For the uninitiated, these insects seem like sinister creatures ready to pounce on mankind at their whim. Actually, weevils simply are just beetles. They are small-sized, ugly, snouted beetles that can cause so much trouble to homeowners, farmers, and gardeners alike. They truly are nuisance pests that have no place in our homes.
Weevils As Pests
Weevils are characterized by their long snouts, with their mouths at the end of the snout. They are dark in color. These snouts are used for boring holes in rice, corn, cereals, sugars, powdered milk, grains, pasta, timber, and flour. Their mouths are at the end of their snout, and they are dark in color. Weevils are a known nuisance for homeowners. They attack homes in great numbers and ruin our stored dry foods. They pass through small openings around the house and you can often find them on the walls and the windowsills.
Weevils are also agricultural pests. They damage and kill crops like corn, grain, and cotton. As garden pests, they can kill your garden plants. Obviously, farmers hate them for their destructive nature, and so do the gardeners.
As for the local weevil expert in Charlotte NC, weevils are considered dangerous pests because some of them are powerful enough to destroy crops.
What Are the Types of Weevils?
Flour weevil - As their name suggests, the flour weevil is found in places where they are near flour. They are not really weevils, but beetles. The size of this type of beetle is 3 to 4mm. They are ovoid in shape and are metallic in appearance. They also have two pairs of wings. They attack not only flour, but also nuts, cereals, and dried fruit. They are capable of attacking any place, be it in our homes, in the groceries, and even in the mills that manufacture such dry foods. They create so many problems, either dead or alive. When they die, their bodies produce a foul smell which effectively damages the dry foods.
Boll weevil - Boll weevils are usually 6mm in length, with a long snout, and are grayish in color. They feed on buds and little cotton ball plants. They are originally from Mexico, and came to the United States in the 19th century and immediately attacked all cotton-growing areas by the 1920s.
Rice weevil - The rice weevil is a tiny insect found in rice, flour, and other grains. Adult rice weevils are only 2 to 3mm in length. Their color could be from reddish brown to black. These rice weevils use their snouts to bore holes in the rice, cereals, or grains. If you find rice weevils on your rice, pour hot water on it. You will then see the dead weevils floating. Do this when you are about to cook the rice. They do not bite humans, nor give us any medical problems. They are just nuisance pests.
Wheat weevil - They also go by the name grain weevil. They are 3 to 5mm in length, chewing mouthparts, and again, that elongated snout. These kinds of weevils are unable to fly due to their immature wings, much unlike most types. This is the reason they could only eat stored foods and not those in the fields. Adult female weevils can produce as many as 6,000 0ffsprings a year.
Bean weevil - Like the flour weevils, they are not true weevils. They also do not have snouts, which is the basic feature of a weevil. They are generally compact and oval in shape. They are very hairy and have a pale olive color. Their size ranges from 1mm to 2mm. They eat anything that is available. Detecting them is very difficult. Signs of their presence are finding empty bean covers that they have already consumed.
Rose weevil - This type of weevil is 5 to 6mm in length and has a red and black color. They are capable of drilling holes because of their pointed snout. They eat mainly flowers. Their larvae also feed on flower petals, making them a nightmare for gardeners.
Black vine weevil - The black vine weevil attack plenty of ornamental plants. They are 12 mm in length with an ovoid body. They have short snouts and antennae. They are nocturnal, feeding only at night, they hide during the day, and they do not fly.
White Pine weevil - They are 6 to 7mm long with white and brown colored scales. They feed on spruce and pine trees.
Cowpea weevil - These weevils are reddish brown with gray marks. They have short snouts and feed largely on cowpeas, as their name suggests. That is also where they lay their eggs.
Control
How do we get rid of weevils? Here are some ways to fight them off:
- Weevils like to be in damp and dark areas in your home. Get a piece of cloth and pour water on it to make it damp enough. Put the damp cloth in dark places within your house. Weevils will be lured to it, eventually trapping them. Once you find enough weevils on the cloth, wash them away with water. Do this as often as necessary.
- If you have food products that are already contaminated by the weevils, throw them away. You will have no more use for these food products once the weevils contaminate them. If there are weevils in food products that you just bought from the store, return them to the store immediately. Make sure it will be thrown away or destroyed so that it will not have to spread to other areas.
- After you find out that your food products have been attacked by weevils, use a vacuum cleaner to clean the areas that were infested by the weevils, especially in the cupboards.
- Cut off their food source by storing food in airtight containers. Store these foods in a dry place to keep them away from the weevils.
- Seal off all cracks and openings in your house, as weevils can make these their entry points.
- Try some natural methods, like using neem oil or bay leaves. Spray the neem oils in places where you often find weevils. Put some bay leaves inside the rice and cereal containers. The bay leaves are natural repellents.
- Another way to kill them is by freezing them. Weevils might already be in your flour and cereals. Put this in the freezer in a ziplock and let it stay for at least a week. This will surely kill the weevils and their eggs.
- You may also try using Diatomaceous Earth. These are tiny fossilized aquatic organisms. When crawled on by weevils, it causes several tiny cuts on their bodies, causing them to bleed to death.
- Avoid storing too many dry foods. Once you buy these goods, try to use them as often as possible. Storing them unused only attracts the weevils.
If the presence of weevils is way beyond control, then you may call in the best pest expert in Charlotte NC, Go-Forth Home Services.
Simply the Best in Pest Control in Charlotte
Go-Forth has highly skilled and well-trained professionals who can make evaluations for your house and recommend the type of service you need. They utilize only the latest and the most advanced equipment that is available in the business, while also using family-friendly and pet-friendly methods of extermination, so you can be assured of your family’s safety.
Go-Forth Home Services is a family-owned company that has earned the trust of residents and businesses in Charlotte, having served the area for more than 50 years. They have made their presence felt in Charlotte, Jamestown, Camden, Greensboro, Greenville, Asheboro, Blythewood, Cayce, Hickory, Forest Acres, and many other cities in the North and South Carolina areas.
Go-Forth Home Services has very positive reviews and is the highest-rated local company in the Triad on social media. Please check their Facebook, Twitter, and Google to see how they are reviewed by our satisfied customers.
Go-Forth is a member of the North Carolina Pest Management Association and the National Pest Management Association.
For more inquiries, or to set an appointment, you may call our hotline at (877) 274-1475. Our friendly operators are standing by.
About Charlotte
The city of Charlotte in North Carolina is known for it is a vibrant and happy place to be in. Many people would agree that this is a remarkable place to live, work, and play. It has a population of around 850,000, making it the 17th largest city in the United States in terms of the number of residents. It has one of the fastest growing economies, making it ideal to start and raise a family there because, at Charlotte, you have everything you need.
Charlotteans are known to be among the best fans in the world. They have popular professional sports teams, like the Charlotte Panthers of the NFL, the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA, and the Charlotte Checkers in the AFL. Among the most notable Charlottean athletes are Michael Jordan, Stephen Curry, Joe Gibbs, Mugsy Bogues, and William Byron, to name just a few.