Visit our Popular Forums

Shelly Lynn · 08-06-2014, 11:08 AM

I stayed in my new AS this past weekend and was freaked out when I went to bed and found a beetle and a spider. They may have come in during the day when I had the screen door open. But was wondering if bugs can get in very easily when everything is shut. If so, what does everyone do to keep bugs out, like if you are storing the AS out in the country. I was extra freaked out because we had found a kissing bug earlier that night outside the AS. They are scary. Google them if you don't know what they are.

clancy_boy · 08-06-2014, 11:15 AM

Yes, they get in. Yes, you will have to spray. Yes, you will have to put ant bait in the trailer in storage unless you are very very clean.

Oh, and mice too.

**Stefrobrts** · 08-06-2014, 11:22 AM

Clearly you folks have more and more determined bugs where you are. I was going to say I very rarely find bugs in my trailer, and once a mouse snuck in and tore up some TP. I just have to make sure the hole the electrical cord goes out through is capped off when not in use, and stuffed full of steel wool when it is open.

dkrug · 08-06-2014, 12:06 PM

I hate bugs and very rarely find anything other than a fly in ours. I spray every spring and fall with Home Defense. Inside and outside. I spray in the outside storage compartments.

idroba · 08-06-2014, 12:24 PM

Yes, bugs do get inside, it is part of the camping experience. No, I do not like them either, but you have to balance the good with the bad.

Rhino33 · 08-06-2014, 12:38 PM

I left the screen door open one evening while working on our trailer and had a firefly get inside. It drove Dexter, one of our rescue Shar Peis, crazy trying to catch it! Maizie, the older one, was more irritated at his jumping around.

Bluto · 08-06-2014, 12:41 PM

It seems they can get in thru the air conditioner since it is open on top and most of us park under trees in the parks and trees always have spiders in them.

SilverGate · 08-06-2014, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clancy_boy

Yes, they get in. Yes, you will have to spray. Yes, you will have to put ant bait in the trailer in storage unless you are very very clean.

Oh, and mice too.

Oh, and snakes, too.

john4170 · 08-06-2014, 12:56 PM

We found that Mosquitos seem to be a problem. From our best guess, they were entering where you lift the windows. The fuzzy material had separated allowing easy access for the Mosquitos. Tried to fill the holes with paper towels. Doesn't look great but works.

Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

Goal15 · 08-06-2014, 02:16 PM

We have had gnats get in through the screen in the ceiling vents if we leave the vents open and the inside lights on at dusk. They slip in through the plastic ring where the crank arm goes through

Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

mimiandrews · 08-06-2014, 03:14 PM

Yes, a few bugs make their way inside. It's a whole lot fewer than it would be if you were camping in a tent.

There's a lotta bugs in the world. Most of them are quite harmless, although you did mention two that are not so much.

Incidentally, wasp and hornet spray takes care of black widows very nicely. Never tried it on a kissing bug, but I'm not sure I'd recognize one of those if I saw it. Guess I need to do some reading.

The same measures that keep bugs out of your house work pretty well on a trailer. Keep it clean, spray occasionally if you need to, keep the screens in good shape.

This is the great outdoors we're talking about, and there will be an occasional critter to share it with you. Relax and enjoy it!

SSquared · 08-06-2014, 04:03 PM

In early May, we camped at a CG with dirt/gravel sites. Our last night there was the night of the miller moth hatch. I think they hatched out from the ground under our trailer. We were inundated with moths--a couple dozen that night, and dozens more over the next month. They left spots on our white drapes.

I think they got into the belly area through gaps in the panels underneath, then found there way into the occupied area of the trailer. Mostly they just seemed to appear suddenly, but sometimes one would fly out when we open a drawer or under-bench cabinet.

cwf · 08-06-2014, 06:03 PM

Wife's dog has a large flea collar. But he is a small dog. So I cut the extra off and leave in the AS. No bugs yet inside .

We also close and secure all hatches... Spray around the tires and anything that contacts the ground.

Don't tell anyone in Austin you do that as they will probably have the City Council ban it.

Lothlorian · 08-06-2014, 06:47 PM

I wish I only got bugs. I get mice in mine. I have tried to button up every hole possible, but they get in.

The type of bugs is determined where you camp. We stay by a horse sometimes and we get horse flies and they bite.

Brian

sinjin · 08-06-2014, 08:08 PM

We went to the Everglades a couple of years ago during the NOT bug season (winter time). We came back to our stream and the white cabinet over the sink and stove was black with no see-ums. We eventually used a grill lighter to burn them off the surface.

This past spring we went to a park in Kansas and ended up with giant moths for weeks, dozens of them. It was sooooo creepy. We would wake up in the morning and see them on the floor, think they were dead, and then realize when we tried to pick them up that they were alive. They were under our bedroom pillows. IEIEIEIEIEIEIIEIEIEEEEEEE

The bugs come in thru the brush thingies when you have your windows open.

robert claus · 08-06-2014, 08:30 PM

Beetles? Spiders? Just move them back outside where they'll be happier.

Foiled Again · 08-06-2014, 08:43 PM

Normally I'm not TOO squeamish about handling insects, but moths, and big hairy legged spiders, yuck.

I bought a Dyson stick vacuum sort of on a whim, but boy do I love it when something really creepy crawly finds it's way into my camper. The state motto says "Virginia is for Lovers" but it is overrun with bugs in summer. It beats going nuts with insect spray when you need to be inside because it's raining cats and dogs!

A plain old candle can actually be a bug zapper for moths, but warning, they smell when they go "pouf".

Paula

dkottum · 08-06-2014, 09:51 PM

We use no bug sprays on us or in the trailer. They will follow you in on your clothes, and concentrate near light sources. Use a lamp rather than the overhead lights inside at night to keep bright light away from the entrance door. Yes the vacuum is an excellent way to pick the few, or many, that find there way in. Expect some.

When not being used take all food and bar soap out of the trailer so mice are not encouraged to come in.

Shelly Lynn · 08-14-2014, 02:14 PM

Yall need to check out kissing bugs! I never sleep good anymore since I found that one. I mailed it to Texas A&M to see if it has the Chagas disease. Should hear back in a couple of months.