Grain weevils

I bought a bag of seed but on the way home I noticed lots of little weevils in it. Bugs don't bother me but would it harm the pigeons it they ate this seed? Or should I dump this bag and get a new one? I won't be able to get a new bag until tomorrow, so I'm hoping it's ok?

Luna Wolf wrote:

I bought a bag of seed but on the way home I noticed lots of little weevils in it. Bugs don't bother me but would it harm the pigeons it they ate this seed?

Or should I dump this bag and get a new one?

I won't be able to get a new bag until tomorrow, so I'm hoping it's ok?

I wouldn't dump the seeds, rather return the 'buggy' bag from where you purchased it and exchange it for a bug free bag.

Definately return the bag, weavels and all. I would open the replacement bag and check it out before you leave the store.
One time I opened a bag of Pigeon seed and as I was pouring it into the storage container, I noticed a horrible smell which turned out to be a dead Starling,

I would, but I left it outside and the chickens pecked holes in it. Plus the place I got it from keeps their seed in a big tub so you can scoop it into a bag yourself, so all the seed's probably got them. (Plus they just closed.)

I read online than if you put the bag in direct sunlight it makes them leave, should I try that? If not I guess I can buy some of that wild bird mix they sell at my grocery store...

The seed had a dead bird in it?

Luna Wolf wrote:

I would, but I left it outside and the chickens pecked holes in it. Plus the place I got it from keeps their seed in a big tub so you can scoop it into a bag yourself, so all the seed's probably got them. (Plus they just closed.)

I read online than if you put the bag in direct sunlight it makes them leave, should I try that? If not I guess I can buy some of that wild bird mix they sell at my grocery store...

The seed had a dead bird in it?

It sure did.

Do you have a petco or pet smart or even Walmart that might have a Dove mix?

I buy 5-6 bags of the Kaytee dove mix at a time and always look for the ones that are vacuumed packed.
Only once in 7.5 years did I buy a bag with 'bugs', and that was just recently. I think what happened in that instance, the bugs entered the bag via a small hole as I discovered a piece of tape on the bag after I had opened it and emptied the seed in the container I use.

I had no problem exchanging the seed.

Bless them little bug hearts...but finding them where they aren't supposed to be is just creepy.

Luna Wolf wrote:

I read online than if you put the bag in direct sunlight it makes them leave, should I try that? If not I guess I can buy some of that wild bird mix they sell at my grocery store...

I don't know how long that would take, but I wouldn't leave the seeds in the sun for too long.

If the seed is bought in bulk, it's pretty hard to regulate the bugs.
I bought some safflower seeds in bulk at a local feed store and discovered some bugs after I had gotten home. That was the last time I did that.

Leaving it in the sun won't help. Those bugs lay eggs that hatch much later. If you keep the seed, the eggs will hatch later on, and infesting any seed that you have added to it, or in the same storage area with it. The sun won't hurt the eggs, as they can stand amazing temperatures. I read an article that said that if you freeze the seed for a few days, it will kill everything. I don't know if I trust that it will kill all the eggs though. I bought a 40 lb. bag of Kay-Tee from a new place, as it was closer, and they had just recently started selling pigeon feed. I figured it would be great if I liked the seed. Another place to buy from, as sometimes the usual place is out of stock. I put it in a metal barrel with the open bag of Purgrain, and later found out that it had those horrible little moths and larvae crawling all through it. I paid $32 for it. I only pay $25 for the Purgrain, which, as it turns out is a much better mix. The Kay-tee brand didn't have much of what my birds like at all. They make different mixes, but the more expensive one went for $45. The Purgrain bag was rolled over and clipped, and they didn't seem to have gotten into it, thank God. But I had to get rid of it, and wash out the barrel just in case. I won't buy from them again. The thing is.................you can't be sure if the bugs got in where it is made, or at the place where I bought it. At least during the winter, as the barrel is outside they all freeze.

The nearest petco, petsmart, and walmart are hours away. I pretty much live in the middle of nowhere. All we have is a feed store and a grocery store. I guess I'll go see if the grocery store has anything. If the bag's still there in the morning I'll see if I can exchange it...

If you make arrangement with the store, they can order for you pretty much what you need. You can just tell them how often and what quantity. My food store around the corner stocks only 1kg wild bird seed packs. I asked them to order 50 kg bag once a week and they did. This way I get fresh seeds every week and no bugs. If the stock is old, then bugs emerge.

I have read that you should not feed bug contaminated food to the birds because of their (the bugs) hazardous excretions but this depends on the extent of the bug contamination. One or two I would not worry about but check thoroughly through the whole and eliminationg everything that crawls around!

I bought some seed from the grocery store last night, I'll see if I can go back to the feed store and get some bug-free stuff this time.

A while ago I noticed little black dots all over my utility walls. I sprayed thinking that would kill them but nothing happened. When I looked at one under a microscope and checked them out and they turned out to be grain weevils.
They had got into every bag of seed I had as I kept them all in a cupboard together and they were a nightmare to get rid of.

In the end I tied up each bag so it was airtight and threw them outside in the hope they would eventually suffocate. I have no idea if it worked as I couldn't bring myself to have another look inside the bags. They were so creepy. They kept crawling out form under the skirting boards just when I thought they'd all gone. I ended up having to literally catch each one until they disappeared.

Didn't dare tell hubbie as he always moans that I'll attract mice by having seeds in the house, can't imagine what he'd have said if he'd known about these critters. :eek: :Need some help

jamy wrote:

A while ago I noticed little black dots all over my utility walls. I sprayed thinking that would kill them but nothing happened. When I looked at one under a microscope and checked them out and they turned out to be grain weevils.

* They had got into every bag of seed I had as I kept them all in a cupboard together and they were a nightmare to get rid of.

** Didn't dare tell hubbie as he always moans that
I'll attract mice by having seeds in the house, can't imagine what he'd
have said if he'd known about these critters.

THAT would be a nightmare.
** Yep! Sometimes things are better left unsaid.

I don't store seed in the house anymore unless it is in a tightly closed glass container, as those things will eventually turn into moths, and lay eggs. Every now and then they start hatching all over again. We had a terrible problem with them.
Good idea not mentioning it to your hubby.