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tinstartrvlr's avatar
tinstartrvlr
Explorer
Apr 16, 2017

A solution to defeating ants?

I may have discovered something here so I wanted to share. If it is already common knowledge, I apologize.
I noticed ants crawling around and discovered they were walking up the water hose and making their way inside. I had used a popular "home defense" spray two weeks prior, and in spite of no rain, it apparently quit working, even though it "kills on contact and lasts up to 12 months". I sprayed again, and being as I needed something to do anyway while I enjoyed an adult beverage, I watched their activity. The spray did not faze them. Apparently it does not kill on contact. Didn't even seem to upset them. So for fun, I got out the gorilla tape and placed a piece around the hose, sticky side up, figuring in a few minutes I would have a pile of ants stuck to the tape. What I saw was that the ants refused to cross the tape. They stopped, fidgeted around, and then turned back. Not one, in 30 minutes of watching, would cross that tape. Maybe, just maybe, it could be a simple solution to an aggravating problem, at least in places the duct tape can be used.

19 Replies

  • The Sevin DUST is not toxic.
    The Sevin GRANULES is toxic to pets.

    ...sprinkling Sevin all around your rig,...

    You do NOT spread it ALL around your coach.
    Spread a ring around your tires, hose, electrical cord.
  • Even though @rockhillmanor recommended sprinkling Sevin all around your rig, please avoid doing that. It's like using nuclear bombs to celebrate Independence Day. Firecrackers are a much better choice. In this case, because Sevin is toxic to cats, dogs, kids, and earthworms, even scouring powder is a better choice, because it only lasts a few days, whereas a place doused with Sevin remains toxic much longer. Please use the least destructive treatment that works for you instead of going nuclear at the first sign of trouble.
  • If they are already in your coach yes it can take up to 10 days to get rid of them with the ant baits. But it does work eventually then be pro active.
  • Thanks for the tip. I like it a lot.

    Here's another for you: My rig acquired an infestation of Argentine ants, those really tiny black ones, a couple years ago when I was out west. Those little monsters will set up a colony anywhere, and evidently they found a good spot somewhere inside my rig, so they followed me home.

    I put out ant baits everywhere. Used ant spray too. No effect. Those buggers are tough.

    When I got home, I sprinkled food-grade diatomaceous earth in the basement, the pass-through, removed the cover over the water heater bypass and sprinkled it all over there, too. Threw a handful in through the access hatch to the shower drain. Ants are now gone.

    Diatomaceous earth is completely non-toxic and harmless for humans, kids, dogs, cats, birds, but kills ants and other insects. It is also pretty cheap. It did render my pass-through kind of dusty, but I'd prefer dust to ants, so I just left it there.

    It lasts forever provided it does not get wet, when it just turns to mud, and ants are then safe. I've seen people sprinkle Comet/Ajax and other scouring powders around their tires and jacks to keep bugs out of the camper, which I would not do because that stuff is toxic and not environmentally friendly. I keep a quart jar of the diatomaceous earth on the camper for that purpose, and it is much safer.
  • YUP! All it took was one trip to Florida to learn real quick how to stop those dang ants.

    1. First of all go and buy those liquid Terro ant traps and place them under each sink and under the couch and under the stove. And be sure to replace them through out the year and forever!

    2. Then sprinkle Seven all the way around all the tires AND where the electrical cord and water hose touch the ground.

    3. And do NOT lean anything up against your RV.

    I had my ant problems all taken care of and then I forgot and leaned my awning pole up against the RV and there they were marching right up the awning pole and into the weep holes of the window and inside my MH. :S

    Be sure to only buy the Sevin 'dust' one, NOT the granules which is harmful to pets.

    I've tried them all and these two products are what has worked.


  • Just overlap it. Took two pieces,since it's not wide enough to go completely around the hose.

    I don't know if it's the chemicals or what, but I like that it's easy to deal with and non toxic (to us anyway)

    Black Gorilla tape to be specific.
  • Ant power, or TERRO liquid bait works well, and they carry it back to the nest. We carry it all the time. But the thing about the tape is really good. I will try it next time we have a problem. How did you wrap it and keep the sticky side out??

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