While weevils are relatively harmless there is nothing worse than finding insects crawling all over your food.
Not only are weevils hard to get rid of but they are also hard to identify.
In many cases, people don’t realize they have weevils until they have infested large amounts of your food.
Don’t stress. I’m here to help you stop this.
In this articles, I’m going to go over how to identify weevils and how to get rid of them once and for all.
Let’s get started.
How To Identify Rice Weevils
What Do Rice Weevils Look Like?
Rice weevils are tiny insects that only measure around 4mm or .125 inch long. They are easy to identify because of their signature pointed mouth or beak.
Rice weevils are typically a dark-reddish brown color. In some cases, rice weevils can take on a black or light brown color, but it’s not as common.
What Do Rice Weevil Eggs Look Like?
It’s unlikely that you will see a rice weevil egg.
They are small white, stout circular shapes that only measure between 2 or 3 mm.
These eggs are almost too small to see with the naked eye.
Second, adult rice weevils typically lay their eggs inside rice or other food items they are living in. This keeps the eggs hidden and out of sight.
What Do Rice Weevil Larvae Look Like?
Rice weevil larva is small white grubs without any legs.
They are distinct from other beetle and insect larvae because of their humped back.
They can grow to be as big as 2.5mm to 3mm. In addition, they also have a small dark spot on the tip of their body which is their mouth.
Where Do Rice Weevils Hide?
Rice weevils typically hide inside stored dry food such as rice, beans, and flour.
Although their name suggest they only hide inside rice, they will infest any other dry food that is available.
Outdoors they are commonly found inside gardens, compost piles, or piles of dead of fallen leaves.
They will commonly live near or around structures since they are attracted to light
Where Do Rice Weevils Live? (Distribution)
The rice weevil is found throughout much of the United States and the world.
These small insects travel inside food shipments making it hard to control infestations.
In the United States, infestations are more frequent in the South. In the Southern Untied States infestations commonly occur inside homes and on agricultural farms.
How to get rid of rice Weevils
1. Discard Infested Food
Any food that is not stored in airtight containers should be disposed of. Food that is not inside airtight containers could be infested with weevils larva.
Since weevils are hard to spot in large quantities of dry food, it might be better to dispose of them.
While eating these weevils won’t cause much harm, it will make most people’s skin crawl to know that there is insect larva inside their food.
Any food stored in zip lock bags, paper bags, or thin plastic should be disposed of properly.
Only food stored in airtight containers, glass containers, or thick cardboard can be kept.
Any other food should be disposed of unless you are certain there are no pantry moths inside.
2. Store Food In Bug Proof Containers
All dry food should be placed in airtight containers. Airtight containers will keep your food safe from weevilss.
weevilss or their larvae can’t enter through plastic or glass airtight containers.
Not only will it keep your food safe, it will also keep your food fresh for longer.
To ensure the effectiveness of your airtight containers, you must always make your properly close your containers.
If not closed properly, you leave your food susceptible to weevilss.
Even if there is still an infestation in your pantry, the airtight containers will keep your food safe.
Before placing your food inside airtight containers, inspect your food to ensure there is no infestation inside.
3. Inspect your Kitchen and Pantry
The first thing you want to do if you suspect that you have weevils is to inspect your pantry and kitchen.
Kitchens and pantries are the most common place you will find weevils.
They commonly hide inside food packages or food containers. Any containers or bags of food are vulnerable to a weevil infestation.
You want to empty your pantry or anywhere you store food and inspect any open food. You also want to inspect any food stored in bags or boxes.
The larva can eat their way through the plastic and thin cardboard boxes. These entry points won’t be noticeable so it’s important that you open all the items in your pantry and inspect them thoroughly.
Eggs, larva, and cocoons can be found inside pantry liners, on boxes, and behind jars and other containers.
Any containers that contain signs of beetles should be thrown away.
4. Apply Insecticide Outdoors
It’s unnecessary to apply insecticide indoors for weevils since they commonly live outdoors. It’s only necessary to apply insecticide indoors if the infestation is large.
The most effective type of insecticide for brown recluse spiders is a residual spray. A residual spray provides a lasting effect that will kill any insects that come into contact with the insecticide between 3 and 6 months later.
When applying insecticide spray, you want to target your foundation as well as 3 feet upwards from the floor on your walls.
You should also apply the residual spray around doorways and windows to prevent spiders from trying to sneak into your home.
You should also spray any outside structures to prevent brown recluse spiders from making their home inside those. This includes sheds, garages, and patios.
You can also apply the residual insecticide to your grass, plants, and other areas outside your home.
5. Use DE on Your Garden and Plants
Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring rock. DE is safe for humans and other large animals but deadly to small insects such as spiders.
The DE will destroy their exoskeleton and cause them to dehydrate.
You can apply a DE slurry around the exterior of your home and to your garden.
A DE slurry involves mixing DE with water and using a pressurized spray to apply it to any surface you suspect the desert recluse.
Once the DE dries, any insects that contact it will begin to feel the effects.
DE causes a slow death, but over time, with reapplication, you can eliminate entire insect populations.
For DE to remain effective, it must stay dry after application. If you have automatic sprinklers or it rains, you should reapply the solution.
Remember, when applying this to your yard, it will inadvertently kill other small insects with exoskeletons as well.
One huge benefit is that DE is non-toxic. It’s safe to use around humans, children, and in gardens without posing any serious dangers.
6. Clean Your Kitchen Frequently
You want to make sure that you clean your kitchen and pantry areas thoroughly and frequently.
This includes shelves, airtight containers, and any other containers that can be easily cleaned.
One of the best natural ways to clean your pantry includes a mixture using:
- Hot Water
- Vinegar
- Essential Oil
This combination is effective at eliminating bacteria as well as adding a repellency effect. The strong scent tends to drive drugstore beetles away.
As an alternative, you can also use a one-to-one ratio of bleach and water.
Be sure to spray all areas thoroughly and wide down all surfaces once you are complete.
I recommend using a spray bottle and a microfiber cloth to make sure that you clean every part of your kitchen.
7. Seal Entry Points and Stop Weevils from Getting Inside
Another effective way to get rid of weevils spiders is to seal all potential entry points.
Although weevils spiders don’t frequent inside homes, this is an easy step to take to keep your home safe.
It’s recommended that you seal all entry points on any outside structures as well and not just you’re home.
This includes any garages, sheds, or second houses that you may have on your property.
In many cases, although weevils spiders don’t hide inside homes, they are often found inside sheds due to the clutter and easy hiding location.
The easiest way to seal all entry points is to use caulk to cover any holes. Caulk is easy to apply, and it dries quickly.
You can also install door sweeps to prevent the weevils from crawling under your doors.
The final thing you can do is weatherstrip your home. Although, weevils spiders look big. They can fit into small openings.
You want to weatherstrip around your door and window sills. This will ensure that spiders can’t sneak into your home through any wall voids or gaps.
Below are some areas that you should ensure are sealed to prevent weevils spiders from entering your home.
- Weatherproof doors and windows
- Apply doors sweeps to all doors
- Install screen doors if you like to leave your doors open
- Fix or replace screen doors
- Apply bugs screens to vents on basements and attics
- Apply caulk to any cracks, crevices, or holes inside and outside your home
Taking all the steps above will make it much harder for spiders to enter your home. The next several steps will help you address the spiders that are inside your home.
How To Get Rid of Rice Weevils Inside Rice
To get rid of rice weevils from rice, you have two options.
- Wash your rice several times using a strainer. Shake the strainer as you wash, and the beetles should accumulate at the bottom of the strainer.
- Cook the rice. Cooking the rice will kill any weevils inside the rice, including larvae and eggs.
Since weevils are harmless and not known to carry any diseases, there is no danger in cooking the rice and eating it with rice weevils inside.
You might think you can look through your food and pick out every rice weevil you see. The reality is that this is difficult because they are so small, and they lay their eggs inside the rice.
How To Keep Weevils out of Rice
You can keep rice weevils out of your rice by following a few simple steps.
- Store your rice inside air-tight containers to prevent insects from getting inside.
- Always properly close your rice containers. This will prevent weevils from spreading from one food to another inside your kitchen.
- Inspect any new rice you are going to add to your container. In some cases, rice weevils hitchhike their way into your home from the grocery store. Inspect for any weevils to avoid infesting any clean and fresh rice.
If you follow these steps you should have no issue preventing weevils from getting inside your home.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can you Eat Rice With Weevils In It?
Yes, you can eat rice with weevils in it. Rice weevils are not harmful or dangerous to humans if consumed. They are not known to carry any diseases or harmful substances.
They also don’t bite, so if you accidentally consumed rice weevils with your last bowl of rice don’t worry they are completely safe.
Do Rice Weevils Bite?
No , rice weevils are not capable of biting. Their unique snout like mouth does not allow them to bite. They are missing the traditional mandibles that most biting insects have.
If you find a rice weevil on you, don’t worry it will likely crawl around to find somewhere to hide but it won’t bite you.
Can Rice Weevils Fly?
Yes, rice weevils can fly. Rice weevils are active fliers and often using their flying capability to travel from one storage or food source to another.
If you see small flying insects with a pointed snout inside your kitchen or pantry then its likely that you have a rice weevil infestation.
How Do Rice Weevils Get Into Rice?
Rice weevils can get into rice one of several ways.
- They enter your home from outdoors and target dry food that is not sealed properly.
- They chew their way through thin bags infest rice.
- Your rice was infested when you purchased it. In some cases, weevils infest the rice at the grocery store or production plant.
These are the three common ways how rice weevils enter your home.
Where Do Rice Weevils Come From?
Rice weevil infestations typically start outdoors. They will commonly infest gardens, compost piles, or areas with soft or moist soil.
In some cases, rice weevils enter your home through food that is already infested. Rice weevils will sometimes infest food before you purchase it.
This means that infestations can sometimes start at the grocery store or at the production plant.
You want to inspect outdoors and any food you purchase to ensure there are no rice weevils inside.
Are Rice Weevils Dangerous?
Rice weevils are not dangerous or harmful to humans or animals.
They don’t bite. They also are not known to carry any diseases or harmful substances on their bodies.
These insects are more of a nuisance pest than a pest that can be harmful to your families health.