Grain Weevils HELP!!

Emma_M_2

Please if this is not the right board to post this on then please move it thank you.



We have recently had some small insects that have been identified as grain weevils in our home, there have only been two downstairs that we have noticed, and a lot upstairs particularly on the room that is joined to the bathroom. Everywhere I have read and spoken to has said they are suprised that the grain weevils are upstairs, so this is leading to me thinking that they are not grain weevils (the local pest control council have identified them as grain weevils.

They have been here for a few weeks, only two downstairs and a lot upstairs mainly in one particular bedroom, backing on to the bathroom (in the bathroom we have damp floor boards if this is any cause?). They do look like grain weevils and we have had bird food in the house which has now been moved outside, and the bag of hamster food is stored in a metal tin, there has only been one or two grain weevils spotted in the kitchen, this makes me wonder if they are something different. My sister did say she noticed a few weeks back a loaf of bread which had been left open, had small black things on??
Recently there has been less spotted this makes me think that maybe the nest has been in a bag of bird food etc and has been thrown out. The council have said they can not sort the problem as its not an enviromental health problem, and suggested we search the chimney for a pigeon that could have brought something in,


if anyone has any advice or can identify the problem or has even had these grain weevils and can give some info it would be much appreciated as this is really worrying us all now,

Thank you,

Sorry its so long,

Emma

Emma_M_2

Sorry to bump this but anyone?

Thanks,

Emma

dacouch

I'm not an expert but googled grain weavils, the seem to live in bird seed etc etc, if I were you I would throw the bird seed and any similar items away (In sealed bags) rather than have them in your garden

safesound

Your council pest controller is mistaking the grain weevils for wood boring weevils. Do a search on google and look for "pentarthrum huttoni" now compare that to "stiophilus granarius" (grain weevil) its a common mistake as both weevils are very similar in appearance however the wood boring weevil appears where there is no food source (ie, no grain) you may even find them around the base of the toilet as they are attracted to the ammonia.
BTW you wont find grain weevils in bird nests (I love the councils lol)

The above is from my husband who is a pest control technician for (I'm not allowed to say specifically) the largest pest control company in the phone book. He knows his stuff as he deals with this kind of thing every day.

Emma_M_2

Thank you for the replies, yes the wood boring weevils do look like the ones we've had, I rang the council again and they have said they can't treat them as they are still not a environmental health issue, is there anything we can buy to treat them ourselves, or would we have to pay a company to come and treat them (we haven't really got the money for this though to be honest).
Also this morning we found one on the bread a new loaf not sure if it had dropped in or was already in there when brought?

Thanks again,

Emma

Dograt_2

Can you take a picture of them? Or if you like send them to me and we can ID them for you. I have seen Grain weevils come out of some strange things, bean bags are one sometimes grain can be used inside some of the heat pads you can warm in the microwave, also the base of some soft toys these can emerge later after the item has been purchased, find our address at guardianpestcontrol.co.uk just put the w's in front pop some dead ones in the post with a note and I can ID them for you.

Regards
Hugh

Emma_M_2

Thank you very much I will get them posted out to you tomorrow, and I will also try and get a picture this evening. We had quite a few cuddly toys and about half to 3/4 of them have now been checked and given to charity, the other ones we have kept we have checked but will check again, if they grain weevils are they easy to treat?

Thanks again,

Emma

dander

I had some weevils in a kitchen cupboard. I managed to get rid of them just by clearing it out and cleaning and disinfecting it really thoroughly. I then left it empty for a few weeks to be sure that if any survived in there, they didn't have any food. Funny, although they seemed able to get into any container in that cupboard, no matter how well sealed, they didn't ever migrate out of the cupboard into the rest of the kitchen. Was the bedroom you have the problem in where the bird food was stored?

Emma_M_2

Hi no the bird food and hamster food was stored in a kitchen cupboard and we've only seen two in the kitchen, the only thing that has been upstairs food wise is biscuits? Have just found another one climbing up the side of a material shoe rack in my bedroom?

Thanks,

Emma

Dograt_2

Yes

They are pretty easy to treat if they are Grain Weevils key is try to find where the source is located, if you find this ten no treatment at all may be needed. If you do need a treatment email me you location and I may be able to suggest someone reliable that wont rip you off !

Dograt_2

Possible sources:-

Bean Bags
Have seen them coming from decorative items corn dollies/kitchen decorations.
Base of cuddly toys (Used so they sit up)
Heat pads
Cereal
Nuts
bird food
dry dog food (Not often)
Draft excluders which use grain as a weight (Sausage dog type things)
Birds nests in Loft

thats the main ones