Bug infested white sugar -- flush or trash?

[zinfamous]

~3 lb. of white sugar in a plastic container with twist top, there are tiny little bugs crawling in it. :hmm: From an ecological standpoint, flush it or drop the container in the trash? I don't want to pour it in my compost pile because I figure it will attract ants and I already have a sometime problem with ant colonies invading the house.

better dump it now, because come January and you dump all that sugar, you're going to have to pay $0.01 per ounce of sugary water that you create.

 

[CPA]

Dissolve in boiling water
Pour through a filter
Place in a vacuum chamber or oven to boil off the water
Grind residue back into sugar.
Watch for sugar thieves

Or spend $2 to get a whole new bag.

 

[zinfamous]

Or spend $2 to get a whole new bag.

or just sift it through a strainer and save $2.

It's just bugs. it's just sugar. too many wusses in this thread.

 

[Muse]

I know it is a common guideline to rotate the pile....

I'd just dig a hole and dump the entire bag in. Moisture will dissolve the sugar eventually so you wont have this big mass of buried sugar.

I'll probably do something like that. I don't obsess on turning my pile. I have a cool tool that makes it easier than using a shovel (or pitchfork, which I also have), it's a kind of tough-tanged rake with a handle that's just genius (allows you to hack into stuff and just pull), but even so, my pile's so big, it's a lot of work to rearrange the pile. I don't worry about it, I just work most of the pile into the ground before planting my vegetables and figure what isn't composted will decompose in the ground eventually. When I dig the ground the following year I don't find uncomposted material, so my theory's evidently correct.

 

[Muse]

or just sift it through a strainer and save $2.

It's just bugs. it's just sugar. too many wusses in this thread.

I would, but it bugs me when they get caught in my teeth.

 

[DrPizza]

or just sift it through a strainer and save $2.

It's just bugs. it's just sugar. too many wusses in this thread.

I want pure carbohydrates, not carbohydrates mixed with a little bit of protein.


Other than ants, I've never heard of people having trouble with bugs in their sugar. Thus, it's possible that the OP discovered a brand new species of insect. Maybe the colony in his 3 pounds of sugar is the entire population of that species on this planet. If the OP boiled or otherwise killed those insects, he alone would be responsible for the extermination of an entire species of insect - a species that would probably be considered harmful. So, if the OP kills those insects, we will never know for sure if he was a hero.

 

[nageov3t]

I'd bag it and throw it in a public trashcan.

 

[NetWareHead]

I'll probably do something like that. I don't obsess on turning my pile. I have a cool tool that makes it easier than using a shovel (or pitchfork, which I also have), it's a kind of tough-tanged rake with a handle that's just genius (allows you to hack into stuff and just pull),

link to or name of tool?

I just work most of the pile into the ground before planting my vegetables and figure what isn't composted will decompose in the ground eventually. When I dig the ground the following year I don't find uncomposted material, so my theory's evidently correct.

Also my experience, I try not to fuss too much over what didnt decompose. Just bury it in the garden and it decays there.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

If they're all over in the sugar, you've got a much bigger problem in your cupboards. Nothing can live in the sugar. They might be happy eating and crawling around when you see them but, if they don't leave the container, they will die in a day. They didn't come in the sugar like bugs do in flour, they climbed in from outside the container.

 

[tynopik]

or just sift it through a strainer and save $2.

It's just bugs AND BUG POOP. it's just sugar. too many wusses in this thread.

FTFY

 

[Ruptga]

Build a campfire, then throw the sugar into the air over the fire. Poof, no more bugs.

 

[Brainonska511]

If they're all over in the sugar, you've got a much bigger problem in your cupboards. Nothing can live in the sugar. They might be happy eating and crawling around when you see them but, if they don't leave the container, they will die in a day. They didn't come in the sugar like bugs do in flour, they climbed in from outside the container.

Time to burn down the house.

 

[Muse]

I want pure carbohydrates, not carbohydrates mixed with a little bit of protein.


Other than ants, I've never heard of people having trouble with bugs in their sugar. Thus, it's possible that the OP discovered a brand new species of insect. Maybe the colony in his 3 pounds of sugar is the entire population of that species on this planet. If the OP boiled or otherwise killed those insects, he alone would be responsible for the extermination of an entire species of insect - a species that would probably be considered harmful. So, if the OP kills those insects, we will never know for sure if he was a hero.

Yeah, I'm not sure myself. Meantime, I've been really busy today and haven't gotten around to acting on this dilemma. The cylindrical white plastic container remains on my kitchen counter and the aliens inside are plotting their escape and takeover of the planet.

 

[Muse]

link to or name of tool?

Also my experience, I try not to fuss too much over what didnt decompose. Just bury it in the garden and it decays there.

That tool, well, I've never seen it selling anywhere since I spotted mine for sale around 8-10 years ago (along with others) at Canned Foods Market, a chain of supermarket-like stores in CA (possibly elsewhere too, I don't know) that sells cutout merchandise, stuff they buy from other retailers who want to get it off their shelves or out of their warehouses. You never know what you'll find in there. I never saw one again for sale anywhere after I bought mine. I'll take a picture or two, hopefully, and post it/them in this thread in a day or two.

If they're all over in the sugar, you've got a much bigger problem in your cupboards. Nothing can live in the sugar. They might be happy eating and crawling around when you see them but, if they don't leave the container, they will die in a day. They didn't come in the sugar like bugs do in flour, they climbed in from outside the container.

Yes, I figured that for the case. Reason is the sugar came from a 25 lb bag I bought at Costco, probably close to a year ago, maybe longer. Only the sugar I transferred to that container has bugs.

 

[RossMAN]

bugs = protein = grub

 

[Muse]

Photo of bugs in sugar:

You can't see them really well in this but I think they look kind of like the weevils previously shown in the thread.

Photo of container and special rake I use to turn my compost pile:

 

[lxskllr]

Has this tricky problem been solved yet? If no one's suggested it, my vote goes to putting it in the freezer to kill the bugs, and use the sugar for hummingbird food.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Sugar is a great additive for batteries. Add some to your car batteries and it will boost it's power.


:sneaky:

 

[uclaLabrat]

I want pure carbohydrates, not carbohydrates mixed with a little bit of protein.


Other than ants, I've never heard of people having trouble with bugs in their sugar. Thus, it's possible that the OP discovered a brand new species of insect. Maybe the colony in his 3 pounds of sugar is the entire population of that species on this planet. If the OP boiled or otherwise killed those insects, he alone would be responsible for the extermination of an entire species of insect - a species that would probably be considered harmful. So, if the OP kills those insects, we will never know for sure if he was a hero.

So throw the solution in the fridge, recrystallize the sugar and isolate it. Of course, apparently the solubility of sugar in water even at 2 deg C is something ridiculous like 65% according to the chart I just looked up. Strange. So after all that work you'll still get less than half your sugar back.

 

[MongGrel]

Nuke from orbit.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I would just throw it out. It's not so much about the "gross" factor but because you could potentially get sick depending on what those are and what it could potentially carry. The same reason you would not want to eat off a surface that may have gotten mouse droppings.

Chances are you'd probably be fine though especially if you only use it for baking or other things where it will get really hot, but probably best not to chance it unless someone can say with certainty that it's safe.

This reminds me I had some flour that I was wanting to put in a sealed container. That was several years ago, and I never did it. lol. I should check it.

 

[Printer Bandit]

 

[zinfamous]

Photo of container and special rake I use to turn my compost pile:

thanks, man. this is very helpful.

 

[Muse]

Has this tricky problem been solved yet? If no one's suggested it, my vote goes to putting it in the freezer to kill the bugs, and use the sugar for hummingbird food.

I should have a hummingbird feeder. I love them. However, I dumped the infested sugar in a hole in the top of my humongous compost pile that I made with that rake shortly after taking those pictures, then raked the pile over the hole. The rains are coming...

 

[manimal]

im sure there is a class M planet that they can colonize. Data and number 1 will take care of it