from today's SF Chronicle, the city's biggest paper
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/02/05/HO127040.DTL
Q: I have been finding very small beetles on my kitchen counter and in some of my foods. However, I recently found the same beetles in my marijuana! That crosses the line. What can I do to rid myself of these nefarious bugs?
A: The beetles you sent me are known as drugstore beetles. This is type of "pantry pest." Drugstore beetles feed on a wide variety of foods, including grains, dry pet foods, flour, condiments and, apparently, marijuana. They are capable of boring through wood and books. They are brown insects about one- tenth of an inch long. They belong to a family of beetles known as Anobiidae. This family contains some very important wood-boring species, including the deathwatch beetle.
Drugstore beetles can take anywhere from four months to a year to complete their life cycle. The length of time depends on the temperature. To control drugstore beetles, discard any food with evidence of beetle activity. Make sure there is no spillage. Keep all susceptible foods in tightly sealed containers or in the refrigerator. Cardboard boxes are not adequate, because the adult beetles can bore right through cardboard.
I have never heard of these or any other "pantry pests" infesting pot, but it obviously occurs. Because your stash is probably too expensive to throw away, I would suggest putting it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. That will kill any bugs in the pot. Then you will have to carefully inspect it pull out the seed-size beetles. They won't do any damage, but I can't guarantee they didn't poop in your pot.
Generally, pesticides are not necessary for controlling drugstore beetles or any other stored-food pest.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/02/05/HO127040.DTL
Q: I have been finding very small beetles on my kitchen counter and in some of my foods. However, I recently found the same beetles in my marijuana! That crosses the line. What can I do to rid myself of these nefarious bugs?
A: The beetles you sent me are known as drugstore beetles. This is type of "pantry pest." Drugstore beetles feed on a wide variety of foods, including grains, dry pet foods, flour, condiments and, apparently, marijuana. They are capable of boring through wood and books. They are brown insects about one- tenth of an inch long. They belong to a family of beetles known as Anobiidae. This family contains some very important wood-boring species, including the deathwatch beetle.
Drugstore beetles can take anywhere from four months to a year to complete their life cycle. The length of time depends on the temperature. To control drugstore beetles, discard any food with evidence of beetle activity. Make sure there is no spillage. Keep all susceptible foods in tightly sealed containers or in the refrigerator. Cardboard boxes are not adequate, because the adult beetles can bore right through cardboard.
I have never heard of these or any other "pantry pests" infesting pot, but it obviously occurs. Because your stash is probably too expensive to throw away, I would suggest putting it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. That will kill any bugs in the pot. Then you will have to carefully inspect it pull out the seed-size beetles. They won't do any damage, but I can't guarantee they didn't poop in your pot.
Generally, pesticides are not necessary for controlling drugstore beetles or any other stored-food pest.
