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no more ants


Wrknrvr

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A week or so ago I polished the solid surface kitchen counter to a nice shine. Made the DW happy and with the wax that was applied, things clean up easy.

So I have been doing some outside cleaning and polishing. Then the DW noticed that her pet ants have disappeared. Must not like the wax job.

It really bugs her when I say they are her pets. These are real small ants and followed us from Florida to Montana and now to Az.

Never thought about this type of pest control.

 

 

Safe Travel's, Vern

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I let a used shot glass that had a sugary base liquor in it sit on the counter over night. Not one ant overnight. Before there would have been a dozen ants working at it by the am. The ants that were on the counter were real small but still irritating to the DW.

Some things you just stumble into in life.

 

 

Safe Travels, Vern

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Spread some diatomaceous earth around the trailer, stops the ants. We found if we bought a rose sprayer, put the earth in the, held it upside down you could spread the earth easily. Did it .months ago and no ants since. You can buy the diatomaceous earth at Hope Depot, ours came in a yellow bag

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We once picked a family of carpenter ants down in the Keys (FL). We tried everything to get rid of them, nothing would work and all we ever did was chase them from one area to another. When we finally got back to AZ for the winter, they died!
BobQ <_<

Bob and Snookie Quinn

2006 F-550 CC Custom Bed

2012 Mobile Suite 38 Rssb3

Fulltiming it!! SKP#96210

30 years Retired USARMY

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It sounds like you have a nest that keeps coming back, they can be hard to find but once found cleaning it out is possible.

 

Know your ant types:

 

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7411.html

 

 

Carpenter ant killing:

 

http://www2.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef603.asp

 

 

I find that Google gets me the best set of answers if I start the search for ant problems off with the word University, that bumps up their studies while dropping the commercial ones trying to sell you their ant goo.

First rule of computer consulting:

Sell a customer a Linux computer and you'll eat for a day.

Sell a customer a Windows computer and you'll eat for a lifetime.

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They maybe the thief ant. Just real small. I have done the ant treatment for years outside but these must not leave the camper. Just hibernate for awhile then come back again.

Maybe get rid of the shot glass. They may just like the alcohol.

If that wax job would just work.

 

 

Safe Travels Vern

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  • 2 weeks later...

When we had a place in the Colorado mountains, carpenter ants were a big problem. In the spring and then again in mid-summer we would spread Borax (Twenty Mule Team) around the entire cabin about 2' out. Doing that we never had an ant problem of any sort.

 

We have never had an ant problem in our travels except for once. We stopped at a campground in Sanger, TX. The ants were so bad they were even pissing off the dogs. We use the Borax for laundry and so had some on hand. We spread it around and the ants disappeared.

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  • 10 months later...

:) Borax works like a charm on ants; roaches and most other nuisance pests. Don't know about spideys; but use Home Defense for them.I do not enjoy using much commercial chemicals as we seen the affect of Agent Orange on the military soldiers who were exposed to it. :)

:) Living Life One Day At A Time!

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Ok. Here's one for you. We actually found ants INSIDE a closed jar of peanut butter. So after buying a new jar we put it into a zip lock bag...guess what? Yep, they STILL got inside the zip lock & new unopened jar. No other places had a hint of ant activity. Industrious little buggers. Years ago there used to be a shelf liner you could buy but called, "No Bugs M'Lady". Is that stuff still available?

Fulltiming since 2010

2000 Dutch Star

2009 Saturn Vue

Myrtle Beach, SC

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Our ant problems started in Sanger, TX, too several years ago. The ant problem at the park was mentioned on RVParkReviews.com, but we were told they'd taken care of the issue. LOL We're so gullible. The crazy ants brought a mouse with them during the first rain storm! (At least she was dispatched within 20 minutes of discovery!)

 

Now we get the local ants wherever we park - all shapes and sizes. I think they leave notes for the next guys, "Start here."

 

Most of the time terro will eventually get them if I have the patience to wait.

 

Big red/brown ants joined us in Kentucky over Labor Day. I found a bunch inside a jar of honey with a tight metal lid. They have traveled with us from KY, to 2 stops in KS, OK, and 3 or 4 stops in Texas. They're funny because I'll find one ant just parked, thinking about something or taking a nap mid-stroll. I don't know. They don't bite, and I feel badly because I can really see them, but I just point and smoosh 'em where I find 'em. I seem to be winning the war of attrition with these guys.

 

Even though Rock sprayed all around the trailer right after we arrived here, the latest local variety of small ants were on board within a week of arrival. They scarfed up the terro and the ant trails have slowed down, but I finally decided to nuke them at the threshold the other day. I've mopped the floor since, but there was quite a body count this morning right at the door.

 

We've tried the rest - borax, DE, etc. By the way, Fabulosa kills ants on contact and makes your counters smell really nice, but other than leaving the lovely lavender fragrance, there is no residual ant killing effect. LOL

 

How I wish your wax solution worked, Vern.

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Ok. Here's one for you. We actually found ants INSIDE a closed jar of peanut butter. So after buying a new jar we put it into a zip lock bag...guess what? Yep, they STILL got inside the zip lock & new unopened jar. No other places had a hint of ant activity. Industrious little buggers.

Maybe they got into the jar at the factory? I'd be reporting that to the manufacturer with whatever identifying numbers I could find on the jar. If nothing else, that's likely to get you a new jar or two of peanut butter. Hopefully, ones not already contaminated.

 

Linda Sand

Blog: http://sandcastle.sandsys.org/

Former Rigs: Liesure Travel van, Winnebago View 24H, Winnebago Journey 34Y, Sportsmobile Sprinter conversion van

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We camp a lot in the southeast - all colors and size ants. The Terra bait traps do not seem to work as the small orange ants take soil and actually plug up the holes very quickly; they don't take the bait! Down here we carry cans of ant spray as well as scouring powder that includes bleach such as Comet. As soon as we set up camp we sprinkle the Comet around the tires, levelers, etc. keep hoses, lines off the ground as much as possible and where it does touch - spray immediately with the ant spray . If it rains, respray. Tet kills on direct contact. Hope this may help others.

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I hate ants! I don't care if there is only one, I hate ants!!!! We have had them invade us 4 times across the country and can usually get rid of them but once in CA they just wouldn't go away. We were filling the fresh water tank and Jim went out to check the level, opened up the door and there were millions of ants! They had nested in the insulation surrounding the tank, bug bombed that area, and gone! Look for the nest. Now when we stop somewhere I walk around looking for ant piles before we park, I see them, we don't park there since we've tried the borax, comet, baby powder with no luck. Good luck! Did I mention I hate ants? :angry:

Jim & Alona traveling with River, Rocky & Indy.

Our home, a 33' 1988 Southwind which we love!

 

http://arjrontheroad.blogspot.com

http://gatewatchers.blogspot.com

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We had ants nested in our new to us RV. When we moved in while the new house was put up they invaded by the hundreds and were getting into our honey and sugar bowl. I went down to the Fred's Store, a local chain, and they had a yellow color prefilled bait, five for four dollars. I snipped the ends off as they were yellow ramps with a drop and the poison at one end. The first one I put out had so many ants it was packed full and there was a wad of dead ants three inches out the entrance where the ants were eating the dead ones and made a sticky bar of dead ants.

 

Fred's doesn't have them now or online to show. The closest I could find are these: http://www.amazon.com/Ant-Killer-Liquid-Station-Terro-PCO/dp/B0047MDBP8/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1448831874&sr=8-7&keywords=ant+traps

 

We left three in the trailer and overnight they disappeared. Now we have several in the new house and none are visible anymore. They are clean and safe to put in cabinet floors and under sinks etc.

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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