Sometimes the seemingly trivial use of flour or cereal flakes can give us goosebumps. Flour products can in many cases be attacked by mealworms and the sight of them is definitely not pleasant. Where does such a pest come from in the home pantry and is there an effective way to get rid of the unwanted guest?

Mealworm – characteristics

The mealworm is an insect that is also one of the largest beetles and has been recorded on almost every continent except Antarctica. He usually lived in a forest environment, where he lived e.g. under the bark of deciduous trees, in rotten areas, as well as under stones and logs. It fed on smaller insects, rotting leaves and branches.

Currently, this insect is rarely found in nature, which is probably due to its high synanthropic nature – that is, it has perfectly adapted to life in an ecosystem transformed by man.

In Slovakia, it is a common pest that occurs mainly in warehouses, apartments, mills and bakeries. As a pest, it can also occur in livestock buildings, especially in animal feeding systems, and even in construction elements (wooden beams, thermal insulation).

The mealworm can reach a size of 12-20 mm in adulthood, 30 mm in larval form. Adult insects can live for about one month and their lifespan is largely dependent on temperature – the higher it is, the faster the larva develops, but the adult lives shorter.

The abdomen of the mealworm, like many other bugs, is evenly divided into two segments, and the wings are safely hidden under it. A characteristic feature of the mealworm is evenly spaced, linear grooves running along the entire length of the abdomen. The interesting thing is that in 2021, the European Food Safety Authority cataloged mealworm larvae “new foods”.

In addition, mealworm larvae can also be processed into flour. It is characterized by a content of approximately 2.5% water, 45% protein, 42.5% fat and 4% ash in the raw state. It is a very valuable product, unfortunately, a technological line for the processing of larvae is required for its production.

Common bluebell – control

Although mealworms may represent valuable food for humans and animals in the future, their presence on a micro scale, i.e. in home pantries, is quite problematic. Insects found, for example, in flour or cereal flakes can contaminate them with their excrement and the disgust it can cause among household members is also important.

Mealworm present in food products can also increase the risk of food spoilage, thereby exposing us to losses. It should also be emphasized that insects can cause allergies in humans.

The mealworm most often becomes a resident of our home as a result of bringing it in products bought in the store – in flour, semolina, cereals. If the presence of mealworms is detected in the products we have at home, they must be thrown away as soon as possible.

The next step is to carefully examine the rest of the products that may contain insects. It pays to thoroughly clean cabinets, shelves and other places for storing products where possible insects hide.

It is worth using specialized products designed to combat mealworms. Pheromone traps are also available on the market, which attract mealworms thanks to the release of a special scent. The number of insects caught in the trap will also help us answer the question of the scale of the invasion that we are dealing with.

UV traps that attract insects with UV light are also popular. The attracted mealworm then sticks to the trap. If the problem related to the presence of insects is large and growing, then we should use the services of insect control companies.

Mealworm – prevention

Unfortunately, there is no single and perfect way to avoid the presence of mealworms in our home. We can reduce the risk of its presence in food products by storing flour, semolina and other grain products in tightly closed containers.

Thanks to this solution, mealworms will have less chance of spreading to other products.

Put one thing on the windowsill. Freaks stop breaking into the house