# Bad bad bad suspended animation **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 15, 2026, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-suspended-animation/1030084 "2026-05-15T00:07:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-suspended-animation/1030084/1 "2026-05-15T00:07:21Z")
My Mid-dau cooked Bean soup. She always asks me to mix the cornbread up. (I think she’s tryna include me, so sweet of her 🤔) I go in the kitchen and she hands me a new bag of Martha White cornmeal the other ingredients are right close. She hands me 3 eggs. I say “so you want the big skillet?” she nods. I carefully open the bag of corn meal in order to keep the dust down. I look in. Fine. I put the eggs in the bowl and spurtle them up. Pour a little buttermilk and mix(this is how Granny taught me). Got a small bowl with flour, sugar a little salt, baking soda and powder. Go to scoop out the corn meal. I noticed it was very speckled. I swooped the scoop in and all hell breaks loose. Something(s) flying up in my face. Oh crap. Gotta trash that. We always have more but it made me nervous. So I inspected another bag very carefully. Why did they not fly up when I opened the bag? Why is there critters in my corn meal at all? Disgusting! ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-suspended-animation/1030084/2 "2026-05-15T00:34:18Z")
Most likely family Dermestidae, probably Larder beetles. They are extremely hardy, and will quickly get into any flour or meal, so be vigilant. Could also be Pantry moths. Also a nightmare to get rid of. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-suspended-animation/1030084/3 "2026-05-15T00:41:54Z")
When you bring things like that home, throw them in the freezer for a few days. Then store them in something glass or metal and airtight. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-suspended-animation/1030084/4 "2026-05-15T01:24:43Z")
I put the old bag directly in the burn pit. Outta the house. I’m sure they came from the store. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-suspended-animation/1030084/5 "2026-05-15T09:23:35Z")
Reminds me of the time I was at a friend’s house, and I was about to pour myself a bowl of cereal, and a cockroach fell out of the box, ran around the bowl, tumbled out of the bowl, and skittered away. Least successful prize in the box ever. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-suspended-animation/1030084/6 "2026-05-15T21:52:58Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > … probably Larder beetles … Could also be Pantry moths. I am creeped out by any insect name that involves the name of a food storage area! 😲 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2026, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-suspended-animation/1030084/7 "2026-05-15T22:08:59Z")
Let’s see … crevice cockroaches shower slugs armchair ants bucket bees And my favorite: **Space Spiders!** 😱 eeek ---
**Author:** ![Lare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@Lare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lare)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2026, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-suspended-animation/1030084/8 "2026-05-16T05:51:28Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I put the old bag directly in the burn pit. You _do_ mean the foodstuffs, right? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2026, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-suspended-animation/1030084/9 "2026-05-16T06:21:39Z")
Maybe. 😐 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2026, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-suspended-animation/1030084/10 "2026-05-16T16:35:56Z")
What does it mean, “Spurtle”? Are you from around here, or not? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2026, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-suspended-animation/1030084/11 "2026-05-16T18:38:21Z")
Spurtle is a particular stirring spoon. Paddled shaped wood. They work great. For stirring batters. Bug infested or not. 😱 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2026, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bad-bad-bad-suspended-animation/1030084/12 "2026-05-16T20:53:18Z")
Thanks!