Will Birds Eat Seed With Weevils? Preventing Infestations

As a bird lover, you want to provide your feathered friends with the highest quality food possible. But what if you discover your birdseed container has become infested with weevils? Should you toss it out or will birds still eat seed containing weevils?

Understanding weevil infestations in birdseed and how to prevent them can help you continue feeding your backyard birds a nutritious diet.

Do Birds Mind Eating Seeds With Weevils?

The good news is birds don’t seem to mind eating seeds that have become infested with weevils. In fact, weevils provide an excellent source of protein for many species. Birds are used to getting insects as part of their natural diet, so consuming both the seeds and weevils together is perfectly fine.

The main downside of a weevil infestation is that over time, the weevils can gradually eat and damage increasing amounts of the seed. This leaves less intact, nutritious seed for the birds. Heavily infested seed will eventually become mostly hollow shells and dust.

So while birds won’t hesitate to eat weevil-laden seeds, it’s ideal to prevent infestations from getting out of hand and ruining too much seed

How Can Seeds Become Infested?

Weevils are tiny beetles that feed on grains and seeds. Some common culprits that infest birdseed include rice weevils, granary weevils, maize weevils, and cowpea weevils.

Weevils can get into birdseed bags at any point between harvesting and packaging or after purchasing:

• Weevils lay eggs on crops in fields, infesting seeds pre-harvest.
• Infestations can spread during transportation in dirty trucks or storage facilities.
• Bags are sometimes left open in stores, allowing weevils to get in.
• Once you bring seed home, any eggs or weevils may continue reproducing.

You may notice tiny worm-like larvae or fully grown weevils crawling on the seeds. Opening old bags that have been sitting around for a long time tends to reveal the heaviest infestations.

Can Weevils Harm Birds Beyond Damaging Seed?

On their own, weevils do not pose any direct health risks to birds. However, weevil or insect damage to seed can allow mold, fungi, and bacteria to start growing.

Seed infested with weevils has an increased chance of also being contaminated with dangerous molds like aspergillus. Birds eating moldy seed risk developing respiratory illnesses or aspergillosis infections.

For this reason, it’s safest not to feed birds seed that has become heavily weevil-damaged and fungus-ridden. Monitor your seed containers for any mold, clumping, or stickiness that could indicate microbial growth problems beyond just weevils.

How to Prevent Weevil Infestations

Here are some tips to keep annoying weevils out of your birdseed:

• Buy small quantities – The longer seed is stored, the more time weevils have to infest it. Buy smaller bags you can use up quicker.

• Store in air-tight containers – Bins or buckets with tight lids prevent weevils from getting in to lay eggs.

• Keep cool & dry – Weevils thrive in warmth and humidity. Store seed in a cool, dry spot.

• Clean storage areas – Vacuum and clean areas near storage containers to remove spilled seed and potential eggs.

• Check regularly – Frequently check containers for evidence of weevil activity like dust or tiny worms.

• Use fastest – Use up any seed within a couple months of purchasing for optimal freshness and to allow less weevil breeding time.

• Freeze to kill – If you spot weevils, freeze seed for 72 hours to kill larvae and adults.

• Sift or sort carefully – Sieve out obvious weevils, larvae, and discarded seed hulls.

With proper storage and monitoring, you can avoid serious weevil problems and continue providing your wild birds with healthy, pest-free food. Be aware of any signs of infestation before they get out of control.

What If My Seed is Already Heavily Infested?

If you discover a serious existing weevil infestation, here are your options:

• Use up right away – Offer the seed in feeders daily so birds eat it before weevils damage more.

• Freeze, then use – Kill weevils by freezing for 3+ days, then serve to birds.

• Compost – Severely infested and moldy seed should be discarded in compost, not fed to birds.

• Throw away – Badly infested seed with extensive mold should be bagged and thrown in trash.

With vigilance and proper storage, you can keep weevils away from your birdseed. But even if some sneak in, rest assured your backyard birds will happily gobble up both the seeds and extra protein provided by the weevils!