How to Prevent Creepy Crawlies not Buzzy Buzzards

[Bdh96]

Hello all, hoping for a quick solution without regressing back to a previous product. Currently my daughter camps in a Dutchware Chamelon shown here. (Both photos to show setup in the woods and what it looks like under her tarp)
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This weekend we went out to the local state park and set up on trees that did not have ant hills underneath them (I know this because two other trees were infested), during the night she had a visitor or two and was too creeped out to sleep. I probably had 6 to 10 ants, but they were easily brushed off and I paid almost no attention to them.

I do know that these bug nets on the Chameleon and Superior Gear have openings on the ends where two layers are sandwiched together to create the barrier. The hammock was setup so that they were tightly together on both ends as the ridgeline was taught, but I could see how an ant could easily defeat this. Our previous bug nets which were fully enclosed also had openings on the ends where the straps came through, so nothing is completely enclosed.

She wants to go back to the enclosed bugnet and I would rather find her a better solution as her Chameleon bug net is so much easier to get in and out from.

What should I do to keep those pesky legged little buggers out of hammock? Permethrin? Is there another better solution?

[joe_guilbeau]

If your Dutchware Chameleon has the Bugnet cone at the end of the ridgeline, then it should be a simple matter of packing with some batting like polyester used to make pillows, you can find this a Walmart.

If the Triangle bug-net is not on your daughter's hammock, then you know what to do next...

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Dutchware Chameleon Bugnet.png

Color is going to be the issue for you

If you cannot find the color of batting that is compatible, just do what I do and train a few of these to sleep with inside of the hammock.
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[iceman857]

Soak the hammock in permethrin. I've been doing this for a few years now and have watched many bugs die on my Chameleon.

[Bdh96]

I love the spider idea!!!! Her irrational response to spiders has me questioning that though lol

Batting is a great idea thanks

@iceman857 - thanks for confirming!

[Bdh96]

I just had another idea last night, has anyone sewed on some velcro? Putting it on the bugnet on both ends to seal the hole?

[cougarmeat]

The "Thou shall not pass" LoftR technique might be a little extreme for the harmless ant, but what about this ... give them a diversion. What if you had a small ant-tasty morsel of food ant-accessible, not too far from the hammock. Any ant that was within "striking distance" of the hammock would be drawn to the bait/food instead. It's like those yellowjacket keeperawayers that hang from some trees in campgrounds - except for the killing by starvation part. You just create something more attractive - to the critter - than yourself and place it near enough to you so that any potential visitor will be distracted-attracted to the other item.

The downside is you might attract more critters and cause a larger "roam" pattern.

You've discovered the problem with those velcro closures. My hammock camping partner will not forgo her full zipped, Shields Up, net on her RidgeRunner.

If I'm not using a zipper on a net, I'm using one on a full sock - or I'm using a mini solution like a HUG net. I've never had a problem getting in/out of a zippered enclosure - but I do add reflective zipper pulls to the zipper tab.

It only takes one buzzing near the ear to ruin a night's sleep. I do need to get my permethrin act together and apply that to my nets. I'm not keen on waking up to a pile of dead insects, but perhaps permethrin's effectiveness is enough to just keep them away.

[Crazytown3]

I might not fully understand the issue with the bug net end on the Chameleon, but could you use some velcro wraps on the ends to close up the openings? Like a velcro cable wrap or something.

The WB Eldorado uses a piece of fabric elastic loop about an inch or so long to close up the opening between the hammock body and bugnet on the ends.

[Phantom Grappler]

Spray some insect repellent on tree strap and suspension near ends of hammock
Cinch end of bugnet at hammock end with some cord.