Celebrate with some highly-requested Spring and Easter nest items!
I am pleased and honored to be the one to tell you that yes, you have eaten weevils. I know it’s a disgusting thought (or an invigorating one, no judgement), but there’s really nothing to be done about it. Most people are never even aware that it has happened. It might have simply been their eggs. It could, however, have been little bits of exoskeleton, maybe a leg or two, or possibly even the entire nasty weevil . . . or at least its larvae. With something as common as weevils, it’s pretty much unavoidable. They can be found in nearly any prepackaged food you buy that contains any sort of grain. I’m talkin’ cookies, crackers, biscuits, cake mixes, pastas, breakfast cereals, anything. This is due to the fact that weevils lay their eggs in, you guessed it, grains.
The two most common types of pantry weevils are the granary weevil (Sitophilus granarius) and the rice weevil (Sitophilus oryzae). They are often referred to as snout weevils. These little pantry pests are actually beetles; very small beetles that rarely get any larger than ¼ of an inch. Female weevils use their little snouts to drill holes in the casings of grains, such as wheat, oats, rye, rice, corn, barley, and various seeds and beans. Once the hole is drilled, she deposits an egg and seals the hole back up with a gelatinous glue-like substance that she creates all by her little self. The egg hatches after a few days, and the larvae uses its surroundings as a lunch box for about the next month. For this reason, it can be difficult to detect an infestation. Not only is it slow to start but the larvae are in hiding. Once grain weevils (a.k.a. flour weevils) or rice weevils present themselves, you’ve got a problem. A single female can lay up to 400 eggs, which means up to 400 more hungry bugs lookin’ for a snack. If you’ve experienced something like this, you’ll need to know how to control and get rid of weevils.
Weevil Identification
Rice Weevil
- 1/8- to 3/16-inch long
- Dull reddish brownRound pits on thorax
- Four light spots on carapace
- Able to fly
- Found more commonly in warmer states
Granary Weevil
- 1/8- to 3/16-inch long
- Shiny reddish brown
- Elongated pits on thorax
- Can’t fly
- Found more commonly in cooler states
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Best Methods of Weevil Control
Remove contaminated food products.
Sounds like a no-brainer, but this might be the single most important step in getting rid of weevils. Look through your ENTIRE pantry and every single cupboard for any food products that might be contaminated. If you find something that you aren’t sure of, pitch it. There’s no point in risking reinfestation. It could very well cost you more money in the long run. Once you have it all gathered up, take it outside to the trash immediately and move the can as far away from your house as possible.
Pull a Cinderella.
Conduct the most thorough cleaning of your pantry and cupboards that you have ever done. Start by taking absolutely everything off the shelves and vacuuming them. Make sure to get all the cracks where flour or other food bits might be hiding. If you have contact paper lining the shelves, remove it (you can put new stuff on later). Use a rag and some hot sudsy water to do the rest of the cleaning.
Kill weevils with cold.
To avoid future problems with weevils, it is advisable to freeze your food. You can do this to flour, oats, cookies, corn meal, grits, whatever. If you have the space in your freezer, you should just keep the stuff in there full time. If you have a small freezer and can’t afford the space, set the freezer as cold as it gets and leave the food in there for at least four days. That will kill any eggs, larvae, or weevils. Also, that’s an added 4 days of shelf life!
Kill weevils with heat.
If you don’t feel like freezing everything, a little heat exposure will accomplish the same thing. Spread your food or seeds thinly on a baking sheet, preheat the oven to 120°F, and leave it in there for 1 hour. If you’re impatient, you can do 130°F for ½ hour. If you want to use the microwave, spread the stuff on a glass dish or plate, and run it for 5 minutes. Keep in mind that if you are heating seeds for gardening, the heat may destroy the seed’s chances for germination. Also, don’t heat fine-grained things, like flour, in case of combustion.
Further weevil prevention.
Start by cleaning the cupboards and pantry regularly. If you spill something, clean it up immediately and thoroughly. In the pantry and cupboards, you may want to consider sealing any shelving cracks with caulk to keep food from getting trapped down there in the future. Buy your goods in smaller amounts that you can use quickly. Rotate your stock and don’t mix new food with old. Finally, store all of your perishables in tight-lidded glass, tin, steel, or plastic containers. If you have limited cupboard space, Rubbermaid modular containers (sold at Amazon) may be a good plan.
Control Weevils with Pyrethrins
With as common a pantry pest as weevils are, you would think that there would be quite a number of pesticides that target them directly. Unfortunately, this is far from the case. The reason is simple: weevils live and breed in your food. Since you would like to eat that food, contaminating it with insecticides probably isn’t the best idea. For this reason, you should probably just stick with pyrethrins. There are quite a few different pyrethrin sprays and aerosols available that are sold to be used indoors and in food handling areas. You should still avoid spraying the food directly. Once your pantry and cupboards are completely empty, spray them down. I would recommend you leave the cupboards empty and open for at least a few hours before filling them back up. Look for products such as CB-80 Extra, Riptide Waterbased Pyrethrin ULV, and Konk Too.
Best Natural Weevil Control Methods
Bay leaves.
Bay leaves are a natural weevil deterrent. After freezing or heating your grains, drop a bay leaf or two into the storage container on top of the food product you want to be protected. You may also wish to randomly scatter a few leaves around the cupboard or pantry. Amazon sells a bundle of ’em here.
Cloves.
Cloves are another natural deterrent for weevils. Treat your grains with cloves the same way you would with bay leaves. After treating your food with hot or cold, drop a clove on top of it before storing. Scatter a couple around the cupboards and pantry too. Hell, go crazy and try a couple of each.
Matchbooks.
Sounds odd, I know, but I read this suggestion in a number of places. Take a plain old matchbook, open it up, and set it in with your grains or pastas. Apparently the sulfur smell from the matches acts as a weevil deterrent.
Binweevils crossword answers level 1 – General Crossword
Starting from the top on “Across” –
Someone who flies a plane is called: Pilot
This season comes after summer: Autumn
A tree trunk is covered with this: Bark
You wear these to protect your eyes from the sun: Sunglasses
Three plus four equals this: Seven
A king or queen wears this on their head: Crown
Now starting from the top on “Down” –
You stick this to a letter before mailing it: Stamp
Another word for a silly trick you play on someone: Prank
these tiny ice crystals fall from the sky in the winter: Snowflakes
A tricycle has three of these: Wheels
you blow these out on top of a cake: Candles
Ice Cream is sometime served on this: Cone
If you put some toppings between two pieces of bread, you get this: Sandwich
The opposite of west: East
you put a pair of these on before your shoes: Socks
That’s it for crossword 1! If you have questions on any of the answers let me know!
Binweevils crossword answers level 2 – Opposites
Answers starting from “Across” on the top –
The opposite of large: Small
The opposite of loud: Quiet
The opposite of rude: Polite
The opposite of possible: Impossible
The opposite of neat: Messy
The opposite of asleep: Awake
The opposite of late: Early
The opposite of wet: Dry
The opposite of last: First
Now the answers for “Down” starting from the top –
The opposite of full: Empty
The opposite of high: Low
The opposite of day: Night
The opposite of open: Closed
The opposite of outside: Inside
The opposite of above: Below
The opposite of hot: Cold
The opposite of difficult: Easy
Now you are done with crossword two! What are you going to do with all that mulch?
Binweevils crossword answers level 3 – The Great Outdoors
Let’s start with “Across” from the top –
At night, you see this round disc shining: Moon
An underground tunnel that an animal lives in: Burrow
Club Penguin Rewritten
You can find these small objects along the seashore: Shells
This animal is sometimes called the kind of the jungle: Lion
You hear this sound when you see lighting: Thunder
This plant doesn’t need much water and can grow in the desert: Cactus
Fish, frogs and jellyfish all do this: Swim
A tiny acron can gro into this: Tree
This animal has long ears and hops fast: Rabbit
Baby birds hatch out of these: Eggs
Now to do the “Down” words form the top –
Kangaroos carry their babies around in this: Pouch
This fruit is named after its colour: Orange
This sea creature can grow bigger than several elephants: Whale
They’re fluffy and can be seen floating in the sky: Clouds
the home that a bird builds: Nest
This slithery creature doesn’t have feet: Snakes
This ribbon of colours appears in the sky after a rainstorm: Rainbow
Lots of people like to wish on one of these: Star
It winds along carrying water to the ocean: River
You plant and water it to grow a flower: Seed
Crossword three is complete! How did you do?
Binweevils crossword answers level 4 – Jobs and Work
“Across” words starting from the top –
This person knows everything about car engines: Mechanic
A doctor who performs surgery is called this: Surgeon
Another word for a writer: Author
This person takes care of your teeth: Dentist
A builder uses this to put nails into place: Hammer
Someone who does sport for a living is called this: Athlete
Cakes, bread, and bisquits are made here: Bakery
A photographer always has one of these on hand: Camera
“Down” words from the top –
A special outfit that you have to wear to work or school: Uniform
You use this to type when working on the computer: Keyboard
An artist probably has lots of colours of this: Paint
A teacher has plenty of these for students to write with: Pencils
A fashion designer might make this for a celebrity: Dress
This person brings your food in a restaurant: Waiter
Firfighters wear this to protect their head: Helmet
Finally done with crossword four. These are getting pretty tough.
Binweevils crossword answers level 5 – General Crossword
First lets begin with the “Across” section from the top –
This bird can be trained to talk: Parrot
When it freezes, water turns into this: Ice
If it’s raining, bring this along: Umbrella
It hangs on the wall and tells you which day it is: Calendar
A caterpillar will eventually turn into this: Butterfly
This grows on palm trees. Don’t let one fall on your head: Coconut
Solar panels collect this to produce energy: Sunlight
Now let’s do the “Down” section starting at the top –
The first meal of the day: Breakfast
These tiny creatures love cheese: Mice
Re-using plastic or paper to make new things is called this: Recycling
It has two wheels and two pedals: Bicycle
This shape has three sides: Triangle
You use this body part to smell: Nose
An accessory you can wear on your finger: Ring
Before a big exam you should do this: Study
Crossword five is complete! Let’s go to number six. Are you keeping up?
Binweevils crossword answers level 6 – Music Mania
From the top of “Across” –
The words to a song are called this: Lyrics
Someone who really likes a band or celebrity is called this: Fan
The bands’ lead singer sings into this: Microphone
A signature from someone famous: Autograph
The band stands up on this when they preform: Stage
Another word for a really famous person: Celebrity
A bright light that shines on the band from above: Spotlight
You need to buy one of these to attend a show: Ticket
Let’snow get to the “Down” section starting at the top –
Another word for a show where a band plays music: Concert
The drummer uses these to play the drums: Drumsticks
Great music can make you want to do this: Dance
Another word for rehearse: Practice
A collection of songs released together is also called this: Album
A long car that is often used by celebrities: Limo
This stringed instrument features in most bands: Guitar
That was all the answers to crossword six! How did you do?
Binweevils crossword answers level 7 – General Crossword
Starting with the “Across” words from the very top –
Another word for clever: Smart
Bin Weevils Sign In
Birds use these to fly: Wings
A place where you can see lots of animals: Zoo
To look for something is to: Search
If you remember things well, you have a great: Memory
This slimy creature moves very slowly and wears a curly shell: Snail
Pirates often bury this: Treasure
Fruit that has just been picked is: Fresh
Another word for terrible: Awful
If you are fortunate, it means you have good: Luck
The opposite of lower: Upper
Now for the “Down” words form the top –
If you are being honest you are telling the: Truth
You can add this to your tea to make it sweet: Sugar
Bees live inside this: Hive
To get from one room to another, you go through this: Door
A shape with four equal sides: Square
Another word for competition: Contest
Another word for error: Mistake
It hangs on the wall and tells the time: Clock
Another word for glad: Happy
To put a gift into pretty paper: Wrap
A key fits into this: Lock
Crossword seven is now complete! Let’s keep going.
Binweevils crossword answers level 8 – Pets
Starting with the “Across” words from the very top –
Cats scratch on a post to sharpen these: Claws
With patience, you can teach some pets lots of these: Tricks
Always make sure your pets have enough food and: Water
This special doctor takes care of pets: Veterinarian
A pet bird usually lives in this: Cage
What do you call a baby cat: Kitten
This goes around a pets neck to hold their ID tags: Collar
Bin Weevils Tv Show
When cats are happy, they make this low rumbling noise: Purr
Now let’s get to the “Down” words from the top –
This small pet loves to run on a wheel: Hamster
All cats have these long hairs sticking our from their face: Whiskers
A clever pet might chase and fetch this: Ball
Dog chew on toys and bones to keep these healthy: Teeth
It’s long and bendy, and cats sometimes chase their own: Tail
Rabbits love to nibble on this veggie: Carrot
You usually clip this on when you take your dog for a walk: Leash
Crossword eight was pretty easy wouldn’t you say!? Let me know how you did in the comments below.
Binweevils crossword answers level 9 – Around the Binscape
We will start with the “Across” words from the top –
This wacky Scientist invented the daily brain strain: Lab
This mega-rich bin Weevil lives in a palace: Dosh
You’ll find these growing at Flum’s Fountain: Mushrooms
This Bin Weevil runs the Haggle Hut: Nab
What does Tink’s Tree like to eat: Flies
This reporter writes Weevil Weekly: Scribbles
This number appears on the side of Lab’s Lab: Eight
This huge shop is next to Bin Mart in the Shopping Mall: Nestco
Now let’s get to the “Down” words starting at the top –
You need this to pay for food at Figg’s Cafe: Mulch
The best place to race against your buddies: Dirtvalley
The XP bubbles at Club Fling are this colour: Pink
Bin Pets are very good at this skill: Juggling
Jumping on the catapults in front of Castle Gam flings this around: Slime
Stamp this every day in your nest to earn prizes: Bincard
If you impress the Nest Inspector, you could win this: Trophy
There are all the answers for crossword nine! I hope it helped you out!
Binweevils crossword answers level 10 – Science Rocks
Lets start with the “Across” words from the top –
This object sticks to Metallic Surfaces: Magnet
What makes things fall when you drop them: Gravity
Test tubes are made from this clear, breakable material: Glass
The place where a scientist works: Laboratory
A lab coat is usually this color: White
You use this body part to think: Brain
This long rectangular tool is used to measure things: Ruler
Another word for poisonous: Toxic
Now for the “Down” words starting from the top –
Another word for the information a scientist gathers: Data
Someone who is very, very smart is called this: Genius
You can look at faraway stars with this: Telescope
Wear these to protect your eyes when you’re experimenting: Goggles
At school, this person helps you learn: Teacher
Write your observations down in this: Notebook
All the planets orbit around this: Sun
Binweevils crossword answers Level 12 – Summer Fun
We will start with the across words first.
A sandy strip besides the seas: Beach
You can see your toes when you wear these shoes: Sandals
A long walk through the country or wilderness: Hike
A popular summer drink: Lemonade
Always wear sunscreen to avoid this: Sunburn
A type of bird often found at the seaside: Seagull
Put cubes of this in your drink to cool it off: Ice
A spot that isn’t in the sun is in this: Shade
A sport in which you ride the waves on a board: Surfing
Now the words that are straight down starting from the top.
Fill this with water or use it to play in the sand: Bucket
A small palace you build on the seashore: Sandcastle
You can do this in a pool, in the sea or in a like: Swim
You can sleep in this if you go camping: Tent
You can lie on this or use it to dry off: Towel
This insect glows in the dark: Firefly
People often cook these on the grill or BBQ in the summer: Burgers
A green space in the city where you can walk or play: Park
This month comes before August: July
The sound you make when you jump in the water: Splash
When you eat lunch outside on a blanket, its called this: Picnic
That is all of the Binweevils Crossword Answers for now! When the game comes out with another I will be sure to get the answers up for you! Thank you and do not forget to follow me on Twitter!