Camping & RV Recipes Archives - Forest and Shanna Ventures

Do you have a problem with ants in your mobile home? If so, you are not alone. These pesky insects can ruin an RV trip for good if they aren't dealt with quickly. The first step to getting rid of carpenter ants is finding out where they are coming from. There are many different sources that could be the cause, and it is important to find them all before taking any action. Once the source has been found, it is time to get down to business and start killing these little pests! To rid your RV of these pesky insects, try some carpenter ant spray and a bag of granular bait. Make sure the ants are on the label before you buy it! Spray all areas where they're coming from and sprinkle around their favorite locations with that yummy-scented substance. The best product for keeping carpenter ants out of your RV is Spectracide Terminate and Amdro Ant Bait. These products will kill and repel these pesky little critters, no matter how long they've been in your RV. Beware of using chemicals around children or pets. It is imperative that you read the labels before spraying any substances within close range of them! Remember: for best results, follow instructions on the label closely and do not over-apply anything. You'll be a pro at getting rid of carpenter ants by following these steps! What to do when Carpenter Ants Invade Your RV There is more to getting rid of carpenter ants than just buying spray and bait. The first thing you need to do is eliminate their food sources. Carpentry ants need sources of protein, carbohydrates, and fats in order to survive, so you will have to make sure that none of these things are present in your RV. Do a thorough inspection each day, looking for food crumbs and grease along the edges of cabinets. Pay special attention to kitchen cupboards and pantries. These are the areas that carpenter ants like the most. If you find an ant infestation in your RV, you will need to act fast. It can be very difficult to get rid of carpenter ants even with professional help, so it is important to get the situation under control as quickly as possible. You will need to use a pesticide spray in combination with some ant baits or traps. This way, you can kill off carpenter ants and cut down on future infestations. You will also want to make sure you are eliminating any sources of food. Find out Where They're Coming From This is the very first thing that you should do. Carpenter ants typically come into an area in search of food, so it can be very helpful to figure out where they are coming from. They can find their way into your RV easily if they already have a nest somewhere close by, especially if there is someone in your RV who eats outdoors or brings food back inside. If there's no nest right next door, these ants might be coming from a neighbor's house or even a tree outside of your RV. Best places to spray and sprinkle in my RV camper to get rid of carpenter ants Time is of the essence, so let's get to work. Ant traps and sprays are great for taking care of these pesky creatures, but they need a little creativity in order to be effective. Relying solely on ant bait or just spraying them with pesticides may not do enough damage; you must find out where they are coming from first! Do an inspection around your home: under furniture, behind appliances, etc., if necessary, pulling up carpeting as needed. Once you have found their trails, it's time to act quickly before things escalate even more than what we already know about this invasive species called carpenter ants. Some of the best places to spray are along their trails, but not too much so that you give up their nesting sites. Spraying and sprinkling around your home will also do the trick nicely. Once they have been eliminated from these areas, it is important to keep an eye out for them again since carpenter ants can live outside as well – in plants or on trees! You may need a professional exterminator if there are still large numbers of them after two weeks; don't let this happen by taking care of all potential problem points right away. Remember: time is critical when dealing with invasive species like Carpenter Ants! Where to spray to get rid of carpenter ants Inside First, make sure your animals and kids are not inside the RV. Spray all along floorboards; cabinets/drawers in the fridge (remove food first), window sills of camper front door or back doors with ant spray where they come in from outside. Also, be sure to spray under the sink where pipes come into the wall; spray window frames and screens. If they come from outside, spray plants in RV or on the outside of the RV. Spray where you see them coming into the RV from inside and outside. Spray window screens, and anywhere they may be coming around your home. You need to get all pipes sprayed where they come into the wall; any holes or crevice next to the wall. Be sure to spray u-shaped pipes under sinks, bathtub, and above the stove too, anywhere ants are most likely coming into RV if you have them inside. Spray areas where there are active signs of infestation, including other places mentioned above. This will not only kill existing colonies but also help prevent them from coming back anytime soon – even when the weather starts to heat up. Where to spray to get rid of carpenter ants outside The key for getting rid of carpenter ants in an RV is to focus on spraying along the outside perimeter. I would even spray your stabilizers, levelers and jacks. It's worth it to also spray your tires since that stuff kills on contact and creates a barrier. Where to sprinkle granular ant bait in your RV camper We recommend using Amdro Ant Bait that is pre-baited for carpenter ants. If you are unable to find the Amdro product, use bait like boric acid or bay leaves in small piles scattered around the inside of your RV and outside near ant trails if present at low numbers (less than 20). The area needs to be sprayed with an insecticide before placing food baits out, so they don't eat anything toxic while hunting for their new source of food! The granular ant bait is going to help you get rid of those pesky ants in your camper. They will love the dry, tangy taste and take it back home with them, where they share it amongst themselves, which ultimately eliminates their entire colony, including the queen! Sprinkle some on corners, under carpeting, and near countertops (make sure not to put any food down). In order to be safe, you know that it's better to over-exaggerate your response than under-do the problem. So think about all of the places where this could be hiding and doing damage: behind the fridge or stove, under your sink in cabinets (think both inside AND outside), around faucets in kitchen/bathroom sinks - even along baseboards. It can also end up on carpets if there's any kind of spillage. Sprinkle some everywhere to get rid of those pesky critters! Where to sprinkle granular ant bait outside of your RV camper If you have carpenter ants in your camper, sprinkle granular ant bait around the outside of it. The best places to put this are: near the stairs leading up to your camper and anywhere touching ground, such as under a trailer or wires that lead into your home. Basically, sprinkle granular bait all over - that includes near doors and windowsills as well as under trailers or other things touching ground nearby like leveling blocks and stabilizers. Keep an eye on these areas for prevention because if they're not taken care of continuously, things may worsen! How to prevent carpenter ants from coming back Now that you've gotten rid of ants with the granular bait, make sure to take some preventative measures, so carpenter ants don't come back. We all know how much carpenter ants love to eat moist wood, but what you may not have known is that they are also attracted by water damage in your camper! You might need some demolition work done at this point because the place where you'll be doing it can get messy and dusty, so do things carefully if there are children or animals around; just make sure no one falls into an unfinished hole while dismantling drywall and other materials. Take a deep breath, and everything will be okay. Once you find the damaged wood, assess how bad of an infestation there is and what damage has been done to your camper by these pests in question. You may have to take care of one spot that's broken –or replace 90% of the flooring- but it's worth knowing exactly where those pesky bugs are coming from so they don't come back again! Some easy preventative measures: When you are trying to prevent carpenter ants from coming back into your camper, make sure that everything is clean. Avoid eating in bed or leaving food out on the countertops, and try not to drink anything when outdoors so there isn't any leftover spilled beverages near where they might come up through a hole again. You should also consider sealing all of these entrances points like doors, windows, sliding panels (if stationary), etc., as well as cleaning spills right away because this will help keep them out for good! Keep your food contained and try to keep everything as ant-proof as possible. It is also very important to keep all foods inside of the fridge/freezer so there aren't any crumbs that can spill onto countertops or other surfaces. Make sure that your trash cans aren't overflowing, and you keep them far away from the camper. You should also make sure to empty out any water in your sink before closing the drain, so there's not a splash of water that still has food particles on it from breakfast dishes or lunch plates. Don't leave water sitting in the sink! Make sure that you wipe it dry after use. That goes for your shower as well, and if you're like us, then trim any trees or bushes outside too! The most common reason why carpenter ants get into an RV camper It's no surprise that an older camper would have some kind of leak. They're not as tight and good with keeping water out as newer ones, so it may be causing dry rot to your wood which can also attract ants because they love damp places where mold is growing. Watch for any signs of leaks or condensation in the walls (usually caused by a crack), floors, windowsills, ceilings - anywhere you see excess moisture will typically lead to carpenter ant problems if left unchecked! If your RV has been around a while, there will probably be some kind of crack in the floor that ants are able to get into. They are crawling all over you right now, so it's best to act fast! If you haven't found any signs already, just make sure that your floors are sealed/sealed up as soon as possible, so they don't end up breaking through the other side. Carpenter ants like to eat small plants outside. They especially love sugar, honeydew, and fruit juices, so make sure you have some nearby your camper if they are a problem for you! These little insects also enjoy nesting indoors sometimes and may not even be attracted to the food in your vehicle - but instead opt for somewhere else that provides them with ample hiding spots: Your home/camper. If there is an ant colony or satellite colony nearby, then it could be their reason why they found your trailer; because when momma finds out about this, she'll work her hardest at getting those nest-mates of hers over here before any other colonies will come along and snatch up all the good grub themselves! If you have a wasps nest near or under your camper, carpenter ants will find and destroy these nests. This causes the aggressive insects to go into attack mode on anything that's nearby, including your camper! Do carpenter ants damage my camper? Carpenter ants are tiny insects that create small tunnels inside the wood. They don’t actually eat it. The process can take years before it becomes harmful, so it’s best to catch them quickly and save your wood! The insects will scratch away at a tree or log with its powerful mandibles as it progresses on building its nest, which creates something called frass that resembles sawdust-like debris dropped into piles all around colony sites when disturbed by humans or animals who dare invade this home for these insect residents! Carpenter ants can cause structural damage to homes because of their size; they are quite large and can cause damage to your RV if they decide to move in inside of the walls. They also love hiding under kitchen cabinets or underneath your sink, as well as a nest in window frames, wall outlets, and behind cabinets. If you have a lot of ants that come and go from the soil or plant beds nearby, it may be best to take a closer look at the foundation around your camper. Also, be sure to check your slide. Carpenter ants can do as much damage to your wood or even more than natural disasters. If you don't catch the problem in time, they will build a nest consisting of an extremely large network of galleries and tunnels that are hard not to see. When are carpenter ants most active? Carpenter ants are most active in the springtime and summer. Workers have wings, but only some can actually fly. Carpenter ants swarm out of their nests to mate and start new colonies when it's springtime (March-April). They'll stay around until October if you don't take care of them! These little guys are nocturnal, so they're mostly running about at night unless they've made a nest inside your camper or something like that where there isn't much light available for them to go about their business. Carpenter ants are the type of bug that no one really wants to see in or around their RV - unless you're composting, and then you might actually want a colony of them because they turn insects into fertilizer. How long do carpenter ant nests last? Carpenter ants can live in your RV for as little as 2 years, or they can survive there for several decades. The longevity of these colonies will be determined by the size of the colony, its food supply, and many other factors, including weather that can destroy the entire nest in a matter of days if it's not constructed properly! Carpenter ants are industrious little creatures. They search for food 15 minutes after sundown, and they usually come out in small, manageable numbers of 10%. That means that if there is a decent amount of carpenter ants in your camper when you first go to sleep at night, then you may have an infestation somewhere else- most likely within the wood framing on the inside or outside walls/ceiling. Carpenter ants move fast but only stop to feed other workers with their prey. I can assure you, though, wherever these guys are living -they know it's occupied by humans! Once a carpenter ant colony is established, pest control management is extremely difficult. You might have to start over, but at that point, you can just let the predator ants take care of business for you.