Never fit a washing line from your van to a tree (1 Viewer)

Jul 12, 2013
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A while back in Conil Spain, where I parked there was only one tree I could use for a washing line. It was just perfect, allowing me to hang out the bed linen for a quick dry.
Some time later, my eyes were attracted to a shimmering, as if the sun was glinting off to top of the bed cover. Rather attractive I thought as I investigated further. The washing line had become an M1 for rather a lot of ants who were making a one way trip to the van and its food store.
For weeks I would see a line of ants marching across the dash while I was driving or discover them on food I was about to put in my mouth.
We tried everything to get rid of the blighters, which we finally succeeded in doing during the winter months at home. Sadly, we had to poison the whole colony:cry:
 
Feb 9, 2008
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And me, shame about the ants, but you see Brexit has far reaching consequences.
 

Anthea M

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We have one of these very light weight and I can shake off all critters before we put it back in the van!!!
IMG_0881.JPG
 

PeteH

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Nov 22, 2007
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And me, shame about the ants, but you see Brexit has far reaching consequences.

I suppose that could be true the Brussels Commission is a bit of an Ant colony. Those at the top do the ordering everyone else jumps. Reminds me of something??. Ah! Yes. The SS. and the Stazi.

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Parapilot

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Dec 29, 2015
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I suppose that could be true the Brussels Commission is a bit of an Ant colony. Those at the top do the ordering everyone else jumps. Reminds me of something??. Ah! Yes. The SS. and the Stazi.
More like the British aristocracy / class system that Rees-Mogg and his cohorts want us to return to ......... :rolleyes:
 

PeteH

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Nov 22, 2007
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More like the British aristocracy / class system that Rees-Mogg and his cohorts want us to return to ......... :rolleyes:

Doubtful , that disappeared with the end of the "Downton Abbey" era. We ALL get to vote now, even some illegal immigrants, it`s called democracy, not perfect, but can work sometimes, which is how we have Brexit:). The EU "parliament"(n) is only a rubber stamping machine for the commission.:whistle:
 

Parapilot

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Doubtful , that disappeared with the end of the "Downton Abbey" era. We ALL get to vote now, even some illegal immigrants, it`s called democracy, not perfect, but can work sometimes, which is how we have Brexit:). The EU "parliament"(n) is only a rubber stamping machine for the commission.:whistle:
Ah, the glorious democracy that brought the unelected loony DUP to power with billion pound backdoor bribery ...... ;)

Back to the washing lines - good point. I had an infestation last summer (tiny things, much smaller than our regular ants) and wondered how they got in. My van has tons of ground clearance but I did tie a washing line to a tree for several days. Will avoid that in future and take back control of my borders. Must have bought the washing line in the EU since it allowed the hordes of illegal immigrants to help themselves to my free food and housing !!! :LOL:

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Jan 14, 2014
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We had a similar experience in Southern France a couple of years ago. Except these ones, unbeknown to us, got up via a leveller onto the tyre and through the engine bay.
The first we became aware of it was when I noticed something like a scene from Zulu, where they were all lined up peering over the awning rail at me!
I got up on the bed and looked through the sky light and the roof was covered in them. Large soldier ants and smaller workers.
We had them for days scuttling up and down the windscreen cowling to the roof. I would be out like a demon sweeping them off the awning rail and anywhere else they appeared, people must have thought I was a right nutter!
 
Jul 24, 2009
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..........and don't tie your line to a lamp post. The occupants of a van near us in Estartit did that did and the weight of the washing pulled the lamp post over.
 

Anthea M

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..........and don't tie your line to a lamp post. The occupants of a van near us in Estartit did that did and the weight of the washing pulled the lamp post over.
Wasn't that a funster?!!!:LOL:

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Riverbankannie

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Never park with a tree branch(or even just the leaves) touching van. Our friends got ants doing that. They were terrible to get rid of and had to buy nasty Spanish killer spray that you probably cannot get over here.
 

hilldweller

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The washing line had become an M1 for rather a lot of ants who were making a one way trip to the van and its food store.
For weeks I would see a line of ants marching across the dash:cry:

We managed that in Sorrento, not with a washing line but a single branch of a tree resting on the roof.

The site office loaned us a spray that was very effective but they were everywhere and the bodies remained in corners for years.
 

PeteH

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We have a colony that come back year on year around the base of the apple tree. I use ant bait traps which take out the Queen, the drone ants take the syrup back to feed her which makes her sterile apparently. They then give up and the colony dies. The problem is that to make a permanent extermination would involve felling the tree. Spanish Ants are particularly hard to get rid of.

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Sep 22, 2009
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We also have one of those dryers . Had it up for a few days whilst we were on a site, packed it away along with the camping chairs the day before we moved on. When we stopped for lunch went to get the chairs out and the locker was alive with ants . They have established a nest inside the dryer tube and were busy expanding their empire all through the van. Not sure if I have got rid of them all yet.

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OP
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rosalan
Jul 12, 2013
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We also have one of those dryers . Had it up for a few days whilst we were on a site, packed it away along with the camping chairs the day before we moved on. When we stopped for lunch went to get the chairs out and the locker was alive with ants . They have established a nest inside the dryer tube and were busy expanding their empire all through the van. Not sure if I have got rid of them all yet.
I have a pet aversion to those aluminium drying contraptions, hence my washing line.
We own and have used the drying thing. Ours does hold a lot of washing, it also occupies space and adds weight when travelling. After pegging it down and adding several heavy stones, all should be well unless a gusty blow comes along. Ours fell over!
 
Jul 3, 2008
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Other day whilst sitting in hospital waiting room read an article in a gardening mag, which said that peppermint was an effective deterrent for ants, did not say wether it was liquid or spray you used. :mask::devil:
 

WSandME

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My van has tons of ground clearance
But, please Sir, the wheels?
If there's any sign of ants, we spray a little ant powder round the tyres' contact patches. Doesn't help. just makes us feel better :rolleyes:

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