Cinnamon Powder and Bees

[annette]

Here I go again.

Today, I sprinkled cinnamon powder around the perimeter of both my hives. This is to keep the ants off the hive, as stated in "Beekeeping for dummies".

Well,perhaps I used a bit to much, because some bees died . Later in the day I went up and they looked ok, but this really gave me a scare. They are really having to smell that cinnamon on the ground now. I think the bees that died, actually fell into the powder or got covered in it.Anyone have any experience on using cinnamon powder to keep ants away??

thanks
Annette

[Kirk-o]

You will be ok I really can have trouble with ants here in L A I make sure I don't spill any syrup and don't leave anything around that the ants like.I have had bees abscond a number of times here in L A I use boaric ascid on the ground around the hive
KIrKo

[likes2grill]

I tried to put cinnamon around my hive the other day. I didn't get but one shake of the can before the hive got hot. They stung me just once but thats because I ran.  :lol:  Once I got rid of the cinnamon shaker they calmed right down.

[reinbeau]

We have used cinnamon with no ill effect.  YOu don't sprinkle it on the bees, but around the perimeter, we splashed it on the sides, too, so the ants wouldn't crawl up and into the feeder.  It worked well.