# What are these bugs in my cereal? And how do I get rid of them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2006, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-bugs-in-my-cereal-and-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/354373 "2006-04-26T22:56:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mrs\_Johnson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Mrs\_Johnson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs_Johnson)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-bugs-in-my-cereal-and-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/354373/1 "2006-04-26T22:56:55Z")
I keep finding these small insects in my dry foods. Cereal, oatmeal, graham crackers, rice, and the like. They’re dark brown/black and about the size of an ant, but their bodies are a bit fatter. They’re hard if you squoosh 'em. (hard for a small bug) I live in Oklahoma if that helps any. What are they? How do I get rid of them? I’ll try to take a photo in a little while. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-bugs-in-my-cereal-and-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/354373/2 "2006-04-26T23:00:44Z")
Are they [weevils?](http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/weevils_stored_grain.htm) Is so, how to get rid of them: [http://www.ehow.com/how\_18818\_rid-home-pantry.html](http://www.ehow.com/how_18818_rid-home-pantry.html) ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-bugs-in-my-cereal-and-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/354373/3 "2006-04-26T23:03:44Z")
I’m thinking [flour beetles](http://www.ca.uky.edu/entweb/storage/flourbeetle.gif). Here’s about getting rid of them: [article](http://www.pantrypest.com/confusedflour.htm). Personally, I’d toss everything I currently have, clean really, really well, and make sure everything I bring into the house is stored in air tight containers or bags. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2006, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-bugs-in-my-cereal-and-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/354373/4 "2006-04-26T23:07:11Z")
> [@tremorviolet](#): > > I’m thinking [flour beetles](http://www.ca.uky.edu/entweb/storage/flourbeetle.gif). Here’s about getting rid of them: [article](http://www.pantrypest.com/confusedflour.htm). > > Personally, I’d toss everything I currently have, clean really, really well, and make sure everything I bring into the house is stored in air tight containers or bags. I had never heard of those but they look and act like weevils so a confirmation may be hard (but largely irrelavant to fixing it). Here is a photo a home invading weevil. [http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/e606weevils.html](http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/e606weevils.html) ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-bugs-in-my-cereal-and-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/354373/5 "2006-04-27T00:10:24Z")
> [@tremorviolet](#): > > I’m thinking [flour beetles](http://www.ca.uky.edu/entweb/storage/flourbeetle.gif). Here’s about getting rid of them: [article](http://www.pantrypest.com/confusedflour.htm). > > Personally, I’d toss everything I currently have, clean really, really well, and make sure everything I bring into the house is stored in air tight containers or bags. I’ve found that the little bastards can get inside bags, so go with airtight plastic containers. I had an infestation a few years ago, and it required a major poisoning campaign to stop it. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-bugs-in-my-cereal-and-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/354373/6 "2006-04-27T00:17:22Z")
As to where they come from, sometimes the eggs are actually inside the packages when you buy them. It would be darn near impossible to get every tiny little bug egg out of a bin of grain. I have found them in old packages. All it takes is a few, and there you go. Of course, if you use stuff up promptly you will never know you may have eaten a bug egg or two. What you need to do is first throw out whatever container you found them in. Then go through everything in your pantry and throw out stuff that shows any sign of infestation, or if it’s just plain old. Wash down the shelves well. Also, if you have something like flour that you want to keep for a while, put it in a well-sealed plastic bag and put it in the freezer. Even if that doesn’t kill the pests, they will never hatch in there. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs\_Johnson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Mrs\_Johnson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs_Johnson)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-these-bugs-in-my-cereal-and-how-do-i-get-rid-of-them/354373/7 "2006-04-27T00:27:30Z")
Thank you! It’s the **confused flour beetles!** Now I’m on a mission to eliminate them!