Went to change out the chip and the ants are back, little ones. I will have to spray above and below the camera on the tree bark. What is it about trail cameras that attracts ants?
It's the batteries, had an issue with ants on my boat when I lived in AL. They would climb up the trailer and into the boat for the battery, was a pain in the butt Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If your using an attractant in the area Mineral or what not ... Wear gloves when handling it and take them off when handling the camera. The attractant also attracts ants .
Pulled mine last weekend and had a full nest with the eggs and all. Took 5 minutes of shaking to get everything out until I found a few stragglers when I got home. They were hiding in the ridges on the back side that was up against the tree bark. It was a cool, dry place that they just couldn't resist.
I had one camera take on ants. I just took it apart and used the computer keyboard cleaner spray can. Then put it back together and put it in the freezer for a day or two. I use the ortho home defense spray but haven't had a issue last few years thankfully.
I had ants in a camera for the first time last week. What Pat said is SO TRUE! I know what caused it.
I have had them in the past in a few cameras. Hadn't had them for a while, but they came back this year and infested my Covert Outlook. I think I got to them before for they did any damage, but still a pain in the butt. I might start spraying them down with home defense and see if that affects anything.
I have not had that problem in southern california. i read years ago about a species of ants that live around the golf that are attracted to electronics, and they will flood computers and tvs and stuff with ants tell it shorts out. http://www.livescience.com/37720-crazy-ants-invade-electronics.html
It's a common problem with anything electronic that is outdoors. Ants are attracted to the "smell" of electrical components. I used to do HVAC service work. They taught us in tech classes that ants are attracted to circuit boards, contactors, batteries, etc because when they are in use they emit a certain scent that ants are for some reason attracted to. I can't tell you how many $89 service calls I went to because ants had gotten underneath the contactor pads in an A/C unit and shorted it out. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do about it. I've heard of guys treating the tree around the camera with durnanon or something similar to keep bugs away, but ive never tried it as I'd be too concerned about the scent.
I use tero ant spray on the tree above and below the camera. Granted the deer I deal with are pretty used to human presence but they did not delay or get alarmed by the smell they were at the feed the typical 10-15 minutes after I walked out.
