November 6, 2022
I don’t normally mind ants, as long as they aren’t the evil fire ants, but I don’t like them in my RV.
We’ve had three ant invasions since we started RVing. The first invasion was while we were at Poverty Point State Park in Louisiana.
The ants climbed up the water hose and into the wet bay. From the wet bay, the ants found a path to come inside the RV. They got into Nox’s dog food. It happened so quickly!
To prevent the ants from their continued invasion, I came up with the idea to fill our bucket with soapy water and put the hose in it. Invasion stopped! We did have to make sure the bucket was kept topped up. As soon as the edge of the hose touched the side of the bucket, ants had a path and in they came.
The second invasion happened at Pine Mountain RV Resort. We weren’t the only ones who dealt with an ant problem in this campground. The ants came up the stairs, just like welcome guests. They also climbed up the power cord and one of the landing gears.
We sprayed the ant trails with soapy water every morning, at lunch and in the evening. We also had to spray the soapy water along the fireplace wall. To keep the ants from getting Nox’s dog food, I took my small mixing bowl and filled it part way with soapy water and placed the dog food bowl in the small mixing bowl. We found several ants in the soapy water as they tried to get to the dog food.
The third invasion is currently ongoing while we are at Lake Pines Campground. The ants are coming in via the stairs. The ants are also climbing up onto the roof by climbing up the water hose, then up the side of the RV.
We have decided to try a different approach this time. We purchased ant bait and put it out. I am hoping it will work soon. Meanwhile, we continue to use soapy water to kill the ants that make it inside the RV.
Retirement RV Dream 
Bummer! I hope this is a temporary problem.
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Me too!
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Julia,
You’re getting pretty resourceful in dealing with the ant invasions!
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I like to think so!
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Yuck–ants are a pain once they figure out a way in. The water trick does work pretty well in the places where you can use it as a barrier. The ants would get into our building at work during really hot or really cold periods, seeking food. Hope it does not last too long for you!
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At least they aren’t fire ants! I hope the bait works soon and we are don’t have to worry about them getting in.
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Once when camping at Canyon de Chelly we happened to park in a site that may have been the ant capital of the known universe. Nightmare! We did the tricks you’ve done but ultimately I gave in and bought some Home Defense. Rather than spray (which is uncontrollable to some degree) I put on latex gloves and used a cheap paintbrush to “paint” the insecticide along all perimeter surfaces, edges of stairs. along the length of hoses but not near nozzles, etc. It worked the charm and lasted literally for months. I don’t like going the chemical route but Home Defense’s active ingredient, Bifethrin, is considered very low toxicity.
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That you for the tip. If this ant bait doesn’t work, we’ll have to try Home Defense. I don’t like the idea of a spray, so your “painting” idea sounds like a much safer.
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I’m sorry to hear you’ve had ant invasions on the move. We were attacked for weeks. Any food left on the counter was put in a moat — food on plate, atop a bowl resting on plate holding water. Didn’t take much water, just couldn’t let it dry up.
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It is amazing how the ants just sneak in.
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The ants in one campground would reach to the moon and back, I’m sure.
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🐜🌙
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Yikes, I hope the bait works!
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Me too!
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There was one year I went to put fresh sheets on the mattress in the camper – and found the entire bottom of the mattress had become an ant colony, with masses of eggs!!! Pulled it out, sprayed everything down with a hose, wiped all interior surfaces with Dr Bronner’s, slept elsewhere for that night!
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Oh my!! What an unpleasant surprise! It makes me feel lucky we haven’t had it so bad!
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Part of it is that you are using the camper to live in; mine had been sitting for a month or so. Gave the little beasts a head start!
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