ants, ants, ants

the rocket · Guru

ants, ants, ants

blaze · Guru

we use ant sand and that seems to sort them out
cheers
blaze

scotia59 · Senior Member

if you haven't got ant powder try talc round the wheels and legs and any other areas that meet the ground, works a treat to stop them coming in.

regards
Jean

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Ant sand works for us, but beware its toxic to pets.

Happywanderer · The Master

Try Napthalene flakes around the van, might work. It works for mice.

Have you checked you are not near an ant nest. Might pay to move.

Firefly · Guru

We use the liquid Ant Rid you buy at the supermarket. Put a few dots along their tracks and they disappear over night .

patrolst · Senior Member

Try "Crawly Cruncher" we always carry a spray bottle in the van for that purpose; just spray it around the legs and wheels.

Jim

Cupie · Guru

We just mix borax with a little honey and put into upturned plastic jar lids.

They are stuck down with a little of the honey mix in such places as rear of fridge, under draws, in kitchenette cupboards.

Top then up from time to time.

Works for us.

Hylda&Jon · Guru

Have you thought of a set of these for under all 4 legs & the Jockey wheel. There available at most caravan accessory place.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

we have those H&J but we also use rubber, grab yourself and old inner tube (large truck size) from your local tyre dealer, only a couple of dollars.

cut the tube up into square's about two inches bigger than the leg plates and put them under the legs, we have been doing this for years and never had ants in the van.

nexd time you are camping have a look and see how many ants climb up your tyres, bet you find none, they do not like walking on rubber.

give it a try will not cost much and you do not need to keep buying those sprays.

dazren · Guru

confuse confuse wombat wrote

we have those H&J but we also use rubber, grab yourself and old inner tube (large truck size) from your local tyre dealer, only a couple of dollars.

cut the tube up into square's about two inches bigger than the leg plates and put them under the legs, we have been doing this for years and never had ants in the van.

nexd time you are camping have a look and see how many ants climb up your tyres, bet you find none, they do not like walking on rubber.

give it a try will not cost much and you do not need to keep buying those sprays.

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Geez womby ! that sounds clever and reasonable ? what are you trying to do ????? wreck your reputation ! [ lol ] biggrin biggrin

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

dazren wrote:
wombat wrote
we have those H&J but we also use rubber, grab yourself and old inner tube (large truck size) from your local tyre dealer, only a couple of dollars.
cut the tube up into square's about two inches bigger than the leg plates and put them under the legs, we have been doing this for years and never had ants in the van.
nexd time you are camping have a look and see how many ants climb up your tyres, bet you find none, they do not like walking on rubber.
give it a try will not cost much and you do not need to keep buying those sprays.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Geez womby ! that sounds clever and reasonable ? what are you trying to do ????? wreck your reputation ! [ lol ]

I'll find something to get my reputation back again biggrin biggrin

JustJim · Senior Member

Jean's tip is worthwhile, cheap and non-toxic.

A large container of 'no name' talcum powder is inexpensive and you can chuck it around without any fear of damaging anything.
(It also has a lot of other uses)

I've been told when ants walk on talcum powder they slip and break their legs.

I've never found a wounded ant to check his legs - but as they all disappear I guess the others carry off the wounded and don't come back.

Jim

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

JustJim wrote:
Jean's tip is worthwhile, cheap and non-toxic.

A large container of 'no name' talcum powder is inexpensive and you can chuck it around without any fear of damaging anything.
(It also has a lot of other uses)

I've been told when ants walk on talcum powder they slip and break their legs.

I've never found a wounded ant to check his legs - but as they all disappear I guess the others carry off the wounded and don't come back.

Jim

you should be able to find the ant's that fall over and break their legs, cos all the other ant's prefer legs to eat and if they are broken they don't want them. biggrin

Geoff n Jen · Senior Member

Your back Wombat

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Geoff n Jen wrote:
Your back Wombat

wow, that's good to hear biggrin

the rocket · Guru

Hi Everyone, I'm in the know now with all these helpful suggestions. There is one thing puzzling me though. If they are not coming from outside and there is a nest in the wall of the van how can I get rid of them. I understand the other methods will stop them coming in and the honey wil make them stick but how do I get the ants in the nest itself to die? Another puzzle. Cheers. Rocket n Strop

Cupie · Guru

the rocket wrote:
Hi Everyone, I'm in the know now with all these helpful suggestions. There is one thing puzzling me though. If they are not coming from outside and there is a nest in the wall of the van how can I get rid of them. I understand the other methods will stop them coming in and the honey wil make them stick but how do I get the ants in the nest itself to die? Another puzzle. Cheers. Rocket n Strop

Try a bit of caster sugar with the borax.

Nicholstones · Guru

Ant beds or rubber or whatever are all very well on the stabilisers, but there are many entry points to the van. We've found ants marching up the water hose, the sullage and the guy ropes attached to the awning. Like Jim we have Crawly Cruncher, spraying it on all points that touch the ground as soon as we spot the first ant trying to invade.

Cruising Granny · Guru

The Nicholstones have it. There are too many contact points for ants to access. There's more than the van legs.
Cupie's suggestion of Borax and sugar is the best. They take it back to the nest and the colony dies. Harsh but necessary.
If they're in the walls of the van, this will bring them out to feed on.
I've been bothered by so many ant species between Broome and Cairns that I've come to admire their tenacity and resourcefulness.
Clever little buggers! Ant watching takes up a lot of my time.

-- Edited by Cruising Granny on Thursday 12th of January 2012 09:06:43 PM

gold dandelion · Senior Member

if you want to get serious go to a rural retailer, crt, elders etc; and ask for some fly strike powder, it contains diazinon, which used to be in the ant dust a few years ago. it has a bit of residual. we never go anywhere without it. it comes in a 1lt can and you just sprinkle it around. we put a boundary around our camp.
as for internal, ant- rid will do the trick but you will have to keep doing it for awhile, they take it back to the nest. peservere.

justcruisin01 · Guru

_wombat_ wrote:
we have those H&J but we also use rubber, grab yourself and old inner tube (large truck size) from your local tyre dealer, only a couple of dollars.
cut the tube up into square's about two inches bigger than the leg plates and put them under the legs, we have been doing this for years and never had ants in the van.
nexd time you are camping have a look and see how many ants climb up your tyres, bet you find none, they do not like walking on rubber.
give it a try will not cost much and you do not need to keep buying those sprays.

You must have different ants over there, we have had the get in over night when we are hooked up & free camped, no hoses, cords, ropes etc, only the tyres on the ground.

Might have to call in the myth busters. confuse

JC.

patrolst · Senior Member

We have had them dropping from a tree that we had parked under.

Jim

the rocket · Guru

Good morning everyone, The ideas are fantastic. I am onto it now. I decided to give borax and castor siugar a go in the van and spray all surfaces outside that touch the ground and the honey i'll give a go also. I feel a lot more confident now and I am off to buy the borax. thanks everyone. rocket n strop smile smile smile smile

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

justcruisin01 wrote:
_wombat_ wrote:
we have those H&J but we also use rubber, grab yourself and old inner tube (large truck size) from your local tyre dealer, only a couple of dollars.
cut the tube up into square's about two inches bigger than the leg plates and put them under the legs, we have been doing this for years and never had ants in the van.
nexd time you are camping have a look and see how many ants climb up your tyres, bet you find none, they do not like walking on rubber.
give it a try will not cost much and you do not need to keep buying those sprays.
You must have different ants over there, we have had the get in over night when we are hooked up & free camped, no hoses, cords, ropes etc, only the tyres on the ground.
Might have to call in the myth busters.
JC.

JC we have been using this method for the past 11 years and still have no ant problem so while it's working I'll stick with it, we do use talc around the sullage and water hoses, and elec cord when in a CP which is not very often.

patrolst, to stop ants dropping from a tree is simple, do not park under a tree.