Many people mistakenly think that only aged or damp rice gets infested by weevils, but the truth is that weevil eggs have been laid on the surface of rice grains right after harvesting. Over time, these eggs hatch into the black weevils that you commonly encounter. Rice that’s infested by weevils loses its nutritional value and taste.
Weevils are sensitive to smell, so you can prepare some garlic and spices like cloves, peppercorns, and a disposable face mask. Use scissors to cut off one end of the disposable mask. Put the prepared garlic and spices inside and tie it tightly with the cut mask strap.
Put this mixture into a bag or the rice container at home. The strong odor of the garlic and spices will repel the rice weevils effectively.
Additionally, you can try the following methods:
Refrigerate the rice:
After purchasing rice, thoroughly check if it’s infested by weevils. If the rice is clean, divide it into several small bags and place them in the refrigerator for about a week. The low temperature will prevent weevil larvae from developing into adult weevils. Studies have shown that rice infested with weevil larvae does not significantly affect its quality and natural taste.
If the rice is infested with black weevils, this method won’t work. You’ll need to clean the weevils from the rice container before applying the above method again.
Use white wine:
If you don’t like the strong smell of garlic or spices, you can place an open glass of white wine in the rice container, ensuring the rim of the glass is higher than the rice’s surface. Pour about 50g of white wine into the glass without covering it. The alcohol acts as a disinfectant and evaporates easily, so it won’t affect the natural aroma of the rice.
Use table salt:
Sprinkle a little salt into the rice container, and the weevils will eat the salt and try to get rid of it, effectively leaving. However, be cautious not to use too much salt, as it could make the rice salty and prone to dampness.
Use a hairdryer:
Spread the rice out on a flat surface, then use the hot air from a hairdryer to dry it out. If you don’t have a hairdryer, take advantage of sunny days to air-dry the rice. The high temperature will make the weevils crawl to the rice’s surface. At this point, you can simply pick them off and handle them. Then, manually exterminate the weevils by burning or using insecticides. Don’t gather them and throw them away in the trash because the live weevils might crawl out and return to your rice container.
Apart from these methods, to prevent weevil infestations, you should consider purchasing fresh rice, store it in a sealed container in a clean, cool place, and regularly check and clean the rice container. Also, avoid buying too much rice at once, as it’s difficult to manage and check if it’s infested with weevils. If the rice is infested or moldy and unsuitable for consumption, you should discard as much as possible to avoid wastage.
