Escapees November-December 2022

mosquitoes. Unlike DEET, however, picaridin is odorless, non-greasy and it does not dissolve plastics or other synthetics. I’ve used it, and it has no odor and dries like water. Availability has been somewhat limited until recently, but more stores are beginning to stock it. You can always get it online. Like DEET, the duration of protec tion depends on the percentage of active ingredient: a concentration of seven percent Picaridin will provide one to two hours of protection, and a 20 percent concentration offers four to fi ve hours. Both DEET and Picaridin are effective on black fl ies, DEET is possibly better for ticks, but Picaridin also repels no-see-ums, which is a big plus to me! Occasionally, I’ve camped where yellow jackets or wasps were thick. I learned to cover my beer can between swigs and put up with them, but yellowjackets can be surprisingly aggressive. Both are attracted to food, and repellents don’t seem to be effective. There are commercial wasp and yellow jacket hanging traps, but they will take time to have an impact. If you fi nd yourself in a wasp-infected area, it might be time to move, or just stay inside a lot. Crawly Things creating a barrier to stop the ants at every point where our RV’s wheels, jacks, hoses and cords touch the ground. Use a commercial ant and roach spray to lightly spray hoses, cords and stabilizer jack pads. Spray around the tires where they contact the ground as well. For towable RVs, I’ve found that spraying the hubs of the wheels is easier than spraying around the base of the tires, and it still works even after you have moved. Direct the spray onto the brake drums through the slots in the rims. I use Ortho Home Defense, a water based insecticide, both inside the RV and, when needed, outside around tires and other points of ground contact. If you prefer a greener solution, baking powder and powdered boric acid are also effective ant barriers. Just sprinkle some around your tires, etc. You can also mix them with Regardless of where you park, there are always ants! I have found out, painfully, that the best way to deal with ants is to practice prevention. That means

“I’ve also learned to avoid parking where branches from trees are touching the sides and roof of the rig, and I even got burned once by leaning my walking stick up against the side of the rig.”

powdered sugar or bacon fat to create ant bait. The sugar or fat attracts the ants, they consume the bait and carry it back to the nest, where the other ants eat it and die. I always carry some Terro with me. It’s a boric acid bait and is easy to use. Baits are very effective if the ants seem to be camping permanently in your rig. I once picked up a colony of sweet ants and carted them around in the RV for a month until someone told me about Terro. When you place Terro baits or drops of the liquid around, at fi rst the ants will swarm to it, but after a few days, the colony will die. www.terro.com I’ve also learned to avoid parking where branches from trees are touching the sides and roof of the rig, and I even got burned once by leaning my walking stick up against the side of the rig. Those roving ant

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November/December 2022 ESCAPEES Magazine