Ants, Ants and More Ants!

zinger60 · 07-29-2016, 07:24 PM

I posted a couple months ago about an ant problem that we had in a TT. We had found large areas of chewed up Styrofoam insulation under the bathroom cabinet, under the bathtub and in the back storage compartment next to the bathroom. We cleaned it all up, put about 6 Terro Liquid Ant Baits inside the camper and used Terro granuals all over the ground around the camper and underneath it. Took it out 2 weeks later and saw just a couple ants inside. Fast forward another 2 weeks, which was this week. We left for camping Monday and just got back today. From the first day through the third day we were at the campgrounds, we were killing ants almost constantly. We checked the areas where there was chewed up insulation before and there was only a tiny amount, which could have been some left behind from the previous clean up. Some of the ant baits were empty, a couple had a little bit still in them. By the third day, we decided to find a Wal-Mart to go get more bait. Put 6 more in there. By the time we left to come home today, there were just a few that we had seen and they were only in the bathtub. Ok, now my questions...why would there be more of them AFTER treating than before treating? We found so many of them in the bathtub. Every 30 minutes of so, we would find more of them in there. Why would they be going into the bathtub and is it possible for them to be coming up through the drain from the greywater tank? This morning when I got up, there were 2 of them in the tub but these 2 had wings. Can anyone please help?

Blackhat6mike · 07-29-2016, 07:57 PM

Are you sure they were ants and not termites? Wings? Chewed up styrofoam? Sounds more like termites to me.
I have found liquid spray way more effective against ants as I have been down this road several times. Once at Mistletoe State Park, they were coming in through the AC vents and drinking the dripped water from the units. To make it even more bazaar, they were coming off the tree limbs over the TT and not from the ground which is the first think I spray when setting up. Anything that touches the ground gets sprayed.
The roof was a different story. I had to borrow another camper's ladder to get up on the roof to spray it. We even had ants in bed with us. I drenched the unit in the middle of the night. After spraying the roof, no more ants.

zinger60 · 07-31-2016, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackhat6mike

Are you sure they were ants and not termites? Wings? Chewed up styrofoam? Sounds more like termites to me.
I have found liquid spray way more effective against ants as I have been down this road several times. Once at Mistletoe State Park, they were coming in through the AC vents and drinking the dripped water from the units. To make it even more bazaar, they were coming off the tree limbs over the TT and not from the ground which is the first think I spray when setting up. Anything that touches the ground gets sprayed.
The roof was a different story. I had to borrow another camper's ladder to get up on the roof to spray it. We even had ants in bed with us. I drenched the unit in the middle of the night. After spraying the roof, no more ants.

I did a search online to look at pictures of ants and termites. They are definitely not termites. Their body shape is different. From what I read is that regular ants get wings when they are going to mate, then after that, they fall off. I never heard of such a thing. Now I don't know if the larger ones that were in the camper for the first 3 days are ones from where we store the camper and that came along for the ride and then the winged ones might have been from the campground we were staying at. We have been camping for years and have never had a problem like this before. I guess we will keep putting more poison out and try the spray also. After spraying on the roof, how often would we need to spray? Would the rain wash it away?

**Flybob** · 07-31-2016, 04:17 PM

If you have a rubber roof, I would be very careful spraying most ant sprays on it.

BandJCarm · 07-31-2016, 04:21 PM

I have tried Terro all over (house AND trailer) and have yet to see it kill even one ant. They just avoid it.

keith_h · 07-31-2016, 04:33 PM

We live in a wooded area and I have good luck with Terro but it does take some time to kill off the ants. In some cases I have found after a day or two while the ants appear to be killed those still in eggs start to hatch and forage. Also depending upon the area there can be multiple colonies and once one its dead you start seeing ants from another. I use a combination of sprayed chemicals and Terro. I use the chemicals around the exterior of the TT and my house. I also use Terro baits outside and drops on the inside. A money saver note is you can reuse the outdoor baits. Just buy a bottle of Terro for half the price and squirt some into the bait opening.

OldCoot · 07-31-2016, 04:42 PM

Might try this. http://thebugskiller.com/how-to-kill...st-ant-killer/

https://www.amazon.com/Advion-Insect...tag=bugkill-20

Blackhat6mike · 07-31-2016, 05:06 PM

Flybob may have a valid point about spraying your roof depending on what it's made of. My roof is fiberglass, so I can spray what I wish. The spray I use isn't that powerful and has very little smell to it unlike some of the industrial strength chemicals.
I asked the park ranger if I could trim some of the small branches over our unit and darn if he didn't do it for us.
I would assume that the spray will wash off after each rain, but you don't have to spray the entire roof, just where the ants were falling.
I always use spray as IMHO, the powders are nasty and ineffective and leave residue or so has been my personal experience with them. I use the same spray at home and haven't had a sick pet from it. I always carry a gallon with us where ever we go. The South is infamous for our insects.

rsdata · 07-31-2016, 05:43 PM

ants the last 2-3 years around my home have been terrible... I finally purchased this which you mix with water and spray... ants gone from the area in about 5 minutes... got it on Amazon
water soluble probably makes it OK for roof application, but I will not vouch for that...

ben31 · 08-01-2016, 01:42 PM

This stuff works much better than sprays. It is Sevin Powder. I put it around the levelers, where the cords/hoses leave the ground, and around the tires. I have yet to get an ant in my trailers, while camping (over 3 years).
Sevin 1 lb. Ready-to-Use 5% Dust Garden Insect Killer Shaker Bottle-100508222 - The Home Depot

I did get some ants in the tongue of my trailer, while sitting in my driveway, but the terro baits took quick care of them (within days). For those that say they have never "seen" terro kill anything, it doesn't work that way. It is a bait. They eat it, share it, and they all die. If you have a lot of ants, you may have more than one colony. You will need to put out a fresh terro bait container every week for a few weeks to make sure you get all of the colonies in the area.

**Iwritecode** · 08-01-2016, 01:53 PM

I had an ant problem at my house and I just used the plain old Raid ant traps that you can buy at Wal-mart. They were a box of 4 or 6 and I just set them out wherever I saw the ants crawling around.

It took a few days but they eventually disappeared completely. So the stuff must work. Only a few bucks for a box.

nineback · 08-01-2016, 02:31 PM

This stuff works great for all kinds of wasp/ants/spiders/roaches and about any other pest.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsdata

ants the last 2-3 years around my home have been terrible... I finally purchased this which you mix with water and spray... ants gone from the area in about 5 minutes... got it on Amazon
water soluble probably makes it OK for roof application, but I will not vouch for that...

Jakieboy · 08-01-2016, 02:54 PM

We have been using Raid Barrier for the last few years whenever we camp near areas that may be prone to ant infestation. So far we have had 100% success, even in the sand dunes of Coastal California. Using the battery powered spray dispenser, we spray every possible item on our 5th wheel that touches the ground: wheels and tires, chocks, leveling jacks, power cord, hoses - everything. One application when you are setting up, and before extending all the slides, works fine for up to 10 days or more at a given site.

Toby · 08-01-2016, 03:02 PM

I'd have to agree with everyone that spoke about the baits. I bought a system for my home which is available on Amazon as well. Gourmet Liquid Ant Bait, 1-Quart https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030XMUKC..._HO6NxbFAGJ7K4 It works well. It is a timed kill. Essentially you are poisoning the entire colony and that includes the queen. After a few days ants are gone.

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Ham Camper · 08-01-2016, 03:18 PM

Terro liquid ant bait has worked great for me. We live in a wooded area and lots of ants around. They drink the Terro liquid like it is honey. But it will take several baits set out at different times to eradicate the buggers. Never had any ants in the TT.

**Flybob** · 08-01-2016, 03:38 PM

Different ants seek out different items at different times of year. Many ants will seek out protein sources during part of the year then seek out sugar type sources during another time of the year. If you put out protein baits during the sugar season, they will be ineffective. If you are to use ant baits, try several types to cover all bases. I have had great results with essential oil of peppermint ( works on spiders and mice as well).

wogden · 08-01-2016, 03:39 PM

DW has always sworn by Borac Acid. Spread it around and they take it back to the nest. It softens there shells and they die. I would not use it if you have pets or children crawling around the floor. I must admit that I was a skeptic but she proved to me that it does work so now I am a believer

zinger60 · 08-01-2016, 04:12 PM

Has anyone heard of ants getting in the greywater tank and coming up in the bathroom sink or tub? We found so many of them in the bathtub but not sure if they came up from the drain or just went into the tub looking for water.

clarinetone · 08-01-2016, 04:44 PM

I had a ant problem in 2009 when I purchased a 2008 Amerilite. After the dealer spray-bombed it I still had the problem. I found the the best way is to do some detective work and find the nest. My nest was under the threshold at the entrance door. Cleaned it up stuffed with dryer sheets, no more ants.

PenJoe · 08-01-2016, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BandJCarm

I have tried Terro all over (house AND trailer) and have yet to see it kill even one ant. They just avoid it.

Terro has a sweetener and is used for "sweet ants". Other ants will not go for the bait. Carpenter ants are much larger and can be at least as destructive as termites.

Ants have some things in common. Ants will leave the nest as scouts. They leave a scent trail for others to follow. Boric acid is deadly to ants. Boric acid powder scattered along the ant trail will take out the nest. We use PIC Orthoboric Acid available at building supply and hardware stores. It's cheap and effective. It works on roaches and ants. You may also want to try "roach tabs" These are small discs that you can distribute in small spaces and are effective.

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