Sasha CampbellRice weevils are some of the most frustrating pantry pests you can encounter. You may spot these tiny reddish-brown beetles crawling around your dry goods.
Female rice weevils bore into grains to lay their eggs [1]. Once hatched, the larvae feed on the inside of the grain.
Don’t worry, though—there are several natural ways to control rice weevils without harsh chemicals.
How to Get Rid of Rice Weevils Naturally
If you’ve discovered weevils in your rice, here’s how to deal with them using home remedies and natural methods.
1. Vinegar
Vinegar is another home remedy for controlling rice weevils. White vinegar kills rice weevils, so you can use it to get rid of them overnight.
Mix half a cup of white vinegar with a cup of water. Next, wipe down your pantry shelves with the vinegar and water solution.
Vinegar also helps to clean up and remove scent trails of any leftover food particles that weevils and other insects might feed on.
2. Inspect and Toss Infested Food
The first step is to find the source where these pests might be hiding.
Check all your dry goods. This includes rice, flour, pasta, cereal, oats, cornmeal, and pet food.
Toss those items immediately if you spot live weevils or signs of larvae or eggs. Don’t take any chances.
Place the infested items in a sealed plastic bag and throw them away outside your home.
3. Place the Affected Items in Your Freezer
Another old-school remedy is to freeze rice to kill the weevils. Moreover, it is not just rice; you can try it with any food the freezer will not damage.
Therefore, if you suspect an item is infested but don’t want to throw it away, try placing it in your freezer. Freezing kills rice weevil eggs, larvae, and adults.
Just freeze the infected rice in a sealed bag for about three days.
4. Clean Out Your Pantry
A thorough pantry clean-out is also necessary when dealing with a rice weevil infestation. Remove all the affected items and everything else from your pantry, even the things that don’t appear to be infested.
Next, wipe down all surfaces, corners, and cracks where weevils might be hiding.
You can also use a vacuum to reach tight crevices. Be sure to empty the vacuum bag or canister outside to prevent re-infestation.
5. Bay Leaves
Bay leaves are a classic old-school remedy for pantry pests, and many people swear by it.
Place a few dried bay leaves into your rice containers. You can also tape them to the inside of your pantry shelves or lay them on the tops of storage bins.
The strong smell is believed to naturally repel weevils. While it will not kill the weevils, it can help keep them away from your stored goods.
Alternatively, you can use cloves or whole black peppercorns. These spices have intense aromas that deter many house pests, including bugs in rice.
6. Keep Moisture to a Minimum
Weevils love warm, moist environments. Therefore, keeping your pantry cool and dry is essential.
Moisture also encourages mold growth and spoilage, both of which attract insects. So, make sure your food storage areas are well-ventilated and dry.
You can also place activated charcoal, baking soda, or silica gel packs in the pantry. These items will help soak up extra moisture.
7. Hot Soapy Water
Hot, soapy water is also an effective DIY remedy for a pantry purge.
First, throw out contaminated food. Next, wipe down shelves with hot water mixed with dish soap. This will remove food particles and weevils roaming around.
Don’t forget the corners, underneath shelf liners, and the tops of containers.
8. Diatomaceous Earth
For a more aggressive natural solution, try food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE). DE is nontoxic to humans but deadly to many insects.
Sprinkle a light layer in pantry corners or around shelves. You can also dust cracks and crevices with it.
When the beetles walk through it, the fine powder damages their exoskeletons. It causes a dehydrating effect, which later kills them.
This product is an excellent remedy for getting rid of rice weevils organically.
9. Neem Oil
Neem oil is a natural insect repellent and killer in some instances.
Mix 5 ml of neem oil with a liter of water to make a homemade rice weevil spray.
Add 2 ml of liquid soap and shake well. Use the solution to treat pantry shelves, corners, and outside storage containers.
10. Use Airtight Containers
Rice weevils can chew through cardboard and thin plastic packaging [2].
Therefore, switch to airtight containers made of glass, hard plastic, or metal. Mason jars also work well.
Doing so prevents weevils from getting into your rice and other food items.
11. Set Traps
You can also set up a trap kit to catch beetles and moths in your pantry. For example, you can buy the Bugs in the Pantry Trap Kit.
The trap is easy to use and highly effective. To use it, fold the trap into the shape of a tent and attach the pheromone lure to the sticky card.
Finally, insert both the cards and the lure inside. This lure is an effective attractant for major pantry pests.
12. Sun-Dry Grains
Drying uncooked rice or grains in the sun for a few hours can help kill weevil eggs and larvae [3, 4]. Just spread the grains on a clean tray and leave them under the sun for a bit.
Cover the tray with a mesh screen to keep out other bugs.
Takeaway
Rice weevils are little pests that can damage rice and other dried goods in your pantry.
Thankfully, you don’t need harsh chemicals to get rid of them. The key is acting quickly—toss the infested food, clean everything, and use natural repellents where necessary.
Have you battled rice weevils before? Let me know which method worked best for you!
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