Catch up on our infestation problem!

[Dorwyn]

Late last summer while parked up on our son's SW France garden, we had a massive infestation of stink bugs which didn't really trouble the main house 50 or 60 metres below! It transpires that they had at that time recently bought a bulk delivery of mostly hardwood logs, which were cut and stacked. These were apparently infected with the said bugs, which have an amazing ability to hide in the tiniest cracks. They have now discovered, that when they put these logs into their wood fire, they fly out into their lounge!! We were parked about 30 metres from this log pile, so they obviously found us first!!

 

[Figaro]

I well remember your post as I was also in SW France and were plagued by stink bugs too, just not as severely as you.
I was very pleased to get away from the area and the bugs.
Did a full empty of the van in November, I found a few stowaways then early January found a dead one on it's back on the floor.
I'm hoping that's the last of them

 

[Dorwyn]

I well remember your post as I was also in SW France and were plagued by stink bugs too, just not as severely as you.
I was very pleased to get away from the area and the bugs.
Did a full empty of the van in November, I found a few stowaways then early January found a dead one on it's back on the floor.
I'm hoping that's the last of them

We had previously had problems with our previous van, they were still appearing the next spring! This last one, we emptied everything outside, especially found them inside hanging clothes' sleeves. Also under drawers and down gaps between furniture. We have not found a single one this year. But it's when things warm up that they reappear, say spring

 

[Figaro]

Devious little blighters, I'll be keeping a close eye open for them.

 

[Brains]

I don't know if they are available in the UK, but in Australia they are in every supermarket, what you need is what the Aussies call 'a bomb'.
You close all the windows and doors, light it and retire for a couple of hours.
When you return there is a light film of ash over everything and anything that crept or crawled is dead.

It would appear something similar is available in the UK here

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[Dorwyn]

I don't know if they are available in the UK, but in Australia they are in every supermarket, what you need is what the Aussies call 'a bomb'.
You close all the windows and doors, light it and retire for a couple of hours.
When you return there is a light film of ash over everything and anything that crept or crawled is dead.

It would appear something similar is available in the UK here

We did a similar thing with some French mosquito spray, both inside the cabin, and more particularly in the outside battery locker where they nested. There were many layers of them in the locker, they poured out like a waterfall. But inside the cabin, the smell and fumes lasted for hours, and of course we slept in there. So I had a lasting problem resulting in my going to see the doctor on my return. I still think I have now developed an asthmatic sort of issue.

 

[Brains]

We did a similar thing with some French mosquito spray, both inside the cabin, and more particularly in the outside battery locker where they nested. There were many layers of them in the locker, they poured out like a waterfall. But inside the cabin, the smell and fumes lasted for hours, and of course we slept in there. So I had a lasting problem resulting in my going to see the doctor on my return. I still think I have now developed an asthmatic sort of issue.

Mmm as someone who also has asthmatic issues, I'd very definitely not recommend sleeping in the van immediately after gassing it using an aerosol!

For a mosquito infestation, the best thing to use is burning coils.
Leave one burning in the van when you go out for dinner for 3-4 hours.
When you come back there will be a layer of smoke in the van like an old pub.
Any mosquitos will either be dead or very sleepy and can be killed off on the walls and ceilings.
You can sleep in the van, although there will be a strong smell which will dissipate after a few hours.

The best way to find the blighters is to turn off the lights and then using a bright torch pressed to the wall (or ceiling) so the beam shines across the wall (or ceiling) will show up any mosquito.

 

[Dorwyn]

Mmm as someone who also has asthmatic issues, I'd very definitely not recommend sleeping in the van immediately after gassing it using an aerosol!

For a mosquito infestation, the best thing to use is burning coils.
Leave one burning in the van when you go out for dinner for 3-4 hours.
When you come back there will be a layer of smoke in the van like an old pub.
Any mosquitos will either be dead or very sleepy and can be killed off on the walls and ceilings.
You can sleep in the van, although there will be a strong smell which will dissipate after a few hours.

The best way to find the blighters is to turn off the lights and then using a bright torch pressed to the wall (or ceiling) so the beam shines across the wall (or ceiling) will show up any mosquito.

It wasn't for mozzies but for stink bugs, it just happened that the spray was the only thing available to us. And, yes, I wouldn't do it ever again. The small print on the can was very small, and in French! And we were desperate!!