Back in one of my first apartments in Chicago, we had a major pest problem — house centipedes, earwigs, silverfish, you name it. So I wasn’t exactly surprised when I found tiny beetles rummaging around in the rice I bought at the grocery store. It was one of those huge sacks of rice that would’ve lasted for weeks if not months, so I was bummed when we had to throw it out. But the true terror of the experience didn’t show itself until years later — meaning now — when I spoke to an entomologist about the issue.
I thought the creepy crawlers just managed to find their way into the packaging once we brought the rice home, but it turns out that the bag was likely already infested with eggs and larvae of grain weevils when we bought it, according to Daniel Baldwin, an entomologist at Hawx Pest Control. What an absolute horror show!
Naturally, now I’m pretty paranoid about finding little bugs in my rice or grains. Ew! But there’s some good news: The Kitchn has an expert-approved solution that’s totally zero-effort for how to get rid of grain weevils for good. This can work both before you notice them as a precaution, and afterwards.
The Easiest Way to Get Rid of Grain Weevils for Good
It’s actually pretty easy to keep grain weevils out of your food. You just need to pop the grains into the freezer right after you buy them. Leave them there for a week — or for good — and it’ll kill any maturing creatures inside the package. Baldwin agrees, although he shortened the freezing timeframe just a bit.
“Weevils can survive in temperatures above freezing, so it’s important to freeze any infested items for at least four days to kill the eggs and larvae,” he says. “This includes grains, flour, cereals, and any other items that may be infested. However, anything that is too contaminated or you aren’t sure about should be thrown in a sealed trash can outside of your home.”
Baldwin also adds that grain weevils are crafty little creeps that can get through most commercially bagged grains and even into well-sealed containers. “Try to keep all your dry goods in airtight containers with tight-fitting lids to prevent weevils from being able to get inside, and make sure any boxes and bags are sealed tightly after use,” he says. (It’s the same reason you should always decant your pantry goods.)
On that note, I rummaged through my container supply and pulled out several plastic ones with lids to use until I can get something with a tighter seal like these OXO POP containers (an editor-favorite!). I pulled my flour out of the pantry and poured it all into a container, and did the same with other grains (cornmeal, rye flour, things like that) into their own containers. As I was pouring, I made sure to inspect the food for any pre-existing weevils. Then, I stuck everything in the freezer.
It’s been about a week, and so far, so good! Unless we have a huge haul of frozen grocery items, I’ll probably leave all my grains in the freezer for the foreseeable future. As long as I have room, why not? It’s a surefire way to ensure pests and their eggs are killed, which means no more tossing rice we didn’t even get to enjoy.
Other Ways to Get Rid of Pests in the Kitchen (Naturally)
As for the pantry itself, Baldwin suggests putting cloves or bay leaves in strategic places on the shelves to deter other bugs sans chemicals. “They smell good to us, but weevils can find their strong aroma unpleasant, so it has been known to be effective at keeping them at bay,” he says. You can also try peppermint or cinnamon oil for their antifungal and antibacterial properties that keep ants and gnats away.
Turns out I’m just one trip to the spice aisle away from a perfectly pest-free pantry!