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TJ · 08-20-2017, 06:37 PM

While parked in an RV site yesterday morning, we discovered small, black ants invading one of the cabinets located in the dinette slideout. Never having experienced an ant invasion in many years of RVing, I didn't have any insect spray on board. All that I could find quickly was a spray can of Fabreze air freshener.

I sprayed the inside of the cabinet with Fabreze, especially along the floor/wall seam where they were coming in. The ants that were sprayed directly immediately went belly up and no more streamed in through the seam. A quick look around outside revealed that the ants were coming up the water hose and into the water bay. From there, they were apparently making their way to the entry location.

I sprayed Fabreze in the water bay as well, with the same results as in the cabinet. And, I sprayed a section of the hose where it entered the water bay. That put a stop to the foolishness that had been going on.

In looking near the park water spigot, I could see where the ants were coming from. So, I sprayed them too. We probably have the best smelling RV park in the area!

One of my neighbors asked what I was up to and I explained the situation. She told me to sprinkle a little "diatomaceous earth" around the hose and power cord at the point where they left the ground and ran up into the respective bays. Not having such exotic stuff at hand (though I do know what it is) I went to the local Home Depot and bought a 4# bag for a bit less than $10. The entry points have now been suitable treated and there's been no sign of a counteroffensive by the ants.

Does anyone else use diatomaceous earth for repelling ants? It apparently works on other small bugs as well, being the equivalent of broken glass in a very tiny form that these little critters don't want to deal with.

TJ

TeamReif · 08-20-2017, 06:54 PM

We stayed at Santee Lakes RV park in San Diego and a leaf from a tree touched the top of our RV. Enough for ants to find their way into the RV. Was very upsetting. We got rid of the tree access and they they came up the power cord. We had heard that Comet or Ajax stops ants and we happened to have some Comet in the RV. We made a barrier around the tires, the sewer hose and power cord. That stopped the ants. I've since seen many Internet articles on using Comet. But to answer your question, when I plan ahead, I do take a bag of diatomaceous earth. We use this at home to create an ant barrier and of course it works in the RV as well. I would guess that DE is safer than Comet. Seems pretty inert and it's non-toxic from what I have read.

Radioman · 08-21-2017, 08:22 AM

Baby powder works great too. We have the same ant experience in San Diego every time we stay there. Another thing we've tried which works well is the Home Defender ant spray. We just spray a perimeter around the RV when we pull in and ants stay away for at least a couple of weeks.

sbleiweiss · 08-21-2017, 08:25 AM

Its what we use at the S&B in AZ. Works well.

powderman · 08-21-2017, 08:58 AM

Terro and many other ant killers use borax as the main ingredient. I have had good luck by using 20 mule team soap which is also borax. Cheap, safe, and decent laundry detergent.

Lug_Nut · 08-21-2017, 09:22 AM

Some years ago a couple was parked on their site in a Florida RV resort. Their Prevost had a 50 amp electrical cord running up and into the power bay. In the middle of the night they awakened by an uncomfortable feeling. The wife rose to discover she was being bitten by a number of fire ants. She brushed them off and got her robe from the rear closet and put it on. It was full of fire ants. She was hospitalized for several days.

So.................This subject and protection strategy is well worth noting!

Peter

Jager · 08-21-2017, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tranquil Jim

I sprayed the inside of the cabinet with Fabreze, especially along the floor/wall seam where they were coming in. The ants that were sprayed directly immediately went belly up and no more streamed in through the seam. . . . .
TJ

Ok . . . think about that statement for a minute. Holy cow.