Many people may be concerned about having inadvertently eaten flour weevils, but there is generally no reason for the concern. Most people have probably consumed them at some point in their lives, and doing so is not considered hazardous. Even so, it is important for people who have weevils to take measures to get rid of them before the bugs get out of control, and the weevils can lay so many eggs at one time that they can become problematic very quickly.
Flour weevils are small beetles that are also occasionally referred to as snout beetles. These beetles are very small, and they usually do not exceed more than 0.125 inches (0.318 cm) in length. They get their name because they like to eat flour and other types of foods that are normally kept in kitchen cupboards that contain lots of starch, such as cereals, oatmeal, and even baking powder. These weevils can infest any type of food that is left open in the cupboard, and they also normally lay hundreds of tiny eggs inside whatever foods they have infested. The weevils are so small that many people do not even realize they have a problem with them until their young have hatched, and it usually takes about two months before the eggs hatch once they have been laid.
Even though it may be tempting for many people, it is probably best to avoid getting rid of flour weevils with toxic chemicals. The fact that the weevils inhabit food items means that the chemicals would need to be applied either directly on or near food, and this could be dangerous. Bay leaves and cloves both naturally repel flour weevils, and these can be safely placed inside containers housing food as well as scattered around cupboards. Insecticides contain pyrethins, which are naturally occurring chemical compounds that will repel insects, may also be safe to use in cupboards, but care should be taken to avoid letting this type of insecticide come in contact with food products.
People can usually prevent flours weevils by taking care to keep their flour and other grains closed up in airtight containers. Bags or boxes containing processed foods like cereal, oatmeal, or bread should also be kept tightly closed at all times. Another good way of keeping weevils at bay is to keep crumbs and other types of food debris wiped up from the insides of cupboards on a regular basis. Flour weevils have good senses of smell, and they are capable of traveling great distances to inhabit any grains that they sense are nearby.
