What does everyone do about ants around the hive? I see the bees are taking care of them currently but just curious if there is anything I can do to prevent them from continuing being a nuisance to the bees. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Use cinnamon powder around the edges of the inner cover and around the hive.
I here instant grits work too and last a little longer but I haven't tried it.
Depending on your setup, if your hive is raised of the ground, you can wrap the legs of your hive stand with cotton cord soaked in oil.
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I have my hive stand legs in containers sitting on cement blocks. The containers have water and some vegetable oil on top. I have sugar ant problems. They actively seek out a way to the hive 24/7. I've read it's probably because they are being fed sugar water. I've had a couple of bees get in there and drown. If their bodies are positioned just right they become a bridge.
These ants are large black ants not your regular sugar ants that I'm accustomed with. Will have to try something, like I said the bees seem to be holding their own, perhaps I'll try the grits or cinnamon powder.
We have three Booming hives down here
went to visit a friends yard last week his girls were surviving. not booming. there is only about 15 miles between us.
they should be more than thriving during the flow as mine are.
I attribute the rapid growth and well being to screws under the hive in 2x4s then generously coated with Axel grease.
a real dollop! entirely covering the screws. there is one thing that I have watched the ladies do. at one screw only
facing the hive the right front screw, they roll in and eat the Axel grease. we still have no problem with ants. Vaseline if you prefer.
some have said to put spread used coffee grounds around the bottom of the hive. some of the posts tell of using
Cinnamon and ants laughing at it? well you know Florida is bug central no real frost or freeze to kill the buggers.
So what does one do? this is not for on a hive or in a hive! as it will kill on contact sudsy ammonia with lemon deluted.
jay
Cinnamon did not work for me. I have found if there is was no syrup in the beeyard {in feeders} then I have no ants I'm in the north so it may be different .
Are you feeding by chance?
Good luck.
I've haven't fed them at all this spring. Not sure as to why only one hive has some ants and the one right next to it about 2 feet off has no issue. I'll have to do some more investigating I suppose.
I call the big black ones wood ants or timber ants. They are not usually much of a problem in my hives. I have the small black sugar ants, they can be horrific! I coat my stand legs with high temp disc break bearing grease, works like a charm. I have to re-coat them legs about twice a year.
Ray, about that grease. Can you get it about anywhere? Walmart, Parts store, ect?
Yes, any store that has auto parts section. I've not looked at Walmart but they may have it. I got mine at O'Reilly's (The old Kragen's) Auto parts store. I did not get the synthetic, but the real McCoy grease.
Don't know how to take care of ants down South, but up here, the ants seem to love the moisture that is provided under the top cover and on the inner cover. Just raise your top cover so that it is tilted at an angle. This provides an air flow through the inner cover hole. Has been taking care of the ant problem for me for many years. No cinnamon, no oil, no grits, no anything, just raise the cover and provide and air flow. If this doesn't work then push the inner cover back and make a top opening of about a 1/2" slot. OMTCW
I have a problem with big red ants here in central FL. Lost 2 packages of bees to them a few years ago. I now have my hives on a stand made of 4" landscape timbers. The legs have axle grease around them. I tried vaseline but those big ants just walked right over it. So far, this has been working. I reapply when I weed eat around the hive to keep it sticky.
I'm told that DIATOMACEOUS EARTH ( food grade ) works very well on ants and shb. I normally use cinnamon for ants but thinking about trying DE and see how it does
Tom / Tater Rd. Apiary
the grease is not inside the hive hope the DE isn't either
jay
If your hive is on legs use a product called "tanglefoot". It's a very sticky pine tar based substance that prevents the ants from accessing the hives via the legs. I have stared using it and am very pleased.
David
The ants haven't really be bothering my bees, but they do wreak havoc to my foam hives. I have not come up with a satisfactory solution for that problem yet. :( It seems it only takes one momentary failure in the protection scheme (weeds, dirt, rain, shorting out the moat protection) for a queen ant to get to the foam and when that happens its GAME OVER. They set up shop and never leave.