HELP! Ants are eating our tent!

[sanz]

Hey all ... We have a slight problem. Ants seem to bee eating the canvas wall!

The little blighters have been getting into the food boxes however an inspection of the tent the other day saw them congregated down one side. I thought they were just there for a rest overnight so I brushed them off.

Checked the next day and they were back but when I brushed them of this time I noticed tiny white patches where they had congregated. Seems to be at the junction points of the ripstop grid if you see what I mean.

Anyone had similar issues and know the best way to stop them chomping through completely? Was hoping not to apply any chemicals that could remove the waterproofing so any other solution (apart from moving ... Far too nice where we are!)

Cheers.

Sanz

[CGS]

Put a big sugar pile outside the tent and away from you. I'm sure a big pile of sugar is more tempting than your canvas.

Are you sure its canvas and not Indian hemp? They might be hippie ants lol

[xcvator]

We had a similar problem. I sprayed all the camper, including the wheels and hitch (not the canvas ) very heavily with surface spray a couple of times. Next I sprayed all the interior very lightly with just a fly spray, just enough to kill the ants and put in about 4 little ant traps and that fixed the little buggers  Keith

[KingBilly]

Are you sure it is the ants eating the canvas and causing the white spots.  At the junction of the ripstop (as shown in your photos), the fabric is just slightly higher and it could be simply rub marks when the canvas is folded and packed.  Have you looked at the canvas on the opposite side in the same location?  Find it strange ants would eat the cotton.  Maybe just coincidence of the ants being there and you noticing the white spots.

KB

[sanz]

I did try a sugar bait however these ants don't seem to have a sweet tooth ... The main things they have gone for in the food boxes are flour, rice, pasta and gravox. The honey, golden syrup and brown sugar containers have not been touched.

Thought of using a surface spray however am reluctant to put anything near the canvas that might affect the waterproofing. Has anyone had any issues with leakage after spraying near canvas?

KB ... yep definitely the ants ... Each day after brushing them off there is more white and larger patches ... Looked from inside and can now see daylight through some areas! The rest of the tent walls are fine ... Only where the ants have rested overnight are the spots appearing.

I had assumed they are eating the canvas however maybe the ants are giving off formic acid or something in their trails.

Either way looks like some patching will need to be done already and a solution found to stop them congregating. We will be here another week so can't move yet unfortunately.

Cheers all.

[Mace]

If you look closely, nearly all of the white patches are at the cross pattern intersections. I think the ants mite be incidental, are these areas slightly raised and subject to friction/vibration whilst travelling?

Ok, seen your pp, appearing overnight. Very strange!

[KingBilly]

Wow, that is amazing.  Never thought an ant would munch your canvas.  Wonder what it is they are eating.  Maybe the wax coating?

Guess you really need to get rid of them first.  We have sprayed normal aerosol bug spray on the canvas (very minor and quick spot spray) but never gave a thought to it effecting the waterproofing and have no proof that it does or doesn't effect it as we never tested the waterproofness after using the spray.  Did get rid of the ants though.

KB

[nick_4x4]

We sprayed the Mortein Barrier outdoor spray on ours, if you hold it back so it does not leave a huge amount of residue on the tent your proofing should be fine, if your really worried go and get some ant sand and find the nest.

Do you know what kind of ants they are?

Sugar ants shouldnt eat the canvas unless your proofing has some kind of sugar in it, some ants just burrow through anything soft as its in their nature to do so, bit of bug spray usually keeps them away.

At home we had a nest in our tent pulled it out before a trip and there were ants everywhere, thats when i hit the edges where contact between trailer and tent meet with the mortein havent had an ant since, plenty around the outside of the camper but nothing inside or on the tent now.

Good luck hope they dont make too much damage.

[bushbandit]

Just had this dilemma couple weeks ago as we hadn't put CT up since Tassie a few months, and I unzipped the cover to see hundreds of ants, well dragged it down to the oval up it went to investigate, found cough drop wrappers beside the mattress.Lesson learnt.Completely sprayed with surface spray all fixed.

[stephwoodall]

If you look closely, nearly all of the white patches are at the cross pattern intersections. I think the ants mite be incidental, are these areas slightly raised and subject to friction/vibration whilst travelling?

Ok, seen your pp, appearing overnight. Very strange!

That's what I would have thought.

[Malcolm Tugless]

The problem from my perspective  ... if its a chinese tent ... the ants will be hungry again half an hour after eating it ... yeah, I know ... no help at all.

What about using a diluted pyrethrum spray on the canvas ... haven't tried it myself, but have heard of its use. There are manufacturers out there  spruiking pyrethrum products for garment treatment.

Other than that, use an outdoor surface spray on the ground surrounding the tent.

[sanz]

Thanks all I'll grab some surface spray and do the edge right around the tent to begin with and see how that goes.

Next time it rains I'll find out if the spray has affected the waterproofing.

Will also investigate pyrethrum and other natural products to see if I can discourage them from sticking around in the first place.

Wonder if the OzTrail tent waterproofing or canvas has some natural starch or food based elements and that is what the ants are going for?

[Ynot]

The problem from my perspective  ... if its a chinese tent ... the ants will be hungry again half an hour after eating it ... yeah, I know ... no help at all.

What about using a diluted pyrethrum spray on the canvas ... haven't tried it myself, but have heard of its use. There are manufacturers out there  spruiking pyrethrum products for garment treatment.

Other than that, use an outdoor surface spray on the ground surrounding the tent.

I have used the pyrethrum spray in the shed on boxes etc with some success, I just used the normal garden trigger packs.


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[SteveandViv]

What type of ants. We use AMDRO up here for Singapore (fire) Ants, and black and Coastal ants. it is very good. Worth a look.

[nuozzie]

I know this may sound silly I saw this on a cd once the people had the same problem and they used talc and that stopped them , worth a try
Paul

[Ynot]

I know this may sound silly I saw this on a cd once the people had the same problem and they used talc and that stopped them , worth a try
Paul

I was showing the Mother in law the new van the other day and she mentioned something about sprinkling baby powder around the tyres to stop ants climbing up into the van.


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[D4D]

Yeah my missus uses baby powder too for the ants, I thought she was crackers when she first did it

[scarps]

Yeah my missus uses baby powder too for the ants, I thought she was crackers when she first did it

Now I'm confused, I've seen the wife and I know her mother uses baby powder.  Never realised it was to keep the ants away.........

[sanz]

Thanks Paul for the talc suggestion ... that seems a little more friendly than sprays, just not sure I want the whole camp smelling of potpourri or babies ;-) will have to make sure there is freshly chopped wood and maybe a fire going to cover the talc smell.

Will do some tests and see how it goes.

Steveandviv ... Fire ants!! We're abouts are you? I don't think I want to setup camp anywhere near fire ants from what I've heard about them.

Thanks all for your suggestions.

Sanz

[spinyeel]

I read on another forum,that Singapore ants won't go near talcum powder.