Ant, Ants and more Ants ....

SharpPI · 09-21-2016, 08:29 PM

Just returned from a nice 4 day trip in SC. The ants were out of control. Daily I sprayed the tires, jacks, power cord and water hose with ant sprays. I still had ants. They love the power cord.

How do I get them to stay out of the camper?

conceptumator · 09-21-2016, 09:46 PM

Sounds strange but this works. If you're on a concrete pad, draw a chalk line around anything that touches the ground. The ants will not cross the chalk line. Also be sure to look for branches or bushes touching the sides of the coach. They love to come in there. As for the power cord, try spraying a little bit of WD40 on it between the ground and the coach. Not sure, but it seems like that was what I did before that kept them out.

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JLeising · 09-21-2016, 09:49 PM

I have found that "New Dawn" dishwashing detergent makes a great ant barrier. Apply full strength across any path the ants are taking. Also around or across potential paths.

jeff64 · 09-22-2016, 06:28 AM

There's always Ortho Home Defender

KAS · 09-22-2016, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SharpPI

Just returned from a nice 4 day trip in SC. The ants were out of control. Daily I sprayed the tires, jacks, power cord and water hose with ant sprays. I still had ants. They love the power cord.

How do I get them to stay out of the camper?

I had an ant infestation in my house for years, and whatever I did, it didn't last long and they kept coming back. Finally, on this forum, somebody recommended 2 types of ant bait, and the ants are gone for good! Hooray!! In my case they were small sugar or grease ants, but it seems like this is good for most types. They take the bait back to the nest and it kills the queen.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

PSUFan1 · 09-22-2016, 12:57 PM

We had the same issue with ants last year in myrtle beach so this year I thought I came prepared with outdoor ant shield. Didn't work. Called the campground office and they came out and sprayed and no more ants the rest of our stay. The grounds person said the ants love the shade, no issues in the sites with full sun. Might consider a full sun site next time. We ended up throwing some food away.

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ben31 · 09-22-2016, 01:07 PM

Get this or the Walmart version. Sprinkle it along the ground around jacks, levelers, and tires. Also apply it at the point where any cords or hoses leave the ground. It lasts until the rain washes it away, so you will need to reapply it after it rains. The stuff works very well against all bugs.

https://www.amazon.com/Sevin-Ready-U.../dp/B006O8OW2E

Lastly, make sure you do not have any vegetation touching your RV. Those touch points make excellent highways for the ants! Cut any vegetation away from the RV.

Good Luck!

fredhardy · 09-22-2016, 01:53 PM

I live in Phoenix and was getting ants in the water bay of my motorhome. I found that they were going for the moisture. Now I dry the bay out thoroughly when I attach hoses, etc. and wipe it down with Raid Ant spray. It solved my ant problem.

Regards,
Fred

imchuys · 09-22-2016, 05:16 PM

1 cup hot water, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup borax. Stir until dissolved, soak cotton balls in this mixture and place inside and outside. Initially the cotton balls will be completely covered in ants, by the next day they will all be gone.

SharpPI · 09-22-2016, 08:02 PM

Great replies

Thanks

flagstaffman · 09-22-2016, 08:09 PM

I use Borax. Pour around the perimeter of your trailer all the way around. Ant well be gone. I have done this several times after an old timer told me about it. Really works.

Wobbles · 09-22-2016, 08:12 PM

As far as the power cord goes, stick your finger in a jar of vasoline (sp), leave a ring on it and wipe it off before you put it up. Seemed to work for me.

Nancyc7 · 09-23-2016, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imchuys

1 cup hot water, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup borax. Stir until dissolved, soak cotton balls in this mixture and place inside and outside. Initially the cotton balls will be completely covered in ants, by the next day they will all be gone.

This is sort of similar. I used to live in Louisiana. Lots of roaches. I would make balls of borax and condensed milk and leave them around. Never saw them again except dead. (Never saw ants either but they weren't a problem in the first place in this scenario).

Oaklevel · 09-23-2016, 04:57 AM

Many of the campgrounds in SC will come out and spray for you. fire ants are a problem so most of them will be out to check and spray even for regular ants.

BEMR · 09-26-2016, 07:01 AM

I bring ortho home defender always with electric wand. I encircle the whole rectangle space completely around my unit first making sure I'm not parking over ant hill. Then I spend a few minutes looking for any HILLS around my unit within up to 25 ft let's say. Although neighbors may have issues I have nothing..I do same thing around my home 3 times a year and never have any INSIDE, although neighbors spend a lot of money on pest Control services, again no need. At home spray base if your foundation completely around foundation.

NorSnrub · 09-29-2016, 11:22 AM

When in Florida a few years ago we had fire aunts. The people there used 20 mule Team borax and sprinkled on and around the ants. The next day they were gone.

Nancyc7 · 09-29-2016, 08:21 PM

Fire ants are vicious. I will sure try this as it's better than pouring gasoline on 'em and lighting it, although not as satisfying.

This is a true story, a man that owned a pest control business and was successful enough to have 3 in neighboring towns for YEARS told me this is what he did in his own yard: He got a shovel of one ant pile and put it in another pile and vice versa.
I used to do it all the time. However, I feel it just made them move, you never really got rid of them. But, you kinda never really get rid of them anyway.

Nancyc7 · 09-29-2016, 08:24 PM

to Ballzitch: "Then I spend a few minutes looking for any HILLS around my unit within up to 25 ft let's say"

The dang things sometimes don't have hills, you are standing there minding your own business and suddenly they're all over you.

I just got your name when I wrote, urcrzy.

Garrette · 10-08-2016, 09:30 PM

Spent one day mowing grass on an empty lot, tall grass. Keep mowing around this grass covered stump about 4' tall and 6' diameter. Got too close with the mower and just grazed it. Found out that this was no stump. Biggest fire ant mound I have ever seen. This was in South Carolina. Got rid of them. About 30lbs of fire ant killer did the trick. I cringe to think the results of someone falling into this thing.

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