Any box or container that has a tiny spot is where moths can go in and lay their eggs. Check all food containers other than cans or jars, especially anything which has been opened. Pasta bags or boxes, pet kibble, etc. You probably did that, but just in case you have such containers n the cupboard.

You prolly have to open boxes, to see the content... or the paper package inside, to see holes in the paper!

Mama goose is right. We have an older upright freezer that we keep our grain items in. Pasta, flour, rice, cereal, cake mixes, crackers, anything at all that has grain in it.

I purchased these moth traps to keep in both pantries and where we store bird seed and pet food. These work really well. But since freezing grain prducts for a minimum of two weeks , I seldom see any moths.

Moth traps

You may have to toss a bunch of things in order to get rid of the infestation. You'd be horrified if you knew that they can get into packaged dry goods, even if stored in plastic bins.

They are the bane of your existence if you get them. I got them in birdseed when I had my bird. I threw away every single thing except canned goods from the pantry. Washed it down top to bottom with vinegar and water. Left it completely empty and open for days. The moths will get right in a box, a jar with a regular screw on lid, plastic bags they get in things that I don't understand how they are like houdini. I put everything in the freezer then I only use storage containers that have hermetic seals other wise they end up with moths. Once I finally got rid of the little monsters I desperately don't want to ever get them again. It seriously took me over a year of purging and cleaning and emptying the pantry to be rid of them. Thank God I have not had them here. I bought a brand new bag of flour at Kroger opened it to pour into my sealed container and the bag was crawling with the little buggers. I bagged it in multiple bags and took it directly out to the trash. I bought a second new bag different brand same experience. I called Kroger and told them they had a serious problem. I bought flour elsewhere! Once you get them lord help you. In stores and warehouses it's a constant problem. I swear I just as soon move as fight another pantry moth infestation. I put cedar shavings in pouches hanging in the pantries and put cedar boards on a few shelves to try to ward them off.

I also battled the meal moth pests. They were in dog biscuits in back of cabinet. After cleaning I started seeing them again. Found a shelf full of cookbooks had eggs layed all along page edges and down the spines. Yuck. Wiped a few favorites and saved. Now use internet to find recipes.

I always store the new bag of flour in the freezer a few weeks too. If I am grocery shopping and see those little moths flitting down the aisle, I don't buy anything, leave and shop at a different store. After one moth fiasco years ago, throwing stuff out and scrubbing down, I put unwrapped sticks of Doublemint gum on the shelves at a friend's suggestion, which also helped.

After getting rid of all the food and boxes that could possibly have them in them, take your vacuum cleaner to the pantry and vacuum everything using the upholstery brush to get in all the cracks and crevices. They are hard to see when they build a little cocoon in a corner.

I feel for you been there, done that. I keep all pastas, flours, anything with wheat in it including dog treats in plastic containers. If they develop inside the container, at least they won't infest everything else.

Check those spices too. The glass jarred ones probably are ok, but the tinned ones could be hiding places. A bay leaf on the shelf is supposed to repel them....do they fly into the house on summer evenings? And Cornmeal is a special attraction so in my house it lives in the freezer even tho I haven't had them in years. I'll never forget having walnuts stored in tupperware (Years ago, now I know that they get rancid if not refrigerated) and those larve ate holes in the tupperware.

Raven, I'm glad that you mentioned the plastic screw top jars. I helped a friend go through her well stocked pantry after she discovered an infestation and we found squirmy larvae inside a jar of peanut butter!

They can get in screw top jars. I found larvae in the grooves of the screw lids. I use the old style glass jars with a metal bail and new rubber seals. I also found some really nice clear hard plastic storage containers at Walmart that have a watertight seal there's a pop up lock on the top that seals air and water tight. I keep my rice in the freezer. The container store has some nice quality of the glass jars with the metal bails. Everything that was in the storage container in packages was thrown away because of the possibility of bugs but also the pest control spray. Every thing that came in was washed in the dishwasher on sanitize or soaked in bleach water. Every piece of clothing has been taken to the laundry or we washed them here and dried them. There was too much for me to do so I took lots to the laundry down the street they were so nice. That's why it's taking so long to get everything done.

I told the feed store where I had been buying my bird seed that their bags were full of the larvae and moths. He said it's OK birds eat them it's protein. I said well I don't want to eat them and they are all in my food. Cost a lot of money to throw out and replace all that food.

I have right now in the pantry several packages (new) of Bear Creek soup mixes and stuff, I need to get a locking storage container for those things. And no Tupperware or anything like that will not prevent them. I know now why my mom and grandma had so many of those glass bail jars! Just have to remember to keep good seals on them and make sure the bails are tight. I plan on replacing a lot of those with the containers I found at Walmart. I wish I could remember the brand it might be Rubbermaid. I had never seen any like that.

http://www.containerstore.com/s?source=form&q=Glass+bail+jar

Oh I found them! These are the ones that have a locking handle on the top that seals them hermetically. They come in various sizes and shapes.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Leifheit-54-oz-Fresh-and-Easy-Stackable-Food-Storage-Container-Clear/38423132

https://youtu.be/LVq_ps1azKo

Just by coincidence, we have been switching out dry goods over to storage in bail jars, a bit at a time as we find the larger bail jars at thrift stores. Just yesterday we added almonds to a bail jar. Sometimes we have to buy replacement seals at Ace Hardware.

We did once have a pantry moth invasion and at the time I thought it was hard to get rid of them, but it sounds like it was not nearly as bad as some posters here have had. Yikes!

A practice learned from my mother is to keep a leaf or two of bay in each easily accessible container of flour, corn meal, rice, oatmeal, barley, etc. I'm not use if it really works as a repellent, but I'm not wiling to risk finding out.

Do you all think jars with canning lids on them would be adequate against pantry moths / grain moths? I don't mean actually canned, but just hand tightened.

Our freezer is almost always full. Sure wish we had room to put new purchases of vulnerable foods into the freezer for a while before we jar them up.

We have 3 freezers. One for meat, one for fruits and vegetables, and the third, 30 year old plus freezer is for grain based items. And we have a 40 year plus old refrigerator for cold drinks, wine (yes, I like cold wine ! ) We like to entertain, so nothing stays for extended periods of time . We 'sucky-bag" most everything that we purchase in large amounts and know will be there for awhile.

Put all your foods in jars and you'll find them and put some basil in there, It worked for me.

I had a big jar with metal screws on lid with flour in it that's the one when I opened it had the live larvae wormy things in the actual grooves of the screw on lid so I dumped it all and quit using screw on lids.

I'm glad you found them ,because it can be a real pain trying to figure out where their coming from

Jars seem a good idea, but in our small apartment pantry there really is not enough room to use jars to contain everything. All containers inspected and removed, destroying anything that looks suspicious, and scrubbing pantry well. Can only hope for the best now using extra care and examination in future. Appreciate all suggestions.