took a peak at my hives last night and I had lil black ants ALL Over the inner cover!!
What are some methods at keeping them dang things at bay!?!?!
Be sure the bees have ample room above the inner lid to get to them and remove them. "3/8 inch"
I usually put lubricating grease around the legs of my stand because the ants or any other bug don't like the smell or the stickiness of it. Now it won't work on flying ants. But works for any other.
I sprinkle cinnamon powder all around the hives and they do not get through. But it also depends on the sort of weather you have there. Here I can do this and we do not get any rain in the summer so the cinnamon powder will last quite a while. Also I know that a very strong hive can usually keep them away.
A few get through and the hives just coexist with them.
I have heard you can put queen ann's lace on the inner cover to repel ants.
The way I keep ants out of my bee hives is to use bottomless hives to the ants lunch drops right in front of them and using a type of migratory tops. Ants love to congregate in the inner cover to keep away from the bees. Solid, and to and extent, Screened bottom boards make the ants enter the hive to get their snacks.