by Ann Hinds

Created on: March 31, 2009   Last Updated: October 26, 2009

You've had a great day out and you roll into camp only to discover that the ants have had a great day too. Ants and camping are synonymous. After all, you are camping in their home. Ants play an important part in our environment. There are several safe and effective ways to share your campsite without unhealthy ant sprays.

Before setting up your campsite, survey the area. If there is an anthill or ant activity, consider where the food should be. That may sound simplistic but without scouting the area, it is easy to miss the signs of ants. Once you know where they are, you can make an informed decision where to setup your kitchen. It will take them longer to find your food if you do not put it in their path. If you are camping in a tent or trailer, it is still important to scout the area but check where you park the car as well.

Another area of concern is the water source. Every creature needs water and ants are no exception. In an area of drought, all the insects and animals will be competing for water. While it might be more convenient to setup a camp next to a water source, it makes more sense to move your camp a few more feet away.

At a recent camp-out, it was impossible to corral the ants. What did work was feeding them. A plate with crumbled cookies and bits of sugar was sufficient to draw them away from the trailers and tents. Once their trail was located, the food was placed in their path. It was also great for the kids who spent a lot of their time studying them. It was a win-win situation for the ants and the kids.

Borax is a great solution. Mixing it with sugar and feeding it to the ants will effectively kill them. However, that is not necessary. As a deterrent, circle the powder around the area that you would like them to avoid. The ants will not cross the powder. If you have been camping, you have seen the white powder in circles from the previous campers. Borax is available in any grocery store in the laundry aisle. This is also effective on other crawling insects. If you are camping in a trailer, circling the whole trailer with Borax will keep the ants out. Since the area will get scuffed with foot traffic, the powder will need to be reapplied occasionally. If you do not have Borax, try Ajax or Comet.

Another effective deterrent is to disturb their trail. Vinegar is one of the more efficient ways to remove an ant trail. Simply pour the vinegar on the trail and rub it in. Ants are still going to come your way but it will take them a while to find their way around the vinegar and back to your camp.

As a stopgap measure, cinnamon and black pepper have been used on trails to slow down their progress. Any herb that has a hot taste can be useful. At least your camp will smell tasty.

It is impossible to remove ants from your camp. Ants are a part of everyday life. It is easier to live with them than to fight against them. These tried and true methods have worked for many campers.

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