had the moth problem last year and finally got rid of them all after aggressively throwing everything out and cleaning... but I'm SO afraid of getting them back! I have attempted to seal everything, but it freaks me out to think that there is no sure way of keeping your food bug-free.

Anyone have some insight to offer?

@ilovermont I use bay leaves in my containers with rice and it's never affected the taste.

I have read that a piece of dry ice in an air tight container will kill any eggs or bugs - they do that on boats heading offshore but I know that may not be easy to find. Weevils will eat through tupperware type plastic - glass is best.

@bch -- are you sure? the seal on these containers seems tight, how would they get in?

also, seconding that freezing is just killing the bugs that you will then eat when you use the product. although, i guess you do swallow how many spiders in your sleep each year...

I once had an infestation of confused flour beetles. I didn't know they existed until my friend helped me look their picture up on the web. At first I thought I had flour mites, but that was not they case.

I think they came from the box of the stoned wheat things I used to buy from the local super market. Once in my cupboard, they multiplied and over the course of 6 months got into EVERYTHING in my one cabinet. Even the air tight containers which was weird. Freezing didn't kill them. I had to throw everything away. I scrubbed my cupboard down with soap and water, then sprayed with a bug spray in all the cracks and crevices. continued this over the course of several weeks.

Needless to say, I stopped buying those crackers ever since. It' a shame as they were my favorites.

I say identify the source and change where you shop for bulk goods.

@ Ginger Corsair and @ any such name:

I was thinking the same thing with the freezing...it doens't make the bugs disappear, right?

I swear that apartment therapy reads my mind. Often times when I have a dilemma, it ends up being a blog topic the very next day!

I just discovered these little maggot type things in my dry rice. I bought a 5 lb bag about 7 months ago and have always taken the rice out of the bag to use it (which was stored on our pantry floor). I just recently got a vintage ball glass jar (without the rubber seal) and transported the remains of my rice into it and stored it in a cupboard as opposed to the pantry. 3 days later, I find it infested with these maggots. I didn't have this problem until I transported it because the little bit I had left in the bag on the pantry floor was fine.

Thank you for all of your tips on this!

Freezing is good... but wouldn't you still be eating the bugs and their eggs? Eww!

I mean, you buy your flour, take it home and freeze it. That's great. But what if there really were bugs in there? Do you all sift through your product after freezing?

No, I don't. I mean, there are no adult bugs in the grains I buy and take home. There aren't always going to be eggs in there either, as far as I know, but I freeze it all just in case, as a prevention.

I figure that we all ingest so many insect parts in all the food we eat (really, we do; it's impossible to remove it all), that I'm not going to worry about a few tiny frozen dead bug eggs here and there. I think it's much more important to eat whole grains than overly processed food with little nutritious value, so it's a good trade-off for me.

Besides, it's extra protein! ;)

For those who want to remain blissfully unaware that they're eating bugs/larvae on a regular basis: Please don't Google "FDA natural contaminants".

BTW, it's not just bulk foods that have this problem; I've had the same issues in the past with everything from Bisquick to dry cereal. And many bugs will eat through zip-loc bags.

Using airight bulk containers keeps infestations from spreading on the chance you do bring something home.

serves me right for clicking on this link whilst munching on whole wheat crackers... urrgh....

Hi everyone! I was the one who asked the question...

I shop at Whole Foods, and sometimes Naturewell- an organic juice bar in Silverlake that carries bulk items. I couldn't think of two 'cleaner' more reputable businesses, so if I stopped going there I really wouldn't know where to go. And everything has been purchased in the last couple months.

It's funny, so much of the talk around here/apartment therapy is always concerned with how dirty/dusty open shelving can get, but I am using chrome wire shelving and I am loving how clean it feels- as opposed to being in a closed dark cupboard that could harvest who knows what. (although aesthetically I would still prefer concealment...but that's a different topic)

I am definitely going to start using the day or two in the freezer first method! That is a simple solution that sounds like it should really cut the problem out.

And I agree with tiggerj: we all ingest so many insect parts in all the food we eat (really, we do; it's impossible to remove it all), that I'm not going to worry about a few tiny frozen dead bug eggs here and there.

I just don't want to have to see them crawl! *shudder*

I'm so glad this was useful to other reader's too, I thought it might be!

Thanks everyone!

-Lena

Okay, I've read and re-read everyone's comments and now the important question is: What type of containers (glass, plastic) and what brand/store do you all recommend? We just moved in to a place with a year lease, so we're not moving anytime soon, and I really want to organize our kitchen to the max especially when it comes to items we use often. Any suggestions would be very helpful.

PS-I am soo glad I found The Kitchn's site, I am in love with it!!

I used to work at The Container Store, and goodness knows I've tried a lot of products there, so I know their food storage items well. There are different levels of quality and airtight-ness in the food container world, and the ones in the picture are okay, but the lids are not as tight as they could be. I would not use that type if I had a bug problem. My favorites, and the ones I'll spend extra money for? Click-Clack. Just like the name sounds, the lids have levers that make a satisfying sound when you lock them down, and a very good seal.

http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=74062&PRODID=60174

This one is good for flour, etc. because you can reach in the opening with a measuring cup. With this one, you have to squeeze the lid handles to open or close it.
http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=74062&PRODID=65151

There are plenty of other good brands of airtight food containers, and these are certainly not the cheapest, but you get what you pay for with stuff like this. I think they are worth it. I like the square and rectangle Click tops because they stack well, don't take up excess space like round ones, and no bug or critter is going to squeeze its way into one from the outside, ever.

There are differences of quality and airtightness in the food storage world, and the ones pictured at the beginning of this page are not very airtight. I think they would be okay for short-term snack storage, but I would not recommend those for long-term storage of grains and flours. Determined bugs can get into those, especially if the lid is just sitting loosely on top.

My favorite food containers are these click-top ones at The Container Store. Just like the name sounds, the lids have levers that make a satisfying "click" when you close them. They are more expensive than some others, but I think they are worth it. They have a very good seal, and no bug or critter is ever going to squeeze in from the outside.

I also like them for being square and rectangular, so that they stack well and don't take up excess space like round ones do. I use these for pasta and rice and other grains.
http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=74062&PRODID=60174

I like these for flour, etc. because the opening is big enough to reach in with a measuring cup. For this one, you have to squeeze the handles to open and close the lid. http://www.containerstore.com/browse/Product.jhtml?CATID=74062&PRODID=65151

Whoops, I thought my first post got eaten because it didn't show up for a long time. So, apologies for the double post. I'll just be quiet for awhile, now. ;)

Bay leaves seem to work fantastically for us. Keep in mind that those pheremone sticky moth traps will only attract the male moths. A deep and complete clean is needed to get them all out of the house.

I had a similar problem very recently. I noticed a box of pancake mix infested with bugs that looked like tiny tiny brown lady bugs. I'm pretty sure they were wheat weevils. The bugs had eaten holes through the box -- looked like someone poked it with sewing needles!

Anyway, I got rid of the box and figured the problem was gone, but noticed more bugs crawling around a few days later. That's when I decided to clean out my cabinets. It was just two upper cabinets and three drawers, but it took 3 hours to do a thorough wipe down of all of the food packages, the cabinets and the drawers, plus also inspect all boxes and opened packages. It turned out that I had an old opened package of mini toasts in the back of the cabinet, and that package was totally crawling with the bugs. On the other hand, the jars that I was using to store flour, sugar, and pasta were free of bugs. So I've bought more of these jars and am storing everything in them that isn't already sealed in glass or plastic.

Oh yeah, the jars I'm using are glass with stainless steel screw on lids from Bed Bath and Beyond. I don't think these jars are perfectly air tight, but they have kept the bugs out for me. It might be possible to make them really air tight by coating the inside of the lid with a layer of food-grade silicone (to make gaskets), but I haven't tried that yet.

I have the same problem in the pantry, but my flours I store in canning style jars on the counter with no problem. The problem with keeping stuff in the freezer is your flour takes on the taste of your freezer.

To anyone getting squeamish about eating bug eggs after freezing the grains, there is actually a limit set for how much bug weight is allowed in coffee and chocolate. The processing of these two wonderful foods cannot keep bugs out, so they instead have just capped how many are allowed. Yum! (Or: just forget about it - it's life, it's protein, it's fine.) I heard this during an interview with an entomologist on NPR, here's a link to someone who did a little additional research, plus a link to the interview:
http://membracid.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/are-there-roaches-in-your-coffee-and-chocolate/

Thanks tiggerj! I appreciate the post and the linking! Think the hubby and I will take a trip this weekend to pick out our jars/containers. I've waited a week to put things away and it's driving me crazy! :-) Thank again to everyone who posted.

I had the worst infestation imaginable. I rented a 4 bedroom unit that my friends had previously lived in, so I knew it had always had a pantry moth problem, but the landlord claimed he had dealt with it. The place was freshly painted and looked great so we all moved in. Sure enough, I was leaving for 3 weeks at christmas and noticed 2 up in the corner near the ceiling. I asked my roommates to kill them, knowing how bad it can get. When I got home, not only had they multiplied, they had infested every dry food in the pantry. We vacuumed over 200 maggoty things off the ceiling, but they had spread into our bedrooms. My roommate was drinking a coffee and found one in his mouth. It was torture. The landlord took so long to deal with it, but we eventually got "bombed" and have traps up and they catch dozens. We haven't had a problem since.

But how bizarre is it that they can get in past lids and seals?!

I shouldn't have read this at 11pm. Now I am going to have bug nightmares.

I work for a food company and I thought I should offer what info I know. Most grain products such as flour, oatmeal, breads etc have a certain amount of insect eggs (also insect parts and rodent feces - sorry to gross you out). "Homebody" is correct in mentioning that the FDA allows a certain part per million because it's impossible for processing facilities to remove them all.

If the product has been sitting around for a long period of time and the conditions are just right, some of these eggs have a chance to hatch. You may not have had the item on your shelf for long but that does not take into account how long the supermarket, the distribution center or the manufacturing plant has carried it.

Also most supermarkets and factories purchase their items from the same limited number of processing facilities and sources. So don't necessarily be upset at the brand or the store. The company I work for supplies both niche markets (like Whole Foods) and large brand names (like Green Giant) and private label brands (like Walmart Great Value or Target Archer Farms) and the item is all the same. The factory just changes the label.

Of course this info doesn't necessarily apply to outside infestations but it might explain why a sealed canister suddenly had little pests. I have never tried freezing the flour/grain but it certainly is worth a shot. Hope that helps a little.

I too had the pantry moth problem last summer -- I traced it back to a very old sack of flour hiding in the back of my cabinet. Since then I switched to buying only in bulk a small amount at a time and keeping items in airtight containers (I use square containers that I picked up at Target and glass ones from IKEA that seem to work well thus far).

I have not had an infestation since, although lone pantry moths will show up in my bathroom from time to time for no reason. Since I do not have air conditioning, in the hot summer I keep grains and sugar in the fridge or freezer. Friends laugh, but it's worth it now to save a hassle later.

Also -- I'd love to know more about how folks think that moths can get into airtight containers. To my knowledge the larvae are already in the food product somewhere. Again, I have not had a single problem since transferring all grains to airtight containers.

Another question -- how long do the larvae live and do they always hang out around food? As I mentioned, some randomly show up in my bathroom (off the kitchen) and it has baffled me.

In the 70's, living in Hawaii, my mother made a pretty good living selling Tupperware to people trying to keep out the bugs. She said it was really popular when they were in Japan, as well, although she wasn't selling at that point. Her 30 year-old containers are still doing their job despite some pretty good pantry moth infestations she's had in recent years that affected practically everything in the kitchen except items in the Tupperware.

She had bought several of the same Container Store boxes and found, as others have already noted, that they are not bug proof (nor are the similar Ikea ones).

To keep bugs out - anything with a good seal works - If you are starting from scratch, click-ware has a great seal and stacks really well. I use canning jars with seals and bought Tupperware Modular Mates as soon as I could for those 5-10 pound bags of flour, sugar and rice. I don't like them as much as the older, round, style, but they do the job. Otherwise, good quality Rubbermaid (the models that 'burp' air when you close the container, some of them don't and if air can get in, so can the bugs).