RV Bug Infestation: 5 Ways to Keep Insects Out

Whether you’re out camping or living full-time in your RV, there are many opportunities for unwanted creepy crawlies to invite themselves into your home.

Prevent and eliminate unwanted crawling and flying visitors with these five tips!

Why Insects Stink

It should go without saying, but bugs really stink! Yes, insects play their roles in the ecosystem – but the inside of your RV is not that ecosystem… it’s your home!

Besides being a nuisance or giving you the creepy-crawlies, many common pests can carry dangerous diseases that they can transmit to you and your pets.

Ticks and mosquitos carry Lyme disease, West Nile virus, Zika, and more. Some insects are destructive and can inflict a lot of damage on your RV, like termites or carpenter ants. Some spider bites can be downright dangerous… need we go on?

Here are five ways to eliminate bugs from your RV:

1. Electric Fly Swatter

Are flying insects your biggest problem? Electric fly swatters are fantastic! An electric fly swatter is like a portable bug zapper.

They will kill the insect on contact, and unlike a regular fly swatter, you won’t have to clean up the mess of a squished bug.

Electric fly swatters look similar to tennis rackets, but they are made of wire or mesh with an electric current running through it. You can find battery-powered or rechargeable electric fly swatters.

These devices will give you a little shock if you touch the wires. Electric fly swatters are a great, mess-free option for dealing with flying insects in your RV.

2. Fly Tape

Another excellent option for combatting flying insects in your RV is fly tape! Fly tape is a long sticky roll of tape or paper that you unravel and hang from any area where flies or other flying insects are a problem.

Most fly tape has a fly attractant, luring them in. Insects get stuck on the tape and die, eliminating the nuisance.

Using fly tape in your RV is a great way to eliminate flying insects. Fly tape should be placed out of the way and only used while stationary – you wouldn’t want it getting stuck to your hair, a wall, or anything else!

3. Keep Your RV Clean (Don’t Leave Food Out)

Perhaps one of the essential tips for eliminating insects from your RV is to keep it clean! Many insects love the right hiding place, so keep clutter and mess to a minimum. Food attracts insects like ants and flies – so don’t leave food out.

Always be sure to wipe up any spills that could be a food source for insects.

4. Thermacell

Thermacell Repellants are a great addition to your insect-repelling arsenal. The company makes portable perimeter mosquito repelling devices that are battery or butane powered.

With the Thermacell device, you can sit outside and not worry about being bitten by mosquitos without having to cover yourself in stinky bug spray. Simply turn on the device, let it warm up, and enjoy a mosquito free area!

5. Choose A Better RV Destination

Let’s face it. Some places are just way buggier than others! And some bugs, like mosquitos and ticks, are more active in certain times of the year.

Do your research, and be sure to read campground reviews. Keeping bugs out of your RV is one thing, but a campground full of mosquitoes isn’t going to be any fun to hang out outside in, either.

You can use these tips to help prevent and eliminate bugs in your RV… The best part about being in an RV is: if bugs are an issue, you can just move to a better place!