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09-22-2007, 09:05 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2006 17 ft Casita Spirit Deluxe
Posts: 715
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We pulled up in a parking lot to work for the weekend. About four hours later we went out to the trailer and we had been invaded by little sugar ants. One branch from a near by hedge had touched the side of the trailer and since the window was open for air, they had come in through the screen. By the time we had noticed, they had crawled under the bed to the kitchen side and were trying to find a cupboard to invade. We had to pull up the bed and spray, under all the cushions and there was a solid black line down the wall and in all directions. Dale went out and with his pocket knife removed the offending branch and sprayed around all of the supports and jacks. It just seems like there should be an easier way than to bring out the spray every time you stop. We do the logical things like keep the cords off the ground but some would believe that the ants have the advantage. Any suggestions? How do you keep the little sugar ants from getting into your trailer?
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09-22-2007, 09:12 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1988 16 ft Scamp Deluxe
Posts: 25,697
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They drown here in Portland
Several years ago, when I was parked at a snazzy RV park, a large Moho pulled in next to me. The owner used a shaker can of stuff all around anything that touched the ground (tires, jacks, etc.). I asked him what it was and he said "Borax." He made the can and refilled it as necessary. Guess it's pretty harmless to the environment but ants avoid it...
On edit, found this on the web: Non-Toxic Ant Control
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward - 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Double Yolk - 1988 16' Scamp Deluxe
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09-22-2007, 09:27 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1975 13 ft Trillium
Posts: 2,535
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we used a mix (dry) of sugar and Borax all around the outside edges of our trailer that was set up in an R/V park in N.Wet Warshington.
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09-22-2007, 10:18 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Trailer: Former Burro owner and fan!
Posts: 9,015
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branches don't have to touch the rig...
I left my car in a rental car parking lot all week. Stupid me left a half full can of Dr Pepper in the cupholder.
When I got back and got in the car, it was an ant galore. The little monsters were everywhere, all high on caffeine and sugar.
I am not sure, but I think they were trying to hot wire the Jeep and go for a little joy ride
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09-22-2007, 10:23 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2002 17 ft Casita Liberty Deluxe
Posts: 901
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Hi Dale and Linda
We found that ants are very easy to get rid of with a vacuum instead of that nasty, ant spray. The ants must be deaf because they don't run.. just follow the line of ants and vacuum them up. For the strays, I just use a wet paper towel.
Borax or spraying around everything on the trailer that touches the ground works - you just need to keep doing it as it disappears with weather.
When we get home from a trip, I take everything out of the trailer that ants might like. Nothing is kept in the trailer except for canned, or bottled items. This seems to work.
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09-22-2007, 10:38 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Trailer: Former Burro owner and fan!
Posts: 9,015
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at home, I use windex. It kills the ants it hits, and clears the trail smell for a couple days. Repeat as needed, and it doesn't kill beagles.
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09-22-2007, 12:46 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2002 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 3,640
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Number one thing: Be sure to get rid of them before the make a nest in the camper.
We use the Clear Windex that kills them dead on contact then you just wipe the counter clean.
Place the clear liquid Ant Bait traps (Taro) and leave them alone, they eat the stuff. It is a sweat liquid laced with Borax and they take it home and share it with the others and some time later they are all dead.
The way to prevent ants in the first place is to spray everything that touches the ground. Tires, jacks, stands, etc.
Spray all around them on the ground with an ant shield. They will avoid the ant shield.
This works on all critters the ant shield says it will kill except the Great Northern Hemisphere Iowa Jumping Ants and the Texas Barking Spiders.
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09-22-2007, 03:14 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2006 17 ft Casita Spirit Deluxe
Posts: 715
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The window cleaning suggestion is great. We will try it tonight so that we won't have the smell. Borax we will be sure to bring next time. We usually spray around but it was just such a short time. Within four hours there must have been three hundred ants that had snuck inside through the screen.
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09-22-2007, 03:23 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Trailer: Former Burro owner and fan!
Posts: 9,015
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I spray the windex directly on the ants, then wipe them up. Let the cleaner "pool" near where you think the trail in is.
This is a "repeat" as needed routine, every couple of days, but Dallas will appreciate it. He is smart enough to not stick his little nose in it.
For Borax.. go back to Albany via Boron
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09-22-2007, 05:22 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2002 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 3,640
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Do not forget that they will crawl in on the "Water Hose" and "Power Cord".
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09-22-2007, 11:20 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Trailer: Boler 17 ft
Posts: 510
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I've never had ants in the Boler (knock on particleboard!) but have a whole whack of them in my front yard Maple tree. (That's where they "farm" aphids, I even read somewhere they will overwinter some aphids undergorund where its warmer, then bring them out to "pasture" each spring.)
I will for sure try Windex/Borax around the base/trunk of the tree next spring, especially if I can't find any Ladybugs. (Ladybugs eat the aphids like, hmm, beef, not like ants who are lacto-vegetarians.)
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09-23-2007, 01:26 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2005 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 1,555
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Quote:
Iowa Jumping Ants and the Texas Barking Spiders
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One strike against Iowa.
Two strikes against Texas. (Because its Texas)
- - - - -
So the Australian Minister of Agriculture is showing his Texas counterpart around some of the most productive farm land in Australia. While traveling through a corn field the Texan boasts "Our Texas farmers expect to get 200 bushels of corn from each acre they sow."
The Australian Minister counters by telling the Texan "This farm produces nearly 300 bushels per acre. At 200 . . . we'd probably switch over to a less demanding crop."
While driving through a wheat field the Texan boasts "Our farmers harvest an average of 70 bushels of Summer Wheat per acre at harvest time."
The Australian minister gives his counterpart an alarmed glance and asks "Have you tried fertilizing your fields yet? We're pulling down close to 100 bushels per acre from fields we grazed cattle on ten years back."
And so it goes as they tour the Australian farmlands. Each time the Texan boasts about the harvests from his home state, the Australian counters that the farms they are driving through never deliver harvests that small, and by the end of the day the Texan is feeling quite dejected. As they round a bend while bumping their way down the last road home they startle a Kangaroo, which jumps up and vaults over their truck.
"What the blazes was that!" the startled Texan exclaims.
The minister quietly replies "Don't you have grasshoppers in Texas?"
--Peter
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09-25-2007, 11:30 PM
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#13
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Member
Trailer: 1993 Casita
Posts: 47
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I am surprised that nobody has mentioned and old time true cure for keeping ants away! Ordinary chalk! I always carry some in my trailer, ants will not cross it for some reason. If you want to torment them draw a cirlce around them and they will be imprisoned But in all seriousness, I use the powdered chalk used for chalk lines around my tires and even draw a circle around dog food dishes and other things that I don't want them to get to. Works great in your house too! Can't stand those bug sprays and chalk is non-toxic
Bob
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09-26-2007, 12:12 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Trailer: 1999 17 ft Casita Spirit Deluxe ('Inn EggsIsle')
Posts: 611
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We have their cousins in Florida and some of our campers even use comet, I'm convinced that about any powder will do the trick, we like boric acid but with any powder you have to reapply after it rains. Keeping your lines and hoses up off the ground is not a sure thing as they are usually hooked to a supportive post that is in the ground. Treat around those as well. Anybody know how to keep the noseeums out
__________________
Love being Inneggsile
heading sloowly up the eastcoast to our next 2 month (Aug and Sept) camp hosting gig at Camden Hills State Park in Maine
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09-26-2007, 03:13 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Trailer: Former Burro owner and fan!
Posts: 9,015
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Quote:
Anybody know how to keep the noseeums out
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How do you know they are there if ya cant seeum?
*Gina Slinks off to her room, slowly...*
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09-26-2007, 03:47 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 3,072
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Quote:
How do you know they are there if ya cant seeum?
*Gina Slinks off to her room, slowly...*
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Umm, you can feel them bite... I can attest, after spending a couple of days in Pennekamp SP CG in the Keys one year that after one picks up a bunch of them in an egg they will live on for about three days. If I were to go into No-See-Um country for a while, I would take the NSM netting that I salvaged from an old tent and put it over my window screens (it has finer mesh, but also blocks the flow of air more than the standard skeeter-skreen).
BTW, DEET doesn't work so well for NSMs; one needs something thick like SkinSoSoft or vegetable oil on the skin to mess them up.
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10-15-2007, 11:06 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2005 13 ft Scamp
Posts: 193
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Quote:
We pulled up in a parking lot to work for the weekend. About four hours later we went out to the trailer and we had been invaded by little sugar ants. One branch from a near by hedge had touched the side of the trailer and since the window was open for air, they had come in through the screen. By the time we had noticed, they had crawled under the bed to the kitchen side and were trying to find a cupboard to invade. We had to pull up the bed and spray, under all the cushions and there was a solid black line down the wall and in all directions. Dale went out and with his pocket knife removed the offending branch and sprayed around all of the supports and jacks. It just seems like there should be an easier way than to bring out the spray every time you stop. We do the logical things like keep the cords off the ground but some would believe that the ants have the advantage. Any suggestions? How do you keep the little sugar ants from getting into your trailer?
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I have used "Borax" for year in my old house. It seems at a certain time of the year the ants dearly love to invade my kitchen. I just sprinkle this white powder along the line of ants and around the sink and by the next day they are gone!!! I don't see why using boraxo wouldn't work in a campground. Be sure to use borax, the clothes washing additive. It is safe to use around children, is not poisonous like sprays. Try it, you'll like it. Margaret
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10-16-2007, 01:22 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Trailer: Former Casita 17 ft owner
Posts: 1,498
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Quote:
...
Anybody know how to keep the noseeums out
...
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Bill,
These folks sell no-see-um mesh by the yard: By the yard
NOTE to all. Borax and boric acid are not the same thing. Boric acid works very well to kill ants (and roaches) and you can buy it about any place as Roach Powder.
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10-16-2007, 09:42 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Trailer: Casita
Posts: 167
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A note of caution: we were at a California State Beach recently. It used to be common there to use Comet or other bleaching cleanser around everything that touches the ground. Now, that is outlawed due an environmental issue. It is posted as a $250 fine and the ranger seemed serious.
I didn't pursue it to see if a non-bleaching cleanser or some other powder is accepatable. The printed notice specified Comet and one other cleanser by name.
Marv
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10-16-2007, 10:25 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 7,056
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Will I'll be darned. I always thought the best way to get rid of aunts was to send them home to the uncles.
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
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