Thursday, June 16, 2011

Critters, The Good and the Bad


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So far the deer have left us alone, and we are enjoying a new window hummingbird feeder.
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It’s been up a few days but today is the first time we saw three feeding at once.
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Now for the not so pleasant critters. I found another pest to add to Jim’s list. Today I spotted a trail of ants crawling up the power cord and along the bathroom window on their way to the roof. Tried to remove as many as possible and put Vaseline on the cord below where it plugs in and that seems to be keeping them off.
While I was working on that little problem, I noticed a mud dauber crawling into the hot water heater vent. Yesterday at Home Depot we bought some quarter inch hardware cloth, which Jim installed on the back of the refrigerator vents. It’s not pretty but it appears they can’t get through.
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We forgot all about the hot water heater having similar vents. Sure enough, they had already been working hard at building a nest. It was attached to the pressure relief valve.
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So Jim cut some more screening and put it behind the opening. Later he opened it up and a wasp flew out, so it appears there is another way in or this one squeezed through the holes. Great!
He also checked under the hood of the rig today and inspected the air filter. It looks like the little mice were eating away at the filter. He sprayed all around with peppermint oil, which is supposed deter them. Carl, the concessionaire, also loaned us a bunch of rope lights which we put out on the ground since we’ve heard they don’t like the light. We’ll see if any of this voodoo actually works. At least we don’t have them inside yet like the hosts at the other campground do!

7 comments:

  1. WOW, that's a huge dirt dauber. Love the hummingbird pics...we have also put up a hummingbird feeder but no birds yet -- Alan saw one, one day, but not again. Take care & be safe out there!

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  2. Looks like you are at winning the war against the bad critters. I like your hummingbird feeder.

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  3. Ants, mud daubers, mice, wasps, humidity, floods ... I bet the West is sounding better and better! :)

    But the East has its attributes, too. I do hope you enjoy the summer and get to visit family in the northeast. Are you planning to skedaddle back west for the winter?

    - Joe

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  4. Joe, we are currently awaiting the appearance of the 4 horsemen. And you are correct, I will be happy when we get back out west.

    Jim

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  5. Good luck in winning the critter battle. We have rope lights and something called Critter Ridder and we still have mice this year at Lathrop State Park. Let us know if the peppermint oil works. The vaseline sounds like a good fix for ants.

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  6. I was told to place the rope lights right in the engine compartment and leave the hood open about 6-10 inches. They said the light bothers them at night and being open they don't feel safe in the day. At least that's what I was told.

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  7. We have been told, like previous advice, that leaving the hood open does work. It deprives the wharf rats, or whatever, of the darkness they seek.
    The danger is them chewing on the wire insulation. $$$$ repair bill.
    Try this.

    http://journal.chrisglass.com/2005/09/how_to_catch_a_.html

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