Stored Product Insects or ( SPI ) for short The main reason we control SPIs is the incredible damage and contamination they cause to foodstuffs, raw materials and finished products. SPIs not only eat these products, they breed in them and can spread quickly, contaminating a huge amount of product which is then unfit for human consumption. Contamination of foodstuffs is such a huge concern that there is an entire branch of forensic entomology dedicated to studying it. You can identify if you have a problem by using some of our bullet points below.
Discoloration of food products, such as flour
Damage to raw materials, tainting
Small holes in nuts or grains
Live or dead insects, larvae, pupae or silken webbing
Track marks in powder, flour or grain
STORED PRODUCT INSECTS - MITES
The Flour Mite ( Acarus Siro )
Flour mites are tiny pests that infest dry goods such as cereals, pancake mix, dried vegetable materials, cheese, corn and dried fruits. They can thrive in the cleanest of kitchens if the conditions are right. A humid, dark, and warm pantry is the perfect breeding ground for flour mites, which usually get into your kitchen either already in the foodstuffs or hiding on the packaging. They have white bodies and brown coloured legs.
Prevention of Flour Mites
To prevent the problem reoccurring, store your products in clean airtight containers. You can even try some simple home remedies such as freezing the produce for a few days to kill any flour bugs present and prevent the eggs from hatching, or adding a few bay leaves into your wheat products, which will act as a deterrent for the pests.
Whether in a commercial or domestic setting, Environmental Pest Solutions can assist you in completely ridding your property of flour mites and weevils in order to ensure that your kitchen is safe for food preparation. Our expert team will work quickly and efficiently to remove the problem with minimal disruption.
Give us a call to sort any stored product infestations, use our contacts page.
The Cheese Mite ( Tyriphagus Casei )
The Cheese Mite comes from the same family as the Flour Mite. They resemble each other, however, the Cheese Mite is larger in size and its legs and mouthparts are tanned in colour. The female representatives of these mites are larger than the males. The number of eggs and the life cycle of the Cheese Mite is similar to the one of the Flour mite. The only difference is that the Cheese Mite can complete its cycle for 15 to 18 days depending on the conditions and if the required humidity is available. This kind of mite does not have a hypopus stage in its development cycle.
Cheese Mites are not always considered pests in cheeses. Sometimes they are purposely introduced in cheeses, so that they can become ‘ripe’ and have a typical smell and taste. The cheese can be protected using paraffin wax, which is applied in a thin layer over the cheese and will serve as protection from the mites.
However, these mites can also infest products such as damp flours, corn, insect collections, old honeycombs, and various stored products.
Prevention of Cheese Mites
The Cheese Mite and the Flour Mite infestations can be controlled by regular checks of the stored products kept in domestic or commercial premises. It is important that products are kept dry and there is minimal to no humidity present in the containers or the spaces, where the products are stored.
Whether in a commercial or domestic setting, Environmental Pest Solutions can assist you in completely ridding your property of cheese mites, flour mites and weevils in order to ensure that your kitchen is safe for food preparation. Our expert team will work quickly and efficiently to remove the problem with minimal disruption.