Donít get bugged

If you use and sell a lot of dried flowers, you may occasionally encounter one of the few disadvantages to these products: moths.
Using a reliable vendor will greatly reduce your chances of encountering insect problems, of course. But, on the rare occasion that insects sneak into your dried shipment, be prepared.
Know how to spot a problem immediately so you can prevent it from worsening.

Your primary culprit is the Indian Meal Moth. The meal moth is ubiquitous; itís found all over the world and is generally and primarily associated with grains, flours, cereals, chocolates, nuts, crackers and other dried foods. In addition, they sometimes infest dried flowers.
The insects fly mainly at night and are repelledónot attracted óby light. Thus, they are not easy to detect.
Indian meal mothsí eggs hatch as small larvae that begin life immediately by eating as fast as they can. Small black droppings and bits of flower debris are the first signs of damage. Next, youíll find small, web like evidence alerting you to the fact that the larvae have reached maturity and have spun cocoons to metamorphose into moths. The moths emerge and seek mates to fertilize their eggs, and the cycle repeats.

Your best defense against these moths is to make sure your dried flower supplier treats susceptible products with Bacillus thurengiensis. or "BT". This product is a naturally occurring bacterium that infects and kills only specific insect larvae.

Additionally, you can take specific steps to deter an insect attack at your store:

CHECK DRIED SHIPMENTS IMMEDIATELY UPON ARRIVAL
Before the product even enters your store, you should immediately identify whether Indian meal moths and their larvae have infested it. Donít let your supplier simply drop off the product without your checking and signing off that you have inspected and accepted the shipment. When the products arrive, open a box and check for signs of infestation. If you discover any, do not open any other boxes and refuse the entire shipment. Donít allow even closed boxes into your store or youíll risk exposing non infected products to the insects.
USE TRAPS
Commercial pheromone traps attract and trap moths.
BUG HAREM
Hang these traps in your warehouse or storage areas to monitor and control moth populations. Check them often to see if your site is experiencing insect problems. If so, you need to determine the source as well as take steps to eliminate the insects.

GOOD HOUSEKEEPING:

Since moths lay their eggs in all dried vegetative matter, good housekeeping around workbenches and under tables and racks is essential. Meal Moths, as their name implies, are mainly found in corn, meal, flour and other foodstuffs. Your nearby grocery store or neighborís pantry are often found to be the major source of contamination.

SPRAY THE MOTHS
Pyrethrums and other insect sprays are effective against the moths. However, it is the larvae that do all the damage, and they are unaffected by chemical insecticides.

MOTH BALLS:
Some dried flower companies add moth balls to their boxes of flowers. This is a waste of time and money and the fumes are highly toxic to humans. Do not accept or work with flowers that have been treated with moth balls. They will kill you before they kill the insects.