When you move into an apartment, you will often have a pantry. These can range from being really small to being larger, but they help you store some of the food that you will use for cooking and other items for mealtimes. If you have a lot of fruit in there, then your pantry could become home to pantry moths, which is never a good thing. The good news is there are a few steps you can take to help identify your pantry moths and these include:

# Identifying by appearance: Pantry moths are small, with a wingspan that only goes 5/8 of an inch. Their coloring will range from reddish-brown to grey, with some spotted pattern on the wigs. They can sometimes appear more slender than you find with a traditional moth, so keep that in mind.

# The moth life cycle: You may not see a moth, but you can always pay attention to some of the phases it goes through in its life cycle. Female moths will make sure their eggs are near a source of food. They can then grow while the larvae will feed on the food, beginning the process of contamination. They will then spin a coccon and pupate, where they will mate and lay eggs to continue the cycle. Knowing this and watching out for them can help keep them at bay.

# Protecting your food sources: Pantry moths will eat almost anything. Common favorites for these will include grains, nuts, pet foods, spices, chocolate, and dried fruits, all of which are common in a pantry. They are also able to chew through some of the packaging in your pantry, so always double-check the packaging to make sure that nothing has gotten in.

Keeping your pantry and your apartment clean is one of the best things that you can do to prevent these moths and keep them as far away from your food as possible. This will ensure that you can take care of feeding your family without having to worry about them getting sick in the process.

Our USC one bedroom apartments are the right place for you to call home. They will provide you with the space that you need to have separate living arrangements and feel like you get the privacy you deserve. Whether this is your first apartment or you are just looking for something new, we feel confident that we can provide you with the space that feels just like home. Come and take a look at all we have to offer and see why our apartments are some of the best on the list!