Bug Infestation

dalamarjj78 · 06-20-2022, 07:16 PM

Our trailer sat at the dealership for 2 months waiting for repairs and was left sitting in the farthest corner of their lot, underneath a bunch of pine trees. After picking it up I had to get on the roof to clear tons of debris that had collected in our gutters.

While camping a few days later we also found out we have a big ant problem now. Tons of little black ants are everywhere.

It's been a few days since we have been back and my wife and kids are also covered in little itchy bumps now, too. My wife is convinced it's most likely related to bugs in the trailer.

We head out camping again this weekend so I plan on using a bug bomb in the trailer to hopefully get rid of the problem.

But I noticed the packaging says to be very careful not to use it near open flames. I immediately thought about pilot lights in the trailer.

This may be a dumb question but if the trailer isn't plugged in, the battery is disengaged and the propane is off, I won't have to worry about a pilot light being on, right?

I'd rather have a bug problem in the RV than a mushroom cloud in the back yard.

Thanks!

wiredgeorge · 06-20-2022, 07:21 PM

The pilot light in your water heater is turned on when you actuate the switch on your control panel for hot water. If it isn't on and the gas is turned off, then there is no open flame to worry about. If you do bomb your trailer, seal everything well and put a bomb in your storage compartment as well.

**chuckster57** · 06-20-2022, 07:41 PM

There is only 1 “pilot light” in a modern trailer,That is in the oven. All the other LP appliances should have DSI ignition. If your propane tanks are closed your good to set off the bug bomb.

dalamarjj78 · 06-20-2022, 07:50 PM

Great, thank you both. The stove and water heater were what I was concerned about. I assumed it would be good as long as the propane and power was off but figured it wouldn't hurt to check.

Thanks again!

**flybouy** · 06-21-2022, 04:32 AM

You have nothing to be concerned about if all power is removed, so pull the ground off the battery and you'll be good.

notanlines · 06-21-2022, 04:55 AM

Our last infestation was with black ants about the size of a roller skate. Beggars could carry off a roast turkey! Finally had to have an exterminator show up and arm-wrestle with them into submission! $80 and all was and has continued to be just fine.

dutchmensport · 06-21-2022, 05:30 AM

We were invaded with stink-bugs a few years ago. After battling them for an entire year, I decided to set off bug bombs, picked up a package of 4 from Dollar General. I set 3 of them off inside the camper (41 feet long). One in the living room, one in the kitchen, one in the bathroom, one in the bed room.

I also set 2 off in the basement area of the camper. I removed the back wall from the pass through so I could access that open space under the floor and set one there, and set one off in the actual pass through. That was a total of 6 bug bombs.

I did turn the propane off.

The end result, we found dead stink bugs inside the camper over the course of the next YEAR. Eggs hatched and new ones came out, would walk through the tiny cracks, touch the died poison and crawl out and die.

I bombed again a year later and we've not had any crawling bugs inside the camper since (other than flies).

Setting off the bug bombs will not hurt anything. Just make sure you wipe off your counter tops well after setting them off, and you may want to cover your bed with a sheet that can easily be washed. Put away all food and if you leave cabinets open, re-wash all your dishes.

Also, when you set the bombs off, turn the fan on, on your air conditioner and let the bug bomb fumes travel through your air conditioner ducts. Regardless of the manufacturers best intentions to seal those ducks (oh yea, sure), they do leak and the fumes from the bug bomb will pas through those leaks and get in the attic of your camper. The farther you can spread the fumes and the more cracks and crannies you can it, the better protected you will be.

Another thing..... wait 10 days then set a second set of bug bombs off. This will kill all the new hatchlings before they have a chance to reproduce.

If you do this, you will not have bugs ever again. Repeat it in 2 years.

When setting them off, evacuate the camper for about 2 hours. Go to a restaurant and have a nice meal. When you return, the odor will be gone. Make sure no pets are inside the camper and make sure their food bowl and water bowl are cleaned up too.

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