Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

After a long spell in the Uk to avoid the hottest months I found I have an infestation of weevils.
All dry food though in sealed plastic containers was thrown away & taken straight down to the bins.
For the past seven days I've been waging a battle. Each day cupboards emptied of what is left, unopened cans & jars. Cupboards washed & sprayed .each item inspected and wiped before being returned to the cupboard in the evening. Still they kept coming so I've repeated this ritual each morning for seven days. Yesterday I really thought I'd cracked it.
Could have wept this morning when I found a llve weevil gaily running round in a white plastic mixing bowl. There is no food in this particular cupboard. All containers have been thoroughly washed before being replaced in the cupboard.
Also found one in a sealed container containing crackers recently purchased and not yet opened.
The spray I've been using is Flutex (orange) with the little pipe to get into the nooks & crannies & Sertex -Fluid.
Any advice would be appreciated Thanks

Fresh herbs (the stronger smelling they are , the better) placed on the shelves tend to discourage all forms of insect life.

Basil, rosemary, bay, whatever you've got!

A dab of citronella wouldn't hurt either...

Hi Bonnie,
All dried foods have weavel eggs in them when you buy them, when we go to Turkey for the summer we ditch all the dried foods also don't buy to much dried food buy it as you need it. Has Keith has mentioned stong smelling herbs help keep the weavel moth away but will not stop the eggs hatching.

Thank you both for your replies.
I don't have any access to bay leaf. My lovely Basil died during my absence. I have however managed to pick several sprigs of Rosemary. The only source of citronella I could find was those hanging things that are meant to deter the mossies. No matter I'll bung them in for good measure. Fingers crossed I've seen the last of them
The only dried food I've bought is cereal for the other half, and salt. I've stored it on the other side of the kitchen in a bread bin & hope they don't have a map.
Thanks again Lyn

Recently found out that clove oil mixed with another essential oil, such as peppermint, and water in a spray bottle kill ants and other crawling insects. Have had ants in the house this year, and this did the trick. It's also safer for kitchen use, rather than an insecticide on worktops and cupboards.

Put flour and cereals like porridge in the freezer for four days. This stops the eggs, which are in all things of that nature, from hatching. Store everything that comes in bags/packets/boxes in sealed containers.

Scatter mint teabags in your cupboards, as a deterrent.

Thank you so much all of you.
I didn't realise the weevil eggs could already be in the dry food and couldn't fathom how they managed to get into the containers.
I will definitely follow your advice alphamike and put my next purchase of flour etc into the freezer for 4 days before use. Also will purchase peppermint & clove oil for spray. I assume the best place to purchase would be a pharmacy .
For days I've felt unclean & guilty, thinking It was due to my own lack of hygene. Thanks to you all I feel better now about the whole episode.
I'm meticulous about washing all fruit & veg, before distributing it to it's various places in the home.
I've done a weevil check this morning and it's all clear. However I'll remain vigilant .
I'm grateful for your interest & advice Lyn

You can get essential oils at some pharmacies, not sure if all. Erulku also sells them. Clove is karanfil, mint is nane. About 15 drops of each topped up with water in a litre spray bottle, should kill the little blighters. It's safer and smells a lot better than insect sprays.

Fingers crossed that you have managed to eradicate your problem.