company directories: Valentine’s Day pests: Experts warn of improper chocolate storage

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As Valentine’s Day chocolates, sweets, and candy gifts pile up in kitchens and pantries across the US, the pest control experts at Excel Pest Services are warning homeowners that leftover treats could be doing more harm than good.

Improperly stored chocolate and candy can quickly attract rodents and insects, increasing the risk of infestations in the weeks after Valentine’s Day, when many people forget about half-eaten boxes and novelty sweets.

“Chocolate and sugary candy are some of the most attractive food sources you can leave out,” says Nick Ferrante Jr., ACE at Excel Pest Services, in a news release. “Once pests find an easy food supply in a pantry or cupboard, they’ll keep coming back, and they won’t stop at the candy.”

With colder weather still pushing pests indoors and food sources outside becoming scarce, Ferrante says Valentine’s leftovers often become an unexpected trigger for pest problems.

Eliminate these mistakes to avoid pests

1. Leaving opened chocolate in cardboard packaging

Cardboard is among the least protective materials when combating pests like rodents, which can chew through it within minutes, and insects that utilize the structure of the box to stay hidden while helping themselves to a snack.

“With Valentine’s chocolate, packaging is usually opened and handled multiple times,” Ferrante added in a release. “That makes minor access points harder to spot, especially underneath or along seams. Once scent residue is left behind, pests will continue returning to the same location.”

2. Storing sweets in cupboards that aren’t disturbed daily

Thinking of using a high shelf or even a darkened kitchen cabinet? These are places where it is easy to forget about your Valentine’s candy and provide lengthened periods of darkness, warmth and stability, making it the perfect spot for pests to hide out.

“Rodents will memorise food locations,” Ferrante said. “If a food source remains available over multiple nights, they adjust their movement patterns to revisit it regularly. At that point, activity often escalates from foraging to nesting nearby to reduce travel distance.”

3. Assuming sealed gift packaging is pest-proof

While the elaborate packaging of candies may be pretty, it isn’t protective. Foil trays, thin plastic wraps, and decorative tins slow pests down but don’t prevent access. Rodents can smell chocolate through packaging and will gnaw directly through weaker points, while ants and cockroaches exploit microscopic gaps or condensation buildup.

“We frequently trace infestations back to gift packaging that homeowners believed was sealed,” Ferrante said. “In reality, it only delayed access, not prevented it.

4. Ignoring melted or compromised chocolate

It is so easy to forget about or get tired of chocolates. However, when left for too long, chocolates soften and reharden, providing a stronger odor compound which can seep into shelf liners and packaging. Essentially leaving a marker for pests to navigate back to.

“From a detection standpoint, compromised chocolate is significantly more attractive,” Ferrante noted. “Even after the chocolate itself is removed, residue can continue drawing pests back to the same location.”

5. Leaving candy-related waste inside overnight

Empty wrappers, trays, and boxes retain food scent long after the chocolate is gone. When these are left in indoor trash bins, especially overnight, they act as scent trails that guide pests deeper into kitchens and pantries.

“Once pests associate a specific area with sugar or fat sources, they don’t stop at the trash,” Ferrante warns. “They begin exploring surrounding cupboards, walls, and voids, looking for additional food or nesting opportunities.”

What can customers do to stay safe?

To reduce risk, Excel Pest Services advises homeowners to:

Transfer chocolate out of original packaging into airtight glass or hard plastic containers
Inspect pantry shelving for crumbs, residue, or packaging damage
Remove uneaten Valentine’s sweets promptly, rather than storing them indefinitely
Seal indoor trash tightly and dispose of it regularly, especially after gift unwrapping
Monitor for early warning signs, including gnaw marks, grease trails, ants, or damaged packaging

“Chocolate is a high-value food source for both rodents and insects,” Ferrante says. “When it’s left accessible, it increases the likelihood of ongoing activity rather than one-off sightings.”

Excel Pest Services experts recommend a thorough post-Valentine’s pantry check as part of seasonal pest prevention, particularly while colder weather continues to push pests indoors.