Oh my gosh! How true Mark! You do NOT want these moths in your home. If you have no other way but inside, get the moth trap, put it together and tape it on the inside of your can/container.
I will add that plastic containers can break. I paid $$$ for a huge plastic container with a nice lid that latched & loved it. After a couple of months, I poured a 40 lb bag of bird seed into it & watched it shatter in several places near the bottom, while expensive bird seed poured out onto my patio. I quickly flipped it over & tediously shoveled the seed back into the bag it came in - a real nightmare! Now, I have to go back & buy a galvanized can.
@ChrisWootenNorthCarolina We bought painters plastic bins with black seals so raccoons can't get it. The top is flat so we are able to place a heavy 10 pound rock on top & the raccoons can't get to the seeds in the containers.😉😁👍
I only have a carport and raccoons break into everything that has seed. I spent so much money trying to keep them out with no luck. They are smart and I have BIG raccoons
uhoh! we've stored ours inside and haven't had any issues yet. We buy pretty small amounts at a time, I guess. This is great to know. I should use up the seed we do have ASAP.
Many years ago, I had a bag of birdseed in the closet for quite awhile. When I opened it, all kinds of little things were crawling around. I got rid of it, and thankfully didn't have a house problem. I thought there must be "bugs" in the seed, but nobody believed me. Thank you for posting this and for the metal can idea!!
I use the galvanized buckets and found the newer covers will sometime’s leak, so I also spray the cover with a leak-proof spray. In Maine with the icy snow I sometimes use a small rubber feed bucket over the handles, it keeps the handle easy to grab.
I’m a new follower. Recently started feeding local birds. Good 2 learn this. Btw I revitalized a lost racing pigeon for 3 days, b4 it rested & flew home. Beautiful bird, very cool experience! Who knew, racing pigeons!?
I started feeding around 14 years old. Trust me many mistakes were made as expected at that age frame. And i kept having various issues throughout my mid twenties learning and experiencing. The moths were one of those first issues. In my experience the sooner a person takes Mark's advice, the better for them. The steel cans are the answer. An added benefit to having them outdoors? Watching squirrels get so mad they can't get into the can that they pee on the lid 😅 Its annoying but also brings me joy to see the struggle, knowing i won multiple battles at once, lol
Mark is 100% right about the moths and the metal trash can outdoors solution. I am doing everything exactly the same as he suggests - although I too arrived at those solutions independently and the hard way. We have a cool garage that is partially below ground, but it wasn’t cool enough. Everything I buy goes right into the spare fridge/freezer in the garage first though, and then outside into the metal trash cans. The only thing to be aware of other than putting a brick or bungee cord over the lid if you have racoons, is to be careful opening the can during bad weather (snow, rain) because you don’t want the seed to get wet and then spoil or rot. Great info Mark!
Wish I'd seen your video 10yrs ago! Through trial and error I've tried everything to keep "critters" away from the seed. I did have these caterpillars/moths before, but got rid of them. Been using steel trash cans for years becausĥe squirrels ate a huge hole in it. I keep the seed in my garage. It gets pretty cold in the winter. 🐦⬛🐦
Great advice Mark!! Usually I buy the seed cylinders and use them within a week or two so I haven’t had the problem with the moths. I do buy smaller bags of bird seed and the same goes with that. However, just to be safe I am going to do what you advised and get a galvanized trash can outside off my back patio and put everything in there.
Great info to know before one has a moth infestation! Never knew it was ok to freeze seeds as I thought that would destroy them. Like you’d said, freezing the birdseed will eradicate all bugs in there so that sounds like the first thing to do before storing! Thanks 🪶
I keep mine in a galvanized metal can outside, but I do it to keep MICE away from the house. The mice love the birdseed and will come inside if it's there.
I wish I had seen your video much sooner. I became infested with these buggers. I moved the seed outside & slowly but surely my husband & I are combating them. This also goes for Suet cakes. Had to move everything pertaining to bird seed outside. I have washed & sanitized the area I had them & they are still showing up; but not in large quantities as we had before. Hopefully, with our persistence, we will eventually get rid of them all. It is a slow process; especially for seniors.😟😟😟
I learned a few years ago to start keeping my bird feed in metal garbage cans. I had always stored it in plastic, until I started getting corn kernels _all_ over my car engine. They would fall out even while I was diving.
It took me a while, but I came to the same conclusion. Metal galvanized trash or garbage buckets with tight fitting lids are the only way to go. In summer, I try to keep them shaded, but that's about all I can do to keep them cool. Years ago, I tried keeping the seed in a resin deck box which seemed really sturdy. Squirrels ruined it within a week.
They came in through a bag of bird seed we bought from Walmart. They will literally get in anywhere they can lay their eggs... including books and clothing.
Aghh had them in our pantry. Finally as soon as we get stuff in cardboard and plastic ,we put flour, cereal,etc in plastic containers. We finally beat them Birdseed in plastic pail in outside garage. They can be defeated! I will use the freezer example. Thanks!!!
Omg. This happened to me last summer in my garage. I lost about a $150 dollars worth of Wild Birds Unlimited birdseed after these suckwrs hatched in my metal cans like yours. So i started storing my seed inside this summer, but I guess I won't anymore.
Simple Human makes a Great Storage bin - it's almost perfect, it has an airtight closure handle and most of the entire container is metal, with the exception of a small plastic piece on the handle, I used this to store my bird seed outside successfully for about 6 months- until our raccoons finally figured it out with a little help with the chewing of the squirrels, which chewed that small plastic piece which was enough for them to get in... smart rascals, I had to switch back to the metal trash cans, but as pretty as Simple Human container, but does the job
I had a company send me a hard plastic container to try years ago. It was pretty, especially for the deck, but the squirrels chewed into it in about two weeks.
I live in Thailand with some chickens, quails, parrots, budgies and love birds. Parrot food is only available in small, expensive bags. So my husband brings 25kg of feed from Dubai every 6 months. I fill it in ziplock bags and store it. but these beetles and moths come. I sometimes store the grains in the freezer and fridge if I have space. But in principle, inventory management is not possible in hot and humid countries unless the air conditioning systems run 24/7 in the house. I no longer feed grain and corn because of GMO and poor quality
Ended up with those moths . They are near impossible to get rid of. Threw stuff out as in food. Stored stuff in containers etc. Tried the traps and still have then. I used to love feeding birds. It can attract mice and rats.
I have mine in the pantry too- in gallon glass wine jugs with metal screw caps that my neighbor gives me and I sanitize and clean them. No way anything gets in or out and my house is always cool anyway..... plus he's been doing it for years with never a problem.
I store mine in the feed room where I keep my chicken,horse and goat feed in the barn. I tried the metal can out by the feeders but ran into trouble with the newer metal cans handle attachment not being tight and leaking water onto the feed. Moldy feed,not good.
My bird seed is always stored outside until it gets a little warm, and I know the Bears are around. and then I place then in the shed where there is no heat.
Currently Mark I am storing my bird seed in plastic bins in my garage. As you know I live in Manalapan New Jersey and the temperature is in August were pretty bad. I have a small refrigerator for my mealworms and my tree icing but it's not big enough to store my seeds and I don't think the wife will be happy about my putting that in the refrigerator. Yesterday I ordered a metal 31 gallon trash can should I keep that metal trash can in the garage or should I keep it outside? I think the outside of my house will be hotter.
What about storing the 20lbs of bird seed in a 5 gallon bucket WI a tight lid. I am in a nursing home and enjoy seeing the birds on my 12 pound squirrel 🐿️ resistant feeder and a twin suet cake feeder. The nursing home won't let me store my seed and suet cakes anywhere else then my room.
I keep mine in a Lowe's 5 gal bucket eith snap on lid outside. Also use one for the sidewalk salt. No moisture ever gets in as long as they're snapped.
I’m in Mississippi and there is nowhere cool outside haha. I don’t have an enclosed garage. I keep mine in air tight plastic containers inside. I did have a moth outbreak one time and realized they had come in through a bag infested at the store. Now I check my bags when I buy them. I feel like the excessive heat and humidity wouldn’t be good for them outside here?
Smaller bags kept in a refrigerator or freeze would be ideal. The problem with a visual inspection is you can't see if it has eggs in the seed. Having grown up is NC, I know what you mean about the heat and humidity.
Please , I need a solution. I had stored my birdseed in galvanized can tight lid outside and moisture was a disastrous problem creating a lumpy mess of mold and seed. How do you stop the moisture in those cans?
Humidity is a tough challenge, especially in the south. Shade can help but when temps and humidity is high, you have to go through seed quickly. I would by small bags during the worst part of summer and try the freezer or at least refrigerator trick if you have space.
Wondering why so many times I buy seed that comes with evidence these moths are already present. Do companies keep the seed indoors before they are shipped?
@@sandrawaites2134 Bears are a real challenge. I’ve never lived in an area with them so have no experience with them but I suspect you would need them enclosed in some type of shed or structure.
Thanks I’m new to feeding so this information was great. I have a question. I usually buy a more premium bird feed but I unexpectedly lost my job so I bought a cheaper grain of mixed food and they barely come. Now it doesn’t stop thee deer from eating it up but the birds don’t seem to like it as much has this happened to anyone before?
I think I found the answer; its not the seed I think its the slow period which I did not know about until I saw your show about feeding during the slow season that will air in about 24 hours, thanks so much for your reply, so appreciated looking forward to tomorrows show@@MarksBackyardBirds
Absolutely. Buy smaller bags so you rotate it more frequently, keep it in the shade as much as possible. You may lose some but it is better that have moths in your house.
The only negative is it can dry out the seed if kept there a long time. Remember, it only takes two weeks in the freezer to kill the egg, larvae and adult moths. Keeping in the refrigerator keeps the moths out but doesn't kill the eggs, etc. I am not aware of a "rehydration" process for the seed.
@@MarksBackyardBirds thanks for the info, I am thinking of starting a seeds company here in my hot and humid city, my home is already full of these moths now just from sample seeds. Any suggestions on how I can store large amounts inside home without these moths?
That s a tough task. The higher volumes of seed provide all kinds of pest problems. I am probably not the best person to ask as my space keeps me from storing much seed. We keep pheromone traps out 365 for sure. We have to “fog” the store every few years if the moths get bad. Mouse traps are pretty much a must.
I have to disagree with this. I stored my seed inside one year and the glorious rice weevel found it's way into a bag and it produced a lot of weevels. Let me just say this. You store oatmeal in a container and these moths can get into that. Same with pancake mix. If you slice a small hole in a bag and use a clothespin, you are just fine to store it indoors. In fact, more bugs can get into it outside and moisture can cause a unpleasant smell and birds my not eat it anyway.
@@zukosmom3780 definitely keep them outside in a shady area. Buy smaller bags in the summer and keep them in the refrigerator or freezer if you can. Invest in some pheromones traps.
I feel your pain. We got them years ago from a Sunday school ornament out daughter had made and put it in our pantry. Couldn’t figure out where they were coming from.
I live in central AL, and it’s seriously damp all seasons, even winter when the fog moves in and makes everything completely soaked. We don’t have a garage, but we do have an outdoor closet, but even that is leaky. So… what do I do?
@@MarksBackyardBirdsUnfortunately I don’t. This is why we decided to keep the bags in the house and not use cylinder feeders except for spring migration when a couple hundred goldfinches show up. No exaggeration. They empty the feeders so fast that the seeds don’t have time to get damp. I’m wondering if a plastic cooler would work? A mouse could chew through that if it wanted to I suppose.
Mark is kind. There’s no poison Ivy next to the three trash cans. Poison Ivy has three leaves and a red stem. That looks to be Pachysandra which is a ground cover plant. Poison Ivy is also one of the vines that strangle trees and can form two-inch vines like regular Ivy that you have to saw. I’m constantly de-vining trees and pulling poison Ivy out by the roots but some always return.
@@MarksBackyardBirdsthank you..we're in gratis now and really DON'T LIKE CLIMATE AT ALL..originally from Chicago age 22 years in Las Vegas...here 4 years for family that now choosers not to treat us like we're invisible..well now you know that..I have a chronic debilitating disorder that keeps me trapped inside for the most part so my husband got me a bird feeder so I wouldn't be so bored..the summer was brutal and fall isn't much better..100% humidity for the most part so he removed the birdseed from the pantry and because it's so overwhelmed with chores he said that's it for the birdseed. Your video was a pleasure to watch. Learned alot
Oh my gosh! How true Mark! You do NOT want these moths in your home. If you have no other way but inside, get the moth trap, put it together and tape it on the inside of your can/container.
Good idea!
@@MarksBackyardBirdswhat type of moth trap and where to buy it? Do you have a link?
I will add that plastic containers can break. I paid $$$ for a huge plastic container with a nice lid that latched & loved it. After a couple of months, I poured a 40 lb bag of bird seed into it & watched it shatter in several places near the bottom, while expensive bird seed poured out onto my patio. I quickly flipped it over & tediously shoveled the seed back into the bag it came in - a real nightmare! Now, I have to go back & buy a galvanized can.
@@peggybiggs5833 worth it for sure
@@ChrisWootenNorthCarolina I would think if you can keep the squirrels and raccoons out, they should hold up for some time
@ChrisWootenNorthCarolina We bought painters plastic bins with black seals so raccoons can't get it. The top is flat so we are able to place a heavy 10 pound rock on top & the raccoons can't get to the seeds in the containers.😉😁👍
I store my sunflower seed in a galvanized trash can with a locking lid in my unheated detached garage. Works for me.
Good deal!
I only have a carport and raccoons break into everything that has seed. I spent so much money trying to keep them out with no luck. They are smart and I have BIG raccoons
Agree totally with you. These moth eggs can be killed before hatching by freezing. We put flour and any seeds etc in freezer.
I never thought to store my bread flour in the freezer but now that I'm in that season, I will be making space for storage.
uhoh! we've stored ours inside and haven't had any issues yet. We buy pretty small amounts at a time, I guess. This is great to know. I should use up the seed we do have ASAP.
Be watchful
Many years ago, I had a bag of birdseed in the closet for quite awhile. When I opened it, all kinds of little things were crawling around. I got rid of it, and thankfully didn't have a house problem. I thought there must be "bugs" in the seed, but nobody believed me. Thank you for posting this and for the metal can idea!!
You are welcome.
I use the galvanized buckets and found the newer covers will sometime’s leak, so I also spray the cover with a leak-proof spray. In Maine with the icy snow I sometimes use a small rubber feed bucket over the handles, it keeps the handle easy to grab.
Good idea!
I've always kept all my Bird food in Plastic Containers with tight lids on in the garden Shed for years ..haven't had any issues
I’m a new follower. Recently started feeding local birds. Good 2 learn this. Btw I revitalized a lost racing pigeon for 3 days, b4 it rested & flew home. Beautiful bird, very cool experience! Who knew, racing pigeons!?
It is a big hobby in the USA
I started feeding around 14 years old. Trust me many mistakes were made as expected at that age frame. And i kept having various issues throughout my mid twenties learning and experiencing. The moths were one of those first issues.
In my experience the sooner a person takes Mark's advice, the better for them. The steel cans are the answer. An added benefit to having them outdoors? Watching squirrels get so mad they can't get into the can that they pee on the lid 😅 Its annoying but also brings me joy to see the struggle, knowing i won multiple battles at once, lol
Thank you for the post. Awesome
Mark is 100% right about the moths and the metal trash can outdoors solution. I am doing everything exactly the same as he suggests - although I too arrived at those solutions independently and the hard way. We have a cool garage that is partially below ground, but it wasn’t cool enough. Everything I buy goes right into the spare fridge/freezer in the garage first though, and then outside into the metal trash cans. The only thing to be aware of other than putting a brick or bungee cord over the lid if you have racoons, is to be careful opening the can during bad weather (snow, rain) because you don’t want the seed to get wet and then spoil or rot. Great info Mark!
@@bobs.8069 thank you for watching!
Wish I'd seen your video 10yrs ago! Through trial and error I've tried everything to keep "critters" away from the seed. I did have these caterpillars/moths before, but got rid of them. Been using steel trash cans for years becausĥe squirrels ate a huge hole in it. I keep the seed in my garage. It gets pretty cold in the winter. 🐦⬛🐦
They work better than anything else I have tried.
Thank you for the heads up! I had not dea! I have not seen the moths in my shed where I had the metal cans but they are going outside from here on in
Great advice Mark!! Usually I buy the seed cylinders and use them within a week or two so I haven’t had the problem with the moths. I do buy smaller bags of bird seed and the same goes with that. However, just to be safe I am going to do what you advised and get a galvanized trash can outside off my back patio and put everything in there.
That is a good approach!
Great info to know before one has a moth infestation! Never knew it was ok to freeze seeds as I thought that would destroy them. Like you’d said, freezing the birdseed will eradicate all bugs in there so that sounds like the first thing to do before storing! Thanks 🪶
Glad it was helpful!
I keep mine in a galvanized metal can outside, but I do it to keep MICE away from the house. The mice love the birdseed and will come inside if it's there.
I wish I had seen your video much sooner. I became infested with these buggers. I moved the seed outside & slowly but surely my husband & I are combating them. This also goes for Suet cakes. Had to move everything pertaining to bird seed outside. I have washed & sanitized the area I had them & they are still showing up; but not in large quantities as we had before. Hopefully, with our persistence, we will eventually get rid of them all. It is a slow process; especially for seniors.😟😟😟
I feel your pain. We learned the hard way several years ago. Keep up the fight!
@@MarksBackyardBirds Thank you, Mike.👍🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Thank you again! You share helpful information and encouragement. Take care, God bless
You are welcome!
I learned a few years ago to start keeping my bird feed in metal garbage cans. I had always stored it in plastic, until I started getting corn kernels _all_ over my car engine. They would fall out even while I was diving.
Good gracious.
It took me a while, but I came to the same conclusion. Metal galvanized trash or garbage buckets with tight fitting lids are the only way to go. In summer, I try to keep them shaded, but that's about all I can do to keep them cool. Years ago, I tried keeping the seed in a resin deck box which seemed really sturdy. Squirrels ruined it within a week.
Squirrels can chew through any plastic container that I have found.
Thank you so much for your video!! I’m sure you saved me a world of problems ❤
So glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching!
They came in through a bag of bird seed we bought from Walmart.
They will literally get in anywhere they can lay their eggs... including books and clothing.
@@diannebaddeley2304 that they will 😢
I buy my food from bulk at WinCo i get about a pound or 2 pounds at a time. Thank you 😊
Aghh had them in our pantry. Finally as soon as we get stuff in cardboard and plastic ,we put flour, cereal,etc in plastic containers. We finally beat them
Birdseed in plastic pail in outside garage. They can be defeated! I will use the freezer example. Thanks!!!
It really works
Thank you!
Im new at feeding birds. Right now I keep the feed in an Ice Chest on the patio. I guess time will tell how it goes.
Good luck!
Omg. This happened to me last summer in my garage. I lost about a $150 dollars worth of Wild Birds Unlimited birdseed after these suckwrs hatched in my metal cans like yours.
So i started storing my seed inside this summer, but I guess I won't anymore.
@@celieboo the freezer trick really works well.
Simple Human makes a Great Storage bin - it's almost perfect, it has an airtight closure handle and most of the entire container is metal, with the exception of a small plastic piece on the handle, I used this to store my bird seed outside successfully for about 6 months- until our raccoons finally figured it out with a little help with the chewing of the squirrels, which chewed that small plastic piece which was enough for them to get in... smart rascals, I had to switch back to the metal trash cans, but as pretty as Simple Human container, but does the job
I had a company send me a hard plastic container to try years ago. It was pretty, especially for the deck, but the squirrels chewed into it in about two weeks.
Mark, don't you have problems with condensation in the metal cans?
Only in the hottest most humid conditions and I try not to keep much seed on hand during those late summer stretches.
I live in Thailand with some chickens, quails, parrots, budgies and love birds. Parrot food is only available in small, expensive bags. So my husband brings 25kg of feed from Dubai every 6 months. I fill it in ziplock bags and store it. but these beetles and moths come. I sometimes store the grains in the freezer and fridge if I have space. But in principle, inventory management is not possible in hot and humid countries unless the air conditioning systems run 24/7 in the house. I no longer feed grain and corn because of GMO and poor quality
That has to truly challenging in your part of the world
Ended up with those moths . They are near impossible to get rid of. Threw stuff out as in food. Stored stuff in containers etc. Tried the traps and still have then. I used to love feeding birds. It can attract mice and rats.
All good things come with a set of challenges. Bird feeding is no exception. The enjoyment they give us is worth the effort.
I got weevils in my seed 😮 and I have had those moths come in a bag of dog food before...it was so bad we just moved.
Just joined your channel, my partener and i Love it!!!!!!! Learning so much, You need to have a spot on TV!!!! Love your utube video's!!!!
Thank you both and welcome to the channel.
It doesn't matter what I store seed in. A very smart bear gets it every time.
Bears present a whole different level of challenge
Just hope that clever bear doesn't grow wings after eating birdseed 😉
I store mine in the pantry, but inside a plastic, sealed container. I keep a watch out for anything flying, but have never had a moth.
I have mine in the pantry too- in gallon glass wine jugs with metal screw caps that my neighbor gives me and I sanitize and clean them. No way anything gets in or out and my house is always cool anyway..... plus he's been doing it for years with never a problem.
I store mine in the feed room where I keep my chicken,horse and goat feed in the barn. I tried the metal can out by the feeders but ran into trouble with the newer metal cans handle attachment not being tight and leaking water onto the feed. Moldy feed,not good.
Definitely not
My bird seed is always stored outside until it gets a little warm, and I know the Bears are around. and then I place then in the shed where there is no heat.
Good plan, we don't have to deal with bears in our area.
Currently Mark I am storing my bird seed in plastic bins in my garage. As you know I live in Manalapan New Jersey and the temperature is in August were pretty bad. I have a small refrigerator for my mealworms and my tree icing but it's not big enough to store my seeds and I don't think the wife will be happy about my putting that in the refrigerator. Yesterday I ordered a metal 31 gallon trash can should I keep that metal trash can in the garage or should I keep it outside? I think the outside of my house will be hotter.
I vote for a shady spot outside. It will be hotter for now but much safer from the moths.
What about storing the 20lbs of bird seed in a 5 gallon bucket WI a tight lid. I am in a nursing home and enjoy seeing the birds on my 12 pound squirrel 🐿️ resistant feeder and a twin suet cake feeder. The nursing home won't let me store my seed and suet cakes anywhere else then my room.
Try to place it away from any heat vents and if you see signs of the moths use the freezer trick.
I keep mine in a Lowe's 5 gal bucket eith snap on lid outside. Also use one for the sidewalk salt. No moisture ever gets in as long as they're snapped.
@@grandmam52Thank you so much.
Adding galvanized can to the Lowe's list!
I’m in Mississippi and there is nowhere cool outside haha. I don’t have an enclosed garage. I keep mine in air tight plastic containers inside. I did have a moth outbreak one time and realized they had come in through a bag infested at the store. Now I check my bags when I buy them. I feel like the excessive heat and humidity wouldn’t be good for them outside here?
Smaller bags kept in a refrigerator or freeze would be ideal. The problem with a visual inspection is you can't see if it has eggs in the seed. Having grown up is NC, I know what you mean about the heat and humidity.
@@MarksBackyardBirds thank you!
I like the freezer idea. Never thought of that. Tks
@@dennisclark3387 worth a try for sure!
Please , I need a solution. I had stored my birdseed in galvanized can tight lid outside and moisture was a disastrous problem creating a lumpy mess of mold and seed. How do you stop the moisture in those cans?
Humidity is a tough challenge, especially in the south. Shade can help but when temps and humidity is high, you have to go through seed quickly. I would by small bags during the worst part of summer and try the freezer or at least refrigerator trick if you have space.
Wondering why so many times I buy seed that comes with evidence these moths are already present. Do companies keep the seed indoors before they are shipped?
Not many have cold enough warehouses. They do occasionally have to fog for them.
How do I keep the bears away from the cans
@@sandrawaites2134 Bears are a real challenge. I’ve never lived in an area with them so have no experience with them but I suspect you would need them enclosed in some type of shed or structure.
Thank u sir ❤️
Most welcome
Thanks I’m new to feeding so this information was great. I have a question. I usually buy a more premium bird feed but I unexpectedly lost my job so I bought a cheaper grain of mixed food and they barely come. Now it doesn’t stop thee deer from eating it up but the birds don’t seem to like it as much has this happened to anyone before?
Straight Black Oil Sunflower is the single best seed and is reasonably priced. Especially in the early fall. More birds like it than any other seed.
I think I found the answer; its not the seed I think its the slow period which I did not know about until I saw your show about feeding during the slow season that will air in about 24 hours, thanks so much for your reply, so appreciated looking forward to tomorrows show@@MarksBackyardBirds
You are welcome! See you tomorrow night.
I have stored seed inside forever,no issues.
Excellent
THIS IS THE TRUTH !!!
It takes 2 weeks in the freezer to kill the moths??
I live in chicago, hot summers. Is it okay to store outside and under a porch? Where else to store id it needs to be cool?
Absolutely. Buy smaller bags so you rotate it more frequently, keep it in the shade as much as possible. You may lose some but it is better that have moths in your house.
The bugs I had only got into the bag because my cat was messing with the bag.
Ugh
Wow My birds Channel
Interesting
Thanks for the advise...will split into sm. frzr. bags into refrig. in fruit/veggie drawer..n get a gal. metal can for outdoors in cooler weather!
Sounds great!
Will keeping seeds in freezer affect its quality and how do I bring the temperature of seeds back to normal without affecting its quality?
The only negative is it can dry out the seed if kept there a long time. Remember, it only takes two weeks in the freezer to kill the egg, larvae and adult moths. Keeping in the refrigerator keeps the moths out but doesn't kill the eggs, etc. I am not aware of a "rehydration" process for the seed.
@@MarksBackyardBirds thanks for the info, I am thinking of starting a seeds company here in my hot and humid city, my home is already full of these moths now just from sample seeds. Any suggestions on how I can store large amounts inside home without these moths?
That s a tough task. The higher volumes of seed provide all kinds of pest problems. I am probably not the best person to ask as my space keeps me from storing much seed. We keep pheromone traps out 365 for sure. We have to “fog” the store every few years if the moths get bad. Mouse traps are pretty much a must.
@@MarksBackyardBirds thank you for taking the time to respond to me and help me with my doubts. Have a great day sir 🙏
@@JusticeforHindus You are welcome. Good luck with your endeavor.
What about mice if you keep seed in shed or garage
Metal containers are best.
Can storage in sealed Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers suffocate any moth that might have hitched a ride in wheat buds?
I do not know about that technique. Sorry I couldn't be more help.
Yep, we see a few moths at least once a month 😂.
Hey Mark, yes this has happened to me as well. I now put seed in attached garage. Is this something you could recommend?
It really depends on how warm it gets in the garage. Usually garages get warm enough during summer for the moths to hatch.
We put our seed in a barrel locked with a chain a bear ripped it apart the first night
We luckily don't have to deal with bears in our area.
I have to disagree with this. I stored my seed inside one year and the glorious rice weevel found it's way into a bag and it produced a lot of weevels. Let me just say this. You store oatmeal in a container and these moths can get into that. Same with pancake mix. If you slice a small hole in a bag and use a clothespin, you are just fine to store it indoors. In fact, more bugs can get into it outside and moisture can cause a unpleasant smell and birds my not eat it anyway.
I have my birdseed in metal trash cans in the garage and I have moths. Any suggestions?
@@zukosmom3780 definitely keep them outside in a shady area. Buy smaller bags in the summer and keep them in the refrigerator or freezer if you can. Invest in some pheromones traps.
I've kept my chicken feed in metal trash cans. For all the same reason. Thanks.
It works for me!
Will a sealed tight container work
It helps but unfortunately, the eggs are already in the seed. Temperature is important.
They are so gross. We got some from some parakeet seed. They got into all of our food. Anything open. We had to throw everything away!
I feel your pain. We got them years ago from a Sunday school ornament out daughter had made and put it in our pantry. Couldn’t figure out where they were coming from.
Found this out storing pecans in the house. Are they the same moths ?
I would think so
I live in central AL, and it’s seriously damp all seasons, even winter when the fog moves in and makes everything completely soaked. We don’t have a garage, but we do have an outdoor closet, but even that is leaky. So… what do I do?
Do you have extra freezer space? Smaller bags may be your only option. Humidity is tough to deal with.
@@MarksBackyardBirdsUnfortunately I don’t. This is why we decided to keep the bags in the house and not use cylinder feeders except for spring migration when a couple hundred goldfinches show up. No exaggeration. They empty the feeders so fast that the seeds don’t have time to get damp.
I’m wondering if a plastic cooler would work? A mouse could chew through that if it wanted to I suppose.
A cooler may keep the humidity down. Worth a try.
The bears in my neighborhood would make short work of your trash cans.
So glad we don't have to deal with them in our area.
How do you control them in the store? 🤔
You just answered my question. 😊
Pheromone traps out 365 days a year. No open containers of bird seed. Rotating seed efficiently
I was told to put seed in freezer for three days it will kill larve, then you can store inside in container.
If I store them outside the bears will get them.
@@sandrawaites2134 Bears are tough to deal with.
Will House Sparrows migrate away? NW Arkansas
They do not migrate
@@MarksBackyardBirds my worst fear. Thank for the reply!
We have bears so nope 😂
They do present a whole different level of challenge when it comes to bird feeding.
@@MarksBackyardBirds 😂👍
Look at that poison ivy around your cans!! 😵😵😵
@@zukosmom3780 I don’t mind it. I clear it out every so often.
Mark is kind. There’s no poison Ivy next to the three trash cans. Poison Ivy has three leaves and a red stem. That looks to be Pachysandra which is a ground cover plant. Poison Ivy is also one of the vines that strangle trees and can form two-inch vines like regular Ivy that you have to saw. I’m constantly de-vining trees and pulling poison Ivy out by the roots but some always return.
I keep my seed in a freezer.
Great idea
Where are you geographically mark?
Kansas City, Missouri
@@MarksBackyardBirdsthank you..we're in gratis now and really DON'T LIKE CLIMATE AT ALL..originally from Chicago age 22 years in Las Vegas...here 4 years for family that now choosers not to treat us like we're invisible..well now you know that..I have a chronic debilitating disorder that keeps me trapped inside for the most part so my husband got me a bird feeder so I wouldn't be so bored..the summer was brutal and fall isn't much better..100% humidity for the most part so he removed the birdseed from the pantry and because it's so overwhelmed with chores he said that's it for the birdseed. Your video was a pleasure to watch. Learned alot
@@MarksBackyardBirds I meant Atlanta...hard to swipe text on tiny screen that you tube gives you..can't hardly see it...thank you again
Glad you enjoyed it. Consider subscribing for more. Thanks for tuning in.
Too much talking and repeating!!