Bugs! Need help please nothing works!

[loverving45]

Newcomer here! Thank you for such a lovely forum!

I'm writing about a bug problem in my home. We are full timers on the West Coast of Canada and it is very humid here (around 90% humidity year round). We have had bugs in our bathroom, as well as the rest of the rv, the difference is in the kinds of bugs.

I've tried describing them on google and cannot figure out what they are, or how to get rid of them. We do know that moisture is the problem, as they seemed, at first, to live in the most moist areas, but now they have spread everywhere, even to the kitchen table!

We do have de humidifying units but we think they may not be strong enough. We are going to be ordering a new, more robust one soon (looking at reviews now, if you've got any recommendations, please let me know) in the meantime we have tried everything, but it has to be natural as we live with pets, and have nowhere else to evacuate to/stay at and can't use any toxic treatment to get rid of them.

We have tried peppermint and tea tree oil spray, vinegar, even alcohol in the places we see them crawl into, but they just keep coming back!

They are in the carpet in the front, on the dash board, on the computer and device screens, the kitchen table, the bathtub, now even the dog! Every time we spray it is clear for a few days and then they magically appear again.

The ones in the bathroom used to be these..maybe two dots length thin bugs that looked like tiny straight sticks that slithered....then joining them came, what we call the 'dots', these are tiny, orange dots that are about the size of a period at the end of a sentence on your small tablet screen (yes it is that small, and so creepy!) from pictures online we have identified that they are not bed bugs though. And we have never been bitten either.

Then the first, straighter kind somehow became extinct while these took over, and spread to the whole house!

I'm not sure what to do..or what these bugs are. If you have any ideas it would truly help...

Thank you very much for reading and sorry for the long letter!

 

[ArdraF]

Can you take some photos?  That might help with identification.  Sounds yucky in any case and I sympathize.

ArdraF

 

[Gooma]

Fleas?

 

[Hammster]

Fleas, and other tiny insects like that lay eggs. The eggs won't be killed on first treatment. You have to do a second treatment a few days later after the eggs hatch. Might not hurt to do a 3rd treatment a few days later after that. If they are fleas, get some Advantage for the dog and apply it right away. I've never tried bug bombing an RV, but maybe that might work as there are so many nooks and crannies to try and figure out where the bugs might be and the gas from the bomb might be able to get into all those places. Just a thought.

 

[ArdraF]

One caution: I wouldn't use a bug bomb near food that is packaged in such a way that it can be penetrated.  Cans and jars might be okay but not all boxes have an inner lining.

ArdraF

 

[Hammster]

One caution: I wouldn't use a bug bomb near food that is packaged in such a way that it can be penetrated.  Cans and jars might be okay but not all boxes have an inner lining.

ArdraF

Yeah, the bug bombing would have to be done once the RV is unloaded of anything of concern.

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

I use Ortho Home Defense. I get it at Home Depot but I'm sure you can get it at other places. I use it both in and outside the house. Also used it in the MH. It is pet safe after it dries so you only have to keep the pets out until it dries.

 

[Rene T]

First, welcome to the forum.
If you're not from the area, have you contacted some of the locals to see if they know what they might be?
I would say use a couple of bombs available at Home Depot. . Then leave the RV for a few hours. Come back and open all the windows to vent it out. Then in a few days do it again. If that doesn't work, contact a professional exterminator.

 

[Old Radios]

Sounds like they may be Clover Mites:  https://www.americanpest.net/pest-identification/profile/clover-mites

 

[denmarc]

I am thinking along the same lines...
Clover Mites and maybe Silverfish. Both love moisture and are common household pests. I also use Ortho Home Defense around the stick house and RV. Works great and last a long time. We have pets too. No problems. I let it dry after application for a couple of hours before letting the dog out.

I have also had to do the bug bomb a couple of times for ant infestation in the RV over the years. PITA! Use only as a last resort and be careful. You should cover all surfaces and furniture, remove all food stuff and eating/cooking utensils, clothing, etc. If you want a through job, you need to have cabinet doors and drawers open. And you need to find something else to do for a a couple of hours while the fog does it's thing. Then put everything back together and wash everything down and clean up all the dead bodies. Not fun.

 

[ramblinbob]

Maybe this would help you. It got rid of a terrible flea infestation I had a few years back. Diatomaceous Earth

http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/uses-of-diatomaceous-earth-on-the-homestead.aspx

Insecticide: DE is consistently listed as an organic means of controlling pests in the garden. Farmers have also used it for years in grain storage. It is a ?mechanical? insecticide and so resistance to it can never develop. It is felt to work externally on crawling insects by scratching the exoskeleton, absorbing protective lipids and causing them to dehydrate. It perhaps works internally by causing bleeding in the gut. It is not to be harmful to bees, other flying insects or earthworms. If it truly causes harm to the gut, I don?t know if I believe the safety to earthworms. One writer swears he put it in his worm composter with no adverse effects, but I will go slowly with it in the garden where I can use other methods to deal with snails and slugs.

 

[loverving45]

Thank you everyone so much for your replies and the warm welcome!

I will check out these options for getting rid of them...I don't think they are clover mites or silverfish though because we have had silverfish before in an older house we lived in and they get much larger than these...these remind me of like the visible version of bacteria....they're just teeny!

As for clover mites we live where there is mostly gravel and pavement and asphalt, so I don't think that's it but we can check that further.

I don't think they are fleas either though since they are still here but are no longer on the dog. Since that one tiny one we found on her they haven't been going on her, and none of us have any itching either...including her...

My biggest problem is identification, thank you so much everyone for all of your suggestions..we can look into them further, I really appreciate it. If any of you know more or have more suggestions regarding bugs that go near moisture (as that's where they are clustered in large groups, in the dash and in the tub, from there singles venture into the rest) that would really help.

We really appreciate all your help! Thank you!

 

[winona]

Here in Indiana, we can contact the extension office at Purdue University for help to identify whatever --- bugs, plant diseases, etc.  You might try the state land grant college that has an agricultural department.  They may be able to identify the bug and then help you with how to get rid of them.

 

[Jim Godward]

I would check with the local government agency that covers agriculture or a professional pest control service to find out what they are and the best way to eliminate them.  Here is Oregon the local pest control for the house is about $90 for 3 months service so it should not be too expensive for an RV.. 

Get the pros on it and do it right.

Just my thoughts,

 

[fijidad]

And if all else fails, try Skin So Soft...a product of Avon.

Intended for use on your skin, but has killed every bug I ever sprayed it on. Dan

 

[blw2]

do it yourself pest control stores miuggt be a resource for you as well... they could probably help identify tehm as well as remidy the problem.
I used to be a big fan of buying treatment products form them.  It's the same stuff the pros use, except the "last year's model".... good stuff.
I have found though that the ortho stuff you can buy almost anywhere is almost as good.  Not as good, but it does the job.

 

[Old Racer]

Sounds to me like calling a professional exterminator would be in order, not cheap but they should identify bugs, prescribe treatment which is effective and safe.

If that is not feasible, powdered boric acid available as an insecticide, spread in under cabinet areas everywhere ( not near food areas!) may help.

 

[beaverfever]

if you are in a rv or mobile home park check with the office to see what everybody else is doing. you will not be the only one with this problem.

 

[JeffDenison]

I think calling a professional exterminators to get rid of bugs can work. As the professional exterminators are trained and also experienced they will be able to answer you all the questions about these pests. Their experience of eliminating pest will assist in clearing all your queries related to the pest in your home. Therefore always hire professional pest control Westport CT exterminator after researching well about them.

 

[Frankedj]

Google: "Clove powder for pest control"

It won't harm you or your pets. It also smells good.

DE, Diatomaceous Earth can be dangerous if you breathe it in as it is known to cause cancer.

Pest control companies are useless because if they actually do a good job they lose you as a customer so they will never do a good job and eradicate the pests completely. They also use harmful chemicals.

My sister is the head of the pest control unit for student housing and all of the kitchens for the University of Illinois main campus.

Another option is heat. It is what is done to eliminate bed bugs and it is the latest thing. It will be difficult to find someone to do it as the equipment to do it has only recently been invented. They raise the room temperature up to around 140 degrees F for a few hours and it kills everything including bedbugs, larvae and eggs. The machine that does it is about 60 grand plus the remote temp monitoring equipment. The U of I is buying one at my sister's request.