Smaller than most ants, slow and I have only found them in rice or flour. They look more like tiny beatles than they do ants. Seems they lay their eggs in the rice and flour as I have found tiny little maggots in my flour (just noticed the adults in the rice while washing today, no maggots yet...though they would be very hard to tell apart from a grain of rice, I'm hoping they would float). Anyone know what these things are and how to get rid/deter them? I have my rice and flour in a resealable container but they are still finding their way in somehow.
Could be weevils! Don't know how they got in, unless the eggs were in the flour/rice when put into the containers.
Does the exclamation point mean there should be some cause for alarm? I'm almost certain at least a few of them have been eaten.
The eggs are in the flour before it is packed ....store in the refrigerator or freezer even better will stop them multiplying. Allow your flour to warm back to room temp before using or use warm water. Can't comment on rice.
In the west flour millers use special impact machines to kill the eggs before packing. It is possible this stage of impact processing is not being done here.....hence they become little flour beetles. But as someone pointed out an excellent extra source of protein!
Was always a problem for me when I lived there. I would sift my rice through a metal strainer, that would shake the weevils out, leaving the rice. I don't think there is much you can do to prevent them, as was mentioned, I believe the eggs are in the flour and rice when you purchase it. I always kept my flour in the freezer, so I don't remember having them in my flour, but the rice, now that was a problem.
Yes, difficult to remove - so 'if you get lemons, make lemonade'. Enjoy! (go well with a nice Merlot).