BEE EATING ANT

Bee-Bop · November 15, 2009, 10:55:55 AM

Discovered in Texas, spreading in Lousiana & Mississippi !!

BeeHopper · November 15, 2009, 01:26:23 PM

It's related to the Crazy Raspberry Ant, they have not identified it yet, hitched a ride from down South, they just eat everything, Honey bees included. They are giving Fire Ants a hard time. :evil:

lakeman · November 15, 2009, 04:13:21 PM

Quote from: BeeHopper on November 15, 2009, 01:26:23 PM
It's related to the Crazy Raspberry Ant, they have not identified it yet, hitched a ride from down South, they just eat everything, Honey bees included. They are giving Fire Ants a hard time. :evil:

Any enemy of fire ants is a friend of mine. :-D :-D :-D

SlickMick · November 15, 2009, 06:27:54 PM

"BEE EATING ANT"

Now is that a bee eating an ant or an ant that eats bees. Sounds like some newspaper headline

The ambiguity of English

Mick

Bee-Bop · November 15, 2009, 07:00:56 PM

Quote from: SlickMick on November 15, 2009, 06:27:54 PM
"BEE EATING ANT"

Now is that a bee eating an ant or an ant that eats bees. Sounds like some newspaper headline

The ambiguity of English

Mick

Ok, if it needs to be explained;

http://home.ezezine.com/1636/1636-2009.11.15.08.02.archive.html

Bee-Bop

sarafina · November 16, 2009, 12:54:42 AM

WOW - discovered in Houston and Pearland - waaaay too close to home for me.

I thought varroa were bad - these suckers are worrisome!

lakeman · November 16, 2009, 07:18:21 AM

If their only bad side is that they eat bees, and if they will rid us of the fire ant, I think it is a great trade off. I will have no problem keeping them away from my bees.

sarafina · November 16, 2009, 10:41:40 AM

Quote from: lakeman on November 16, 2009, 07:18:21 AM
If their only bad side is that they eat bees, and if they will rid us of the fire ant, I think it is a great trade off. I will have no problem keeping them away from my bees.

How do you "keep them away" from your bees? The disturbing aspect is regular pesticides are not very effective and only slow them down for about 10 days. Hopefully someone will come up with something to keep them out of our houses and hives that isn't harmful to us and our bees.

lakeman · November 16, 2009, 04:05:31 PM

Quote from: sarafina on November 16, 2009, 10:41:40 AM
Quote from: lakeman on November 16, 2009, 07:18:21 AM
If their only bad side is that they eat bees, and if they will rid us of the fire ant, I think it is a great trade off. I will have no problem keeping them away from my bees.

How do you "keep them away" from your bees? The disturbing aspect is regular pesticides are not very effective and only slow them down for about 10 days. Hopefully someone will come up with something to keep them out of our houses and hives that isn't harmful to us and our bees.

Very simple, you put your bees up on legs, and you set the legs in a can of water. If by chance, they like to swim, you put about an inch of oil in the cans instead of water, this will work.

sarafina · November 16, 2009, 05:03:28 PM

Quote from: lakeman on November 16, 2009, 04:05:31 PM
Quote from: sarafina on November 16, 2009, 10:41:40 AM
Quote from: lakeman on November 16, 2009, 07:18:21 AM
If their only bad side is that they eat bees, and if they will rid us of the fire ant, I think it is a great trade off. I will have no problem keeping them away from my bees.

How do you "keep them away" from your bees? The disturbing aspect is regular pesticides are not very effective and only slow them down for about 10 days. Hopefully someone will come up with something to keep them out of our houses and hives that isn't harmful to us and our bees.

Very simple, you put your bees up on legs, and you set the legs in a can of water. If by chance, they like to swim, you put about an inch of oil in the cans instead of water, this will work.

ahhh.... that makes sense - thank-you! Mine are on cinder blocks now but if they become a problem then at least I know what I can do to solve it.

And I am with you on eating the fire ants !!!!!

Sparky · November 17, 2009, 09:25:45 PM

Quote from: lakeman on November 16, 2009, 07:18:21 AM
If their only bad side is that they eat bees, and if they will rid us of the fire ant, I think it is a great trade off. I will have no problem keeping them away from my bees.

Careful what you wish for. They say "Better the devil you know than the one you don't."

rdy-b · November 17, 2009, 09:54:25 PM

Raspberry Ants
related to the crazy ant :lol: RDY-B

lakeman · November 18, 2009, 08:37:26 AM

Quote from: Sparky on November 17, 2009, 09:25:45 PM
Quote from: lakeman on November 16, 2009, 07:18:21 AM
If their only bad side is that they eat bees, and if they will rid us of the fire ant, I think it is a great trade off. I will have no problem keeping them away from my bees.
Careful what you wish for. They say "Better the devil you know than the one you don't."

Evidently ya'l do not have the fire ant YET!

Michael Bush · November 18, 2009, 08:49:15 AM

Yea, I pictured bees eating ants, and that was a crazy picture...

What will be will be. I'm sure we can't eradicate them, although I'm sure some organization will try..

BeeHopper · November 18, 2009, 08:53:18 AM

Quote from: lakeman on November 16, 2009, 04:05:31 PM
Quote from: sarafina on November 16, 2009, 10:41:40 AM
Quote from: lakeman on November 16, 2009, 07:18:21 AM
If their only bad side is that they eat bees, and if they will rid us of the fire ant, I think it is a great trade off. I will have no problem keeping them away from my bees.

How do you "keep them away" from your bees? The disturbing aspect is regular pesticides are not very effective and only slow them down for about 10 days. Hopefully someone will come up with something to keep them out of our houses and hives that isn't harmful to us and our bees.

Very simple, you put your bees up on legs, and you set the legs in a can of water. If by chance, they like to swim, you put about an inch of oil in the cans instead of water, this will work.

You can grease the legs too, but keep in mind, some species of ants build " ant bridges" over obstacles, where many are sacrificed for the greater good of the colony.