Beetle infestation

[R&SGove]

On our most recent trip (Lake Anna VA, Oct 16-19) our Bigfoot was swarming with spiny soldier bugs (or spiny stink bugs). The trailer had only been in storage for about 5 weeks. How are they getting in. Any safe ideas for getting rid of the ones we have yet to find and squish? (Must have squished 50 or more in 3 days)

[kconley]

We live on the Outer Banks in NC & have alot of pests & spiders due to the dampness & sand.. I'm alergic to spider bites & have gotten deathly ill from some of them.. My wife found these traps on line.... http://www.cleanertoday.com/Spider-traps-s/86.htm They are cheep & work great... We put them all around our house, basement & in the egg.. They not only catch spiders, but any other bugs running around.. They have a penut butter type of bait in them & as it says the bugs that get caught become bait for the next 1 that comes along... These may be the trick for your beetle problem... Be sure to put them in dark corners & hang in high places with the tape on the bottom.... They last about 90 days or till they are full.... Truely a wonderful product & non toxic & safe to use... We get the 60 pac for 29 bucks & shipping is incl... They come in about 3 days or so........................Kenn

[R&SGove]

We live on the Outer Banks in NC & have alot of pests & spiders due to the dampness & sand.. I'm alergic to spider bites & have gotten deathly ill from some of them.. My wife found these traps on line.... http://www.cleanertoday.com/Spider-traps-s/86.htm They are cheep & work great... We put them all around our house, basement & in the egg.. They not only catch spiders, but any other bugs running around.. They have a penut butter type of bait in them & as it says the bugs that get caught become bait for the next 1 that comes along... These may be the trick for your beetle problem... Be sure to put them in dark corners & hang in high places with the tape on the bottom.... They last about 90 days or till they are full.... Truely a wonderful product & non toxic & safe to use... We get the 60 pac for 29 bucks & shipping is incl... They come in about 3 days or so........................Kenn

Thanks for the link. will try these in the spring. Hoping that a cold winter will take care of the current problem!

[Joe Z]

[quote]On our most recent trip (Lake Anna VA, Oct 16-19) our Bigfoot was swarming with spiny soldier bugs (or spiny stink bugs). The trailer had only been in storage for about 5 weeks. How are they getting in. Any safe ideas for getting rid of the ones we have yet to find and squish? (Must have squished 50 or more in 3 days)


Attachment 16370


Stink bugs are a big problem for us in our home in pennsylvania..... we have a monthly pest control (ehrlich) that treats the home and they have no known remedy to rid the home of these bugs....... I learned the hard way to never squish these critters as they really stink bad and the smell comes right thru the paper towel and you can't get the smell off your hand. the best so far is to wash your hands with listerine. I trap them in a paper towel and release them unharmed outside so they don't release their stink....they are nasty bugs that won't hurt you.... they want to come in in the fall and leave in the spring.... I have pushed paper towels into all known openings to slow them down which helps.
these bugs flatten out like ribbon and can sneak into any small opening..... I also noticed that they tend to cling onto the south and west side of the home (sunny side) and the north side of the home is almost barren of them.....I dread this time of year because of them
Joe

[R&SGove]

Stink bugs are a big problem for us in our home in pennsylvania..... we have a monthly pest control (ehrlich) that treats the home and they have no known remedy to rid the home of these bugs....... I learned the hard way to never squish these critters as they really stink bad and the smell comes right thru the paper towel and you can't get the smell off your hand. the best so far is to wash your hands with listerine. I trap them in a paper towel and release them unharmed outside so they don't release their stink....they are nasty bugs that won't hurt you.... they want to come in in the fall and leave in the spring.... I have pushed paper towels into all known openings to slow them down which helps.
these bugs flatten out like ribbon and can sneak into any small opening..... I also noticed that they tend to cling onto the south and west side of the home (sunny side) and the north side of the home is almost barren of them.....I dread this time of year because of them
Joe

Interesting. We never smelled any that we squished. But we were in Pennsylvania over night (Promised Land State Park) on our return from the Maritimes. That was our last stop before storage. I wonder if we may have collected a bunch of the bugs at that time.

Ron

[Loren G. Hedahl]

Ron, If you'd drive a little faster, there wouldn't be as much chance for the bugs to climb on!

[Darwin Maring]

From DR at Lake Anna, VA

Lived here for 20 years and haven't seen those bugs. I guess U R just lucky.

They might have cralled in through your electric entrance if it is one of those open types. I sealed mine up and put in a different sealed connector so the ants / critters could not get in.

Look for openings - wheel well and all other places and seal them up.

[Bob H]

The outside air vents of a propane furnace are often a direct access to the interior of a trailer. If you have a propane furnace, you might want to cover up the outside vents. I bought some wiremesh dome-like covers like this to keep dirt daubers out, but sometimes wish the screen mesh was smaller. I get mosquitos that I bet are getting in that way.

[james kent]

Bob
Is there any war you could line those vent covers with household screen made for doors and windows?

[Darwin Maring]

The in and out vents for the furnace go into a sealed unit. The air goes into the sealed combustion part of the furnace and then exits via the other vent. If the bugs were to get in, they would set up home inside the furnace and not B able to get inside of the camper.

[R&SGove]

Ron, If you'd drive a little faster, there wouldn't be as much chance for the bugs to climb on!

Not so sure. . We have spiders on our side mirrors and I have seen them hanging on making webs at 60 mph. They traveled to Prince Edward Island and back with us!

[Joe Z]

Interesting. We never smelled any that we squished. But we were in Pennsylvania over night (Promised Land State Park) on our return from the Maritimes. That was our last stop before storage. I wonder if we may have collected a bunch of the bugs at that time.

Ron

Ron..... You where only about 50 miles north of us. The stink bugs came in from overseas on a truck container into Allentown PA a few years back(which was only about 10 miles from your campground)......they are spreading very fast and the picture you posted sure looks like them but i don't understand why they don't stink when squished?? Hopefully you got rid of them all
Joe

[Bob H]

The in and out vents for the furnace go into a sealed unit. The air goes into the sealed combustion part of the furnace and then exits via the other vent. If the bugs were to get in, they would set up home inside the furnace and not B able to get inside of the camper.

I stand corrected and have learned sumtin'...I thought they were a direct path into the trailer. Thanks for straightening me out.

[Darwin Maring]

Bob, It takes fresh air from the outside so it will not deplete the oxygen inside and it sends the exhaust (Carbon Monoxide) outside so it will not kill you.

I put the same screens on my furnace to keep the wasps / hornets / and other critters out. I have been told they can plug up one of the pipes should they get in there and construct a home.