I have small reddish-brown bugs in my kitchen

Question: I began to see tiny, small reddish-brown bugs in my kitchen, mainly in opened sacks of flour etc. Now I'm starting to see them in my bathroom. It appears that they like the bathroom cabinets which are on the opposite side of the kitchen. I do occasionally see them in my daughter's room.

What exactly are these bugs? How do I get rid of them? They are starting to gross me out.

Answer: Maybe what you have is a stored product or pantry pest. In the flour it could be a confused or red flour beetle. It could also be another type of beetle, but the only way to be sure and properly identify the insect is with an inspection of the materials in our kitchen. They are common household pests.

Control of this stored food pest takes a little time. The first step is to locate the source of the infestation, the infested food, and discard it. This may mean taking everything from the cabinets and drawers. Finding the infested material is the key to getting them eliminated.

Once the cabinets are empty, vacuum them very well. This will remove any hidden insects and all debris. Replace everything, and vacuum again in about a week. Make sure all the cracks and crevices are clean of food scraps and flour. Inspect material at the grocery store to be certain it is not infested. Avoid buying packages that are broken or opened. Store foods in sealed containers.

Call your local Orkin branch office for a comprehensive inspection performed by a highly trained Orkin Pest Specialist.

Upon assessing the situation, a customized solution, based on science, will be developed to best meet your needs.