I've been camping since 1981 in everything from tent trailer, motor home and several truck campers and last weekend was the first time I've ever had ants get into my rig. What a pain in the a$$ that is. The little suckers went up the fresh water hose and found an opening somewhere and then wandered all over the camper. Once is enough for me. What do y'all use to combat these little buggers? I was thinking diatomaceous earth.

Have you still got an active colony? Borax and powdered sugar with a little water mixed to a thick liquid consistency, place in a small container or a jar lid where they travel. Will kill the whole nest in a few days.Keep this away from kids and pets.

I carry a jug of Spectracide that has a pump nozzle built in. If I see any ants I spray around everything that touches the ground to make a barrier. I also spray it where ever I see them congregating.Seems to work good. We've stayed at state CG where there were ant nests under the slabs and it kept them at bay.Spectracide

Boy do I hear ya! Took me a trip to Florida to learn about those dang ants,'Powdered' Sevin.Sprinkle around all hoses, electrical cords and around tires. Basically anything from your RV that touches the ground. To prevent them from getting in.And since they got in buy a bunch of these Terro liquid traps and set them under all the sinks, bathroom and couch. It will take awhile but it will kill them.I did all that and got rid of them and then one day I opened my awning and leaned the awning rod against the RV. Came back and there were hundreds of them marching up the awning rod up the side of the RV and into the weep holes in the window. :SDon't put anything up against your RV after you treat it.

Not likely they have nest in the caper. Track the army to the underground nest and kill them there. In lack of poison- few drops of gasoline does the trick. Than inside the oldfashion ant sticks still seems unbeatable.The truth is that they would never go inside the camper if you'd clean all the food stains.

First time for everything | Good Sam Community

slickrock_steve
Explorer
Jul 28, 2017
Kayteg1 wrote:
newman fulltimer wrote:
home defense

I want me one of these!! Including a flame thrower for the darn flies and mosquitos!!
rockhillmanor
Explorer
Jul 28, 2017
TxGearhead wrote:
I'm looking at Terro products on Amazon. Which are y'all using? The pre-packaged liquid bait stations with stakes, or some bulk liquid?

Just go to your local grocery store and/or hardware store they all carry them. No need for amazon. no need for the ones with stakes for the inside.

For the outside you need to use the Sevin dust so you can put it ALL the way around tires, cords, and hoses. Putting out a bait station will not stop them from climbing up and into your RV.

Pre-packaged liquid bait Terro. They are easy to place with no mess. Be very careful to keep away from pets and small children though. Under the sinks, they tend to gravitate where there is moisture, below the stove, under the couch if possible, under the drivers and passenger seats, anywhere where no one can get to it. I keep these in my RV all the time not just when I see them.
okan-star
Explorer
Jul 27, 2017
Several years ago while working out of town - staying in my TC with my dog - overnighted at a Walmart . It was summer and I ran the AC all night . Woke up at about 4 am went to the coffee in the dim light and saw strange shadowing on the counter ,lights on , it was ants , everywhere . They came in because of the condensation the AC was causing, running onto the ground , they went up the truck tires . Because I had my dog with me I had to take the day off work , couldn't spray with her in there , went to the beach for the day and wiped them out .
From then on I kept ant spray and sprayed anything that touched the ground , truck and trailer tires
billyray50
Explorer
Jul 27, 2017
Any kind of talcum powder works great. Sprinkle it over fresh water hose, power cord, jack pads. Been using it for years.
BobsYourUncle
Nomad
Jul 27, 2017
I used the bulk liquid, sold in small bottles.
One 4 ounce bottle will go a very long ways. You only need a few drops per application.
towpro
Explorer
Jul 27, 2017
I have not had ants in my pickup camper, but I did have carpenter ants in my 4th wheel. for that we use this bag from terro that you shake solid crumbs out of to create a barrier around the RV. that solved that problem.

in our house we get those little black ants some times but the terro liquid ant baits takes care of them. Now I set up the liquid ant baits outside around the house and it seems to draw the ants away from the house :).

Part of my setup for the pickup camper has always been to spray Raid on the jack feet, around tires and wires.
TxGearhead
Explorer II
Jul 27, 2017
I'm looking at Terro products on Amazon. Which are y'all using? The pre-packaged liquid bait stations with stakes, or some bulk liquid?
Bubtoofat
Explorer
Jul 27, 2017
Terro. I mix it with a little honey.

Mike
rockhillmanor
Explorer
Jul 27, 2017
Kayteg1 wrote:
....The truth is that they would never go inside the camper if you'd clean all the food stains.

:?

Not so.

These small climbing ants are NOT sugar ants and have nothing to do with food.

They are a type of ant that seeks out moisture/water which is why as a preventative in an RV, keep the terro ant bait under the sinks all the time.
BobsYourUncle
Nomad
Jul 27, 2017
They WILL move in and stay if you don't discourage them. Voice of experience here. Couple TT's ago they marched in via my shore power cable. I killed off the ones I saw but they got into the roof via my Fantastic Fan in the bathroom. They built a colony inside my roof.

I tried everything I could think of to get rid of them short of setting fire to it.

After 3 years of fighting them I posted my dilemma here and somebody said Terro. Well I had tried all those totally useless little ant bait cans and sprays and everything else and nothing worked.

I bought a bottle of Terro and applied as directed. In about a week the entire colony was wiped out. End of problem.

My recommendation is the Terro. It works.