Last Updated on by Mitch Rezman
Solomon L writes:
I have a problem with little moths which seems to come from the bird food, they are very annoying.
I have an aviary inside the house with canary and finches, it is 8 feet tall 5 feet diameter in the circle connected with a 6 feet flight path with 8 canaries and 12 finches.
I use the Kaytee brand finch food for finch and the one for canaries.
Before when I had the Higgins premium brand I had no problems, but I could not find so I switched to Kaytee.
Do you have any suggestions to solve the problem?
Or is there a type of food I need to change too, I even try the Kaytee premium mix.
Thanks for listening, by the way, I use cedar chips for bedding at the bottom of which I have always done.
I will appreciate your input.
Thanks
Solomon
Dear Soloman,
Please note that all birdseed grows outside, as such, all bird seed likely has bug eggs in it.
It is due to the handling processes that result in how many issues there may come from them.
Some manufacturers treat the seed with CO2 or they remove the oxygen from the packages before sealing.
These treatments though only slow down the hatching of the bug eggs.
The bags being stored in overly warm conditions, or are stored for a long time without being used, or are opened and not sealed and outside insects get in, all can create a perfect environment for hatching. It is nature and we cannot stop this.
Expiration dates on the bags are merely a suggested date, there is no way of knowing when insect eggs will hatch out.
The moths are Grain Moths. Some brands are more likely to have them than others. Other seed insects are weevils.
None of these will harm your birds, but they are unsightly, annoying, and can damage the bird food.
If you have a few moths, you can put the food into a deep freezer for 2-3 weeks and it should kill any live moths or weevils.
If your food is all webby and obviously chewed up by the moths then you have to dispose of it and start over.
If your home is now infested with the moths and they are laying eggs and you have larvae in your pantry and grain products you must clean it out and throw out all infested foods.
We recommend these Moth Traps to catch the flying male moths before they find a female moth.
One pack of two traps is plenty for a single home. Two many traps set up at once will just confuse the moths and you won’t get as many captures.
If you have a larger infestation, this Mango Control Spray will serve your needs.
Storing your bird food in clear containers with lids, in a cool, dry area out of the sun will make your life easier as you can see the action inside them before you open them up and set free any new unwanted life.
We are very happy with Higgins as they have fewer moth issues than other brands we have dealt with.
Higgins Vita Finch 25 lb
Higgins Vita Canary 25 lb
I hope this helps.
If we can help you further, please let me know.
Catherine Tobsing
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