Ok, here's a funny one (not really, in my mind). We're getting ready to FT once the house is sold (God willing before the end of the year). Not really sure exactly where our travels will take us; it will depend on our mood (do we want to be near the beach, mountains, desert - the best part of this lifestyle is when we get tired of one, we can just pick up and move to another) as well as where husband's gigs take him (he's a field engineeer in the IT industry and can pretty much find contract work anywhere).
Right now, assuming it will fit our budget (won't know until the house is sold), we have our minds set on a DRV Mobile Suites 43' customized unit. I understand from many threads here that we may experience some problems in not being able to go to many national or state parks, so most likely we'll be in private campgrounds. But we'll figure that out down the road.
Anyway, although I have always loved camping (or for that matter, being outside in on my backyard porch in the evenings), one thing that I always have problems with are the bugs - especially at night: the mosquitos and gnats especially, and those that seem to swarm). I have no doubt that these pesky creatures will be around no matter where we park. It's just a fact of life in nature.
So, does anyone else have this problem and what do you do about it? Do you wear repellant all the time? Wear long pants and long sleeved shirt all year, even in the summer? Keep a citronella candle burning on the table at all times (I don't really find those very helpful except directly over the candle!); have a black light bug zapper? etc?
Lucky Mike said
05:43 PM Jan 27, 2013
I use a fan if Im sitting outside and have shore power.......makes those bugs feel like there trying to fly in a hurricane....LOL
a good oscillating fan does double duty , in the coach and outside!!!
cherylbrv said
05:47 PM Jan 27, 2013
Lucky Mike wrote:
I use a fan if Im sitting outside and have shore power.......makes those bugs feel like there trying to fly in a hurricane....LOL
a good oscillating fan does double duty , in the coach and outside!!!
Lucky Mike - you always have such great answers!!! You seem like a fun person and I do hope to meet you out on the road some day.
I never would have thought of that! It's a great idea! I'm sure I might even be able to find a tabletop model that runs on a battery.
Lucky Mike said
05:56 PM Jan 27, 2013
If your boondocking ..........run a belt from an old singer pedal sewing machine.....turn on the radio and have the hubby tap his foot to the beat!!!!!!!!
KellyVA said
09:05 PM Jan 27, 2013
LOL - You crack me up Lucky Mike!
JayKim-no regrets said
09:02 PM Jan 29, 2013
The fan is a great idea, just make sure the fan speed is fast enough so the bugs can't 'fly' through it. We also have a bug zapper on a shepherds hook just to the side of our seating area....those mozzies just love me!!!
Raytronx said
11:02 PM Mar 12, 2013
Head out to the desert. Last winter in FLA I was eaten alive, this year in CA, AZ, Nevada. Bug, what Bug?
Lucky Mike said
12:22 AM Mar 13, 2013
Spend your time in N.H , but they have there share of bugs....black fly , deer fly , horse fly....and for the last 4 months they have had a severe infestation of Snow flies....billions of Em piled up out there!!!!!!!
Terry and Jo said
01:45 AM Mar 13, 2013
Mike,
The cure for "snow flies" is heat.
You need a large propane burner that one uses for burning weeds.
Our last 2 workamping gigs were above 5000 feet elevation and we had very few bugs. I don't care much for bugs either...
The Bear II said
11:19 PM Mar 13, 2013
California, Nevada and Arizona very few flying bugs to bother you.
At a campground in Illinois, I remember being on top of the 5th wheel in a prone position trying to tighten the spring on a window awning because it kept flopping open when a truck would go by on the highway. It was hot and humid. All of the sudden I had several sharp pains on my back. What the locals call Deer Flies were biting me. I finished as quick as I could and got inside the RV.
If there are bugs we put a bright light away from our campsite and spray ourselves with Off bug spray. We keep the lights off in the RV if we are outside.
We do use Citronella candles with some luck.
JayKim-no regrets said
01:23 AM Mar 20, 2013
We are static camping in Charleston, the Mosquitoes (mozzies) love me We have an electric bug zapper plugged in 24/7 next to the RV, they still bite me, but at least most of them are more attracted to the bright light and get zapped before they can get to me! In the high Summer, we also put out a heavy fan, that will keep most bugs away. huggs Kim x
Ravenlotus said
07:18 AM Mar 28, 2013
Thank you Cheryl for this question. I was going to ask it also. Since we just started FT in November we haven't had to worry about that. Thank you everyone for all the ideas. Because my daughter freaks out over any flying pest. Lol.
SuseG said
07:35 PM Mar 31, 2013
You can get repellant clothing, which like most camp wear has vents, is quick dry, pants can become shorts. Long sleeved shirts have tabs and buttons so you can roll those up. They even have socks. I'm not sure if I am allowed to post a company's name but if so try Sierra Trading Post or Campmore catalogues for discounted items. We also have a screen tent and the screen attachments for our awnings, I'm highly allergic to bees and hornets, so hubby uses a yard guard type of spray about 1/2 before we want to sit out (also have asthma so those thing make me wheeze.....thank heaven for such a wonderful husband) so have very few problems. We live in Idaho so are not really used to Mosquitos (actually the vets, in this area, don't even put dogs on heart worm stuff unless we're traveling) so we really try to keep the little stinkers out. We use the drop down flaps (on the travel trailer), cover the ground with grass if allowed and our screen tent has a floor. After taking all of those measures we thn use a large citronella candle and pray for the best. I should make one caveat I think, Spring time in Moab, Canyonland, Arches Utah etc....bring moths....by the millions....and they get into places that shouldn't have a place for them to get into. And they stay, reproduce and NEVER leave. As I said we live in Idaho, our winter nights can easily be -20F, this year we had almost two weeks where the night temps were -30 to -35F, therefore most insects die off but not those bloody moths. It took us three years to get rid of the critters, they would come flying out, from places unknown every single night. To avoid that problem avoid Southern Utah in March and April......YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
Hen again yu could always call "Men in Black" it could be an alien invasion.
Ok, here's a funny one (not really, in my mind). We're getting ready to FT once the house is sold (God willing before the end of the year). Not really sure exactly where our travels will take us; it will depend on our mood (do we want to be near the beach, mountains, desert - the best part of this lifestyle is when we get tired of one, we can just pick up and move to another) as well as where husband's gigs take him (he's a field engineeer in the IT industry and can pretty much find contract work anywhere).
Right now, assuming it will fit our budget (won't know until the house is sold), we have our minds set on a DRV Mobile Suites 43' customized unit. I understand from many threads here that we may experience some problems in not being able to go to many national or state parks, so most likely we'll be in private campgrounds. But we'll figure that out down the road.
Anyway, although I have always loved camping (or for that matter, being outside in on my backyard porch in the evenings), one thing that I always have problems with are the bugs - especially at night: the mosquitos and gnats especially, and those that seem to swarm). I have no doubt that these pesky creatures will be around no matter where we park. It's just a fact of life in nature.
So, does anyone else have this problem and what do you do about it? Do you wear repellant all the time? Wear long pants and long sleeved shirt all year, even in the summer? Keep a citronella candle burning on the table at all times (I don't really find those very helpful except directly over the candle!); have a black light bug zapper? etc?
a good oscillating fan does double duty , in the coach and outside!!!
Lucky Mike - you always have such great answers!!! You seem like a fun person and I do hope to meet you out on the road some day.
I never would have thought of that! It's a great idea! I'm sure I might even be able to find a tabletop model that runs on a battery.
If your boondocking ..........run a belt from an old singer pedal sewing machine.....turn on the radio and have the hubby tap his foot to the beat!!!!!!!!
Mike,
The cure for "snow flies" is heat.
You need a large propane burner that one uses for burning weeds.
Terry
Get one of these, they are fun and practical
http://www.amazon.com/The-Amazing-Handheld-Bug-Zapper/dp/B00008GS96
Our last 2 workamping gigs were above 5000 feet elevation and we had very few bugs. I don't care much for bugs either...
At a campground in Illinois, I remember being on top of the 5th wheel in a prone position trying to tighten the spring on a window awning because it kept flopping open when a truck would go by on the highway. It was hot and humid. All of the sudden I had several sharp pains on my back. What the locals call Deer Flies were biting me. I finished as quick as I could and got inside the RV.
If there are bugs we put a bright light away from our campsite and spray ourselves with Off bug spray. We keep the lights off in the RV if we are outside.
We do use Citronella candles with some luck.
huggs Kim x
about 1/2 before we want to sit out (also have asthma so those thing make me wheeze.....thank heaven for such a wonderful husband) so have very few problems. We live in Idaho so are not really used to Mosquitos (actually the vets, in this area, don't even put dogs on heart worm stuff unless we're traveling) so we really try to keep the little stinkers out. We use the drop down flaps (on the travel trailer), cover the ground with grass if allowed and our screen tent has a floor. After taking all of those measures we thn use a large citronella candle and pray for the best. I should make one caveat I think, Spring time in Moab, Canyonland, Arches Utah etc....bring moths....by the millions....and they get into places that shouldn't have a place for them to get into. And they stay, reproduce and NEVER leave. As I said we live in Idaho, our winter nights can easily be -20F, this year we had almost two weeks where the night temps were -30 to -35F, therefore most insects die off but not those bloody moths. It took us three years to get rid of the critters, they would come flying out, from places unknown every single night. To avoid that problem avoid Southern Utah in March and April......YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!
Hen again yu could always call "Men in Black" it could be an alien invasion.