What will you do when your RV is invaded

Ants are everywhere in every state at every campground and in every RV (eventually). So what do you do when your RV is invaded by these unwanted pests? For starters, you need to investigate where they are coming from and how they are climbing on board. I found a few stragglers working their way around Barney's food dish so I went outside to investigate. I inspected the obvious places like the power cord and hoses where they could easily move inside. Other places to check are the tires and mud flaps touching the ground. I couldn't find an obvious trail so I started looking in the storage bays. It didn't take long to find them hustling away little pieces of wood they carved from a couple pieces of plywood. It's quite possible I have two varieties of ants shopping for food in the RV. Without going to the hardware store and purchasing a commercial ant bait I decided to use talc to discourage further invasion. To be honest, I don't know how well this will work, but I put some around the wood and hopefully they'll be gone by tomorrow. I also sprinkled some around Barney's dog dish so he doesn't have to compete for dinner. I know there are many readers who have a great deal more experience ridding your RV of these pests. Please click on the "comments" section below and tell us how we can more effectively eradicate or at least discourage these insects from hitching a ride. Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Powerful Spray Saves The Day For RV Outdoor Fun

We are staying at an RV park on the beach in Corpus Christi, Texas. The other day I went outside to walk the dog and was attacked by biting flies. Red itchy welts began emerging on my arms and legs. It's too hot to wear long sleeves and pants, so I opted to use bug repellent instead. The next time I went out I sprayed on Cutter's Advanced insect repellent and they didn't come near me. There I was enjoying the morning while the guy next door was swatting at himself and bellowing his shirt to rid himself of the flies. I've been using this product for a year now and have found it to be effective. The bottle says it will repel mosquitoes, chiggers, biting flies, no-see-ums, gnats and fleas. I really don't like being bitten by bugs I can't see, the boogie-man of bugs those famous no-see-ums. We travel all over the country and never know when we'll encounter a bug pest fest so we make sure we have this product close by. Besides working great this stuff doesn't stink like products containing DEET (diethyltoluamide) which was developed by the Army in 1946 to combat bugs. Cutter's Advanced formula is non-greasy, non-stinky, and lasts a long time relying on Picaridin 7.0% as the main ingredient. We don't know whether this ingredient is effective in repelling ticks, so if you need to get ticks off stick with DEET containing products. Make sure you follow the directions on the back of the label. Debugging your RV holiday - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVer Screens Out Unwanted Pests

RVer Art Braa tows a 41 foot KZ toy-hauler behind his Freightliner FLD 20. When he’s relaxing he likes to open up his toy-hauler garage door and enjoy the of the Arizona desert. As the occasional flying insect happens by he is denied access to the living quarters because of a roll-down screen door. This screen door is made from common charcoal fiberglass insect screening for doors, windows and porches (available at any hardware store). Just cut a strip that will cover your door and sew a cloth boarder around the outside. You could also use sun shade material for this project. Staple a couple of hook and latch strips over the door and fasten the screen over the doorway with staples or screws. When you don’t need it just roll it up and secure it with the hook and latch strips. Art just lets his screen door hang in place but says you could also put some hook and latch on the screen and the door frame in the middle and the bottom to make it fit snug against the door frame. Some toy-haulers come with a roll-up screen that covers the entire garage door. Helping you stay bug free with a "no fly zone" - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing.

Keep Creepy Crawlies Out Of Your Exterior Appliance Compartments

Ever open your exterior refrigerator compartment only to be faced with a spider web with a bug collection? How about your water heater compartment? If you want to keep these unwanted pests out, try the moth ice crystals treatment. You can purchase these at most grocery stores or at WalMart. I recommend a small glass container with a metal lid. Drill a few small holes in the top.
Fill the container with the moth ice crystals.
Clean off a spot in the exterior refrigerator compartment and put a ball of museum putty or the like on the bottom of the jar to hold it in place. Firmly affix it inside the compartment and replace the cover. That’s it, now you don’t have to worry about unwanted visitors that can clog up your system. Jim