Does A Rice Weevil Only Eat Rice?

If you don't have a pantry full of rice, are you safe from Rice Weevils? Find out more about these insects and if you should be on the lookout for them in your food.

Rice weevils, and closely related Grain Weevils, are common pests in Virginia homes. This time of year, many homeowners begin to see evidence of rice weevil infestations in their stored food. Learn how to recognize the signs of a problem and how to manage an infestation.

What Do Rice Weevils Look Like?

How Do I Know If I Have Rice Weevils?

How Do I Get Rid Of Rice Weevils?

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What Do Rice Weevils Look Like?

Rice weevils are very small, only about an eighth of an inch long. They tend to be brown or black with a fairly oval-shaped body. They have six legs, a long snout, and wings. Rice weevils have hard wing covers that have distinctive light colored spots. Grain weevils look very similar, but lack the spots.

Rice weevils are good fliers and are attracted to light. They will seek to overwinter in grain stores inside temperature-controlled homes, laying their eggs inside the kernels of grain. The larvae will hatch and develop inside the kernels, eventually leaving just a hollowed out shell behind.

How Do I Know If I Have Rice Weevils?

Rice weevils (and grain weevils) can be found in a wide variety of foods. They like grains of all kinds, including rice, wheat, barley, oats and rye. They also like seeds, nuts, berries, and popcorn. They will infest cereals, pastas, flour, and even sometimes even fruit, like grapes.

The obvious sign of an infestation would be to see the insects themselves. They could be crawling around, or flying toward lights. You may also see the larvae, which are white with a brownish-black head. They will often just look like tiny white specks in your packages or containers. You may also find a fine powder or dust in the bottom of containers, which is (disgustingly) the weevil droppings.

In the absence of visible insects, you may find hollowed out kernels and/or fine webbing, and your stores of food may smell musty. You may see many little holes in your grain kernels or food, indicating hatching larvae in the container.

How Do I Get Rid Of Rice Weevils?

First, immediately dispose any infested food. Make sure you seal it in bags and take it all the way outside. Once you're certain that all contaminated food is removed - and remember that it will be unlikely that only one container was breached - clean your pantry and cupboards. This includes not just the shelves, but all the other places that insects may hide, including cracks, crevices, corners, and behind other containers. Make sure to use cleaning products that will eliminate any missed eggs, larvae or insects.

To prevent an infestation, keep all your containers sealed. Preferably, store grains, cereals, flour, etc., in glass, metal or heavy plastic air-tight containers. Make sure you inspect any grain purchases before bringing them into your home. To be safe, you could freeze grains for at least a week, which will kill any eggs. Rotate your food storage so that older packages are getting used first.

As with most other pests, keeping them out of your home in the first place is always best. Maintaining a year-round home professional pest control barrier goes a long way in keeping all kinds of pests from making their way into your home. Seal up cracks, crevices, holes, and entry points for insects to take up residence with you.

We are excited to help you with all of your pest control needs and questions. Call us today!

For even more information on local Virginia pests, check out our pest library and other blog posts