Does anyone have any practical experience with getting rid of weevils? Get the odd one turning up in my cornflakes - not bothered by the extra protein, its just annoying. Online advice seems to be throwing away affected food (this seems wasteful) or putting food in freezer for a few days (this seems impractical). Plan is to have a proper good clean of food cupboards at the weekend but other any suggestions welcome. We had just finished resolving our pantry moth issue....
Since you are not bothered about the extra protein, how about a biocontrol approach?
You could dust your cornflakes with predatory nematodes as you stock up.
Not sure my wife would go for this option. But I have learnt about nematodes, so thanks
Do you
> Plan is to have a proper good clean of food cupboards at the weekend but other any suggestions welcome. We had just finished resolving our pantry moth issue....
Clean up any traces of honey.
I've heard the love of honey is the source of all weevils.
> You could dust your cornflakes with predatory nematodes as you stock up.
Doesn't work. The weevils wobble but they don't fall down
Are you storing stuff in airtight containers? If not, after a good clean, putting things like flour and cereals in Kilner jars (or similar) should help keep the beasties out.
There are quite a lot of containers that you'd think would be a sufficuently tight seal but aren't, mind. I've several times found moths have somehow worked their way into something I was sure was impenetrable
But then you need some tardigrades to clean out the nematodes.
We had this in the pantry (and the I've known others having huge outbreaks of stuff from yeast extract). Clean up everything really thoroughly and then invest in snap-top sealed containers. Got rid of the problem for us. I would chuck stuff out to avoid re-infection.
If you have to pick one to eat, choose the lesser of two weevils
Appreciate the replies - been having a rummage and found a couple more of the critters strolling about the cupboard this morning, so will start the clean today. Most items are in plastic / glass containers (following on from the moth issue), so they have snuck in somewhere and got comfortable. I just read they don't like bay leaves, and we have a bay tree in the garden, so will add some foliage to the shelves once wiped down.
Yea, though they stroll through the cupboards of thy food, thy should fear no weevil.
Just you wait for the stoats to move in...way worse.
> Just you wait for the stoats to move in...way worse.
Lady in my local once brought her ferrets in for admiration. They seemed to live in her clothing, were very cute and very active, and would occasionally pop their heads out to be admired. We admired them from a distance. I'm quite surprised they've not been mentioned in the mouse threads.
Not much use for weevils though. Eat the weevils; I get them in lentils sometimes (I think).
They're mostly in the food before you buy it. I have them turn up in rice every now and again and I decant the packets straight into a sealed kilner jar so it's not like they're getting in. It takes a certain warmth for them to hatch from the eggs, so you might want to look at how you're storing your cereals.
I've read that they're pretty harmless though. Any I've found I just fish out and carry on; no need to chuck the food away.
> Just you wait for the stoats to move in...way worse.
I dunno, I've always thought they were stoatally amazing creatures.
> But then you need some tardigrades to clean out the nematodes.
There was an old woman who swallowed a nematode,
I don't know why she swallowed a nematode,
Perhaps she'll explode!
There was an old woman who swallowed a tardigrade,
She wasn't afraid when she swallowed the tardigrade.
She swallowed the tardigrade to catch the nematode,
I don't know why she swallowed a nematode,
Perhaps she'll explode...
To stop the weavels getting in you need a di-sable function.
> To stop the weavels getting in you need a di-sable function.
And then make it as secure as The Royal Mink.
Weavels don’t like cold weather, they prefer it otter.
I believe that a naval captain has to be able to sort weevils out if you have one handy.
Does the naval captain come with their own snap-top containers or are those sold separately?
The only thing necessary for the triumph of weevil is for good men to do nothing.
> Weavels don’t like cold weather, they prefer it otter.
I wonder if we can ferret out any more corny mustelid puns?
Seeing as the problem lies in the food cupboard, perhaps there's a chicken Tarka in there, which is like a chicken tikka, but a little otter.
> I wonder if we can ferret out any more corny mustelid puns?
Er...mine have run out. They have now!
I could refer you to the film but here is the literature:
https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/118106-two-weevils-crept-from-the-crumbs-y...
next: Debauched sloths
> The only thing necessary for the triumph of weevil is for good men to do nothing.
The weevil that men do lives after them
Weevils wobble but they don't fall down.
On the contrary, I've heard that Weevil Knievel can perform amazing stunts.
I find that listening to music while dealing with infestations is a good idea. My favourite is 'Weevil weevil rock you'
'Cause we are the champers of the World!
This thread is box office.
Catching up on this thread this morning, whilst a weevil does backstroke in my tea cup. If they are in the tea bags, I won't be happy!
> Catching up on this thread this morning, whilst a weevil does backstroke in my tea cup. If they are in the tea bags, I won't be happy!
Sure it wasn’t doing the front creepy crawly?
> This thread is box office.
Agreed. If they’re in the bread bin it would be: ‘Weavel Under The Bun.’
> This thread is box office.
Or, the horror of finding them in your bread bin would make it: ‘The Wevil Bread.’
Food-cupboard pests, obscure mustelid references, this thread is getting more complicated by the minute. Oh what a tangled web we weavil.
> This thread is box office.
And if you’ve struggled to find them in your bread bin: ‘See No Weavel, Hear No Weavel.’
And even when you haven't seen any in a while and you dare to think they've gone for good, there's still that quiet nagging voice in your head going:
Weevil meet again,
Don't know where, don't know when...
If you've a choice of big weevils or small weevils, always choose the lesser of two weevils (apologies Master and Commander of the far world)
Dammit I was just about to post that one!
'Capt. Jack Aubrey: Do you see those two weevils, Doctor?
Dr. Stephen Maturin: I do.
Capt. Jack Aubrey: Which would you choose?
Dr. Stephen Maturin: [sighs annoyed] Neither. There is not a scrap a difference between them. They are the same species of curculio.
Capt. Jack Aubrey: If you had to choose. If you were forced to make a choice. If there was no other response…
Dr. Stephen Maturin: [Exasperated] Well then if you are going to push me…
The doctor studies the weevils briefly.
Dr. Stephen Maturin: …I would choose the right hand weevil. It has… significant advantage in both length and breadth.
The Captain thumps his fist in the table.
Capt. Jack Aubrey: There, I have you! You’re completely dished! Do you not know that in the service… [pauses] …one must always choose the lesser of two weevils.
The officers burst out in laughter leaving Maturin flummoxed.'
Ha ha
Jack! You've debauched my sloth!
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