Bugs in the seed

[KiwiPlusUs1025]

I was wondering if someone could help me. I bought Kiwi some seeds at a local bird store. I take the sun flower seeds out and save them as treats. Today I was seperating some more, and I found some black bugs in the seed. I don't want to give them to Kiwi anymore. I was wondering if the seeds are good or if thats normal.

Thank you!

 

[weco]

If they're little black bugs with long noses, they're weevils & if they're little larvae worms or flying moths, you've got meal moths or flour moths.....

You say you picked up some seed at the bird store.....if this was from self-dipping bins, you should think about upgrading to foods in sealed packages, because hermetically sealed packages normally don't come with the added protein, though both my nanday and Patagonian both go after the flying moths, and all my birds enjoy the larval stage of the moths if I slip up & don't watch their food.....

The moth worm can crawl up the screw threads of plastic or glass jars with loose fitting lids...they can also eat into or out of "sealed" plastic bag packages. If you purchase a fresh bag of bird food & find it infested when you bring it home, check the bag very carefully & you will probably find a small cut and/or hole in the bag & if you don't want to return the feed to the store, be sure you dispose of it in an outdoor trash container.

I think if you search the forum for flour moth or meal moth, you might find some more information on these moth critters, can't be sure on the weevils though.....

 

[MrsKay]

Hi KiwiPlusUs1025, weco is right. That is what they are. The feed is still good. Place the bag of feed in the freezer for 12 hours or overnight. I have asked breeders about this and they say that this often happens in the warmer months with bird feeds. The eggs hatch on the feed. So don't worry, it won't hurt the birds. They can even eat a few of the bugs for some extra protein
After you take the seed out of the freezer you can keep it in an air-tight container (such as tupperware or rubbermaid) in the refrigerator, or even keeping it in the freezer is fine.

 

[RavensGryf]

I know that Volkman's brand is bug free. It's quality seed mix. My birds get their seed in Nutriberries.

 

[goalerjones]

Freeze everything for the first 24 hours. Everything will be dead then.

 

[KiwiPlusUs1025]

Thank everyone! I place the seed in the freezer. I think I'm going to buy her different seeds from now on.

 

[goalerjones]

Hahnzel loves the pantry moth larvae. Might be good fun.