5 Most Common Insects Attracted to Restaurants

As a restaurant owner, it’s important to stay on top of any and all threats to the success of your business. From competition in the area, to bad reviews, to insect issues, there are a number of things to worry about from day to day. Luckily, it’s easy to prevent at least one of these issues from occurring. When you have routine professional pest control treatments conducted in your restaurant, you can rest easy knowing you are doing your very best to prevent any insect issues down the line. There are many different insects that are commonly found in restaurants. Below you will find the top five insects that could be a potential threat to your business.

Cockroaches

One of the most dreaded of all insects, cockroaches are unfortunately a common concern in commercial kitchens. Drawn to food and water sources, a kitchen is an ideal hangout for roaches to set up camp. The bad news is, a roach infestation can be incredibly bad for business. All it takes is one customer spotting a roach scattering across the floor and your reputation is shot. Not only that, but an infestation can also lead to your restaurant being temporarily shut down by inspectors. Your best line of defense is to keep your kitchen and dining areas as clean as you possibly can, to store all foods in airtight containers, and to have preventative pest control services conducted in your restaurant on a regular basis.

Drain Flies

Drain flies are a very common issue in restaurants. A drain fly is essentially any species of fly that breeds in or infests a drain. These flies are attracted to the dampness and any decomposing organic materials that may be found inside your drain. Since there are often many drains found in a restaurant kitchen, this is a frequent problem that restaurant owners deal with. It can be difficult to verify that the flies are originating from the drain, and calling in a pest control technician to assist in the process can be a big help. They will have tried and true methods for not only verifying the origin, but eliminating the issue as well.

Fruit Flies

Although fruit flies may be tiny, they can pack quite a punch, contaminating food with bacteria and other organisms. For this reason alone, it is absolutely essential to get a handle on a fruit fly problem immediately. The first step is to find out where they are originating. The most obvious place to check is in the areas where your fruits and vegetables are stored. If that area isn’t the culprit, check your garbage cans and behind appliances. When you’ve found the source and are ready to deal with the problem, enlisting the help of a professional pest control expert is a good idea. When dealing with insects in areas where food is prepared, it’s important to use extreme caution and let the experts handle it in most cases.

Ants

Ants are known to be attracted to all the things that are found in a kitchen. Greasy and sugary substances are like a beacon to ants, so keeping spills wiped up and counters wiped clean is essential. The bad thing about the sticky substances that attract ants is that they are often found in areas that are difficult to reach, and you may not be aware of the problem until you have a line of ants parading in. It’s important to clean under appliances, inside all cabinets, and in every other hard to reach space you can think of. Another common draw for ants is the garbage. Obviously in a restaurant the trashcans are often overflowing with food, so keeping your trash taken out and the trash containers wiped down is essential.

Pantry Pests

The term “pantry pests” includes a number of pesky little bugs that like to make their way into the dried foods that are typically stored in a pantry. Flour beetles, bean weevils, and Indian meal moths are just a few of the pests that are often found in these foods. It can be incredibly difficult to locate the source of a pantry pest problem, as it can originate in unopened foods that come directly from the store, food that has been spilled behind hard-to-move appliances, or in the cracks and crevices of the areas where food is stored. A few pantry pest prevention tips include carefully inspect all food packages upon arrival to your restaurant; storing dried food in insect-proof containers made of hard plastic, glass, or metal; and keeping food storage areas as clean and crumb-free as possible.

Keeping your restaurant pest-free is vital to the success of your business. The number one way to do this is to have routine pest control services performed by a qualified pest control technician. These services, combined with your own efforts, will be your best defense against insect invaders of any kind.