Do weevils get in whole grain? If they do how do you get rid of them?

Don is Missouri

-- don in missoui (donlee@windo.missour.org), September 04, 2000

Answers

hi nieighbor(he really is) i am putting this post in to see if others think it will work please note i have not used this method yet. i plan on freezing my whole grains that i will be storing for about 1 week then sealing in the plastic bags i have with my vacum sealer.

i plan on storing about 5-10lbs per bag. i plan on using the running rolls of baging not the individual bags. i think that by making a little bigger than needed i will be able to reuse them by resealing below the cut.

please let me know what you all think about this. this year i just left the grains in the bag from the mill and i have not noticed any real problem. but even though y2k didn't really happen i still think that it would be smart to always be ready and with a limited budget i think that whole grains is a good thing to base a food supply on. any thoughts on this would also be welcome. thanks gail

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef123@hotmail.com), September 04, 2000.

Yes, weevils do get into whole grains. The proper way to kill them by freezing is to place the container of grain in the freezer for a few days to kill live weevils, then remove it for 2 or 3 to allow any eggs to hatch, then place back in the freezer again. After a few days you can then remove and package as you wish.

-- Notforprint (Not@thekeyboard.com), September 05, 2000.

Hi Gail and Don. Another Missouri resident here but from "up North". I would suggest that you vacuum package your wheat first then freeze treat it if you wish. If you freeze it first, you will need to be very careful to let it come back to room temperature on a very dry day or risk condensation on the individual kernels. That could lead to enough dampness to permit mold. Vacuum sealing first will remove the air and humidity, the lack of oxygen can kill the eggs, larvae and adults, and then freezing will finish the job. When you remove the packages from the freezer, any condensation will form outside the package and your grain will stay dry.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), September 05, 2000.

Hey, not to butt in here, but Food Grade DE will take care of the weevils as well.

-- Doreen (liberty546@hotmail.com), September 06, 2000.

Put a few bay leaves in a muslin bag and store it in your grain. I use about 3-4 in a small bag in my flour canister so increase the amount accordingly. It keeps weavils out.

-- Patricia Ramsey (woolspin@aol.com), September 09, 2000.