Author Topic: Keeping ants out (Read 5132 times)

VermontHoneyBee · « **on:** June 07, 2018, 11:38:35 am »

Hi

I am having a bit of a challenge with ants entering my hives. I thought that the bees would chase them out but they do not. I also thought that they would impact the hive and my hives are doing ok but the number of ants is increasing per day. I thought of using sticky tape in the inner cover because they are going after the sugar syrup. I can put the tapes in a way that they would have to cross it but not the bees.

Is there any recommendations on what glue tape to use?

LizzieBee · « **Reply #1 on:** June 07, 2018, 12:07:11 pm »

I had a minor problem with ants a month ago. A local beek I know used this stuff called tanglefoot, it?s a weird goo that he smears on the legs of the hive stand. The ants get stuck in it... but so do the bees. I don?t use that. There was a tiny ant hill under my beehive and I would see a few going into the hive between the brood boxes. I poured boiling water into a pitcher and sprinkled half a teaspoon of cinnamon in the water a mixed it. Then I poured it around the hive stand and in the ant hole. Ouch. Well now I don?t have ant problems.

Another choice is the ant mote, which I think is one of the best ideas.
Lizzie

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 07, 2018, 05:45:30 pm »

Take your used coffee grounds and spread them around the hive base to create a barrier. Ants hate it. I built stands with upside down facing cups but the grass grows so fast that it is not working. I should have put black ground cloth to stop the grass but I doubt if that would work.
Jim

DuaneB · « **Reply #3 on:** June 07, 2018, 06:16:39 pm »

Like most setup, I have my hives on (2) 4"x4"s, suspended between cinder blocks. I had the same problem with ants getting into the syrup as well. Went to Walmart and purchased 4 non-stick cake pans for $3.48/ea. Cut some 4" risers out of an old 4x4 I had lying around. Put the risers on the cinder blocks; put the cake pans (up-side down) on the risers; then set the 4x4s and hives back on. Ants fall off when they try to crawl on the non-stick surface. Problem solved.

I don't drink coffee, but I like the idea.

beepro · « **Reply #4 on:** June 09, 2018, 01:12:08 am »

Simple!

I use canning jars filled 1/4 way with vegetable oil. Put the 4 hive stand legs inside these jars. On the upper part of the legs wrap the aluminum duct tapes around one piece of heavy duty AL foil over hanging the jars but not touching it. This way rain water cannot get in to fill up the jars. I don't know how much pressure a canning jar can withstand. So far I have 5 nucs, including the 5 level nucs, sitting on this stand. No ants issue so far this season.

VermontHoneyBee · « **Reply #5 on:** June 09, 2018, 09:45:13 pm »

The ants are gone. A good dose of DA and tanglefoot did the trick.

Thanks

beepro · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2018, 02:47:52 am »

They are gone now but after the rains they will be back bothering your
bees again. Some ants are so smart that they hauled the debris to cover the
tanglefoot to get to the other side. After a while the tanglefoot got covered with
dust and not work anymore. The long term solution is to use oil and aluminum foil on
the legs of the hive stand. High-temp grease doesn't work either as I've tried that before.

Sputnik · « **Reply #7 on:** June 10, 2018, 08:25:14 am »

I will give the coffee grounds a try. I had a nest of carpenter ants try to move in between the inner cover and lid on one of my hives. Took a week of tearing there nest out daily but they are no w gone. A friend of mine had a hive leave due to ant infestation.

BeeMaster2 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 10, 2018, 08:30:56 am »

When I find a nest of ants in the hive, top or bottom, I close it back up and get a vacuum. Then open it and suck them up real fast. It works the first time as compared to using my hand to kill the scrambling ants. I use a shop vac when power is available and a battery powered hand vacuum when it is not.
Jim

Acebird · « **Reply #9 on:** June 10, 2018, 08:45:39 am »

Stop feeding the ants sugar water and let the bees have access to the area the ants are taking over.

VermontHoneyBee · « **Reply #10 on:** June 10, 2018, 02:50:56 pm »

Quote from: Acebird on June 10, 2018, 08:45:39 am

Stop feeding the ants sugar water and let the bees have access to the area the ants are taking over.

The ants are gone. Using tanglewood and DE got rid of all of them. Not a single ant in site.

I need to feed the hives. I am encouraging them to draw comb. This is my first year and I have zero drawn comb.

Thanks

Van, Arkansas, USA · « **Reply #11 on:** June 10, 2018, 06:07:32 pm »

Vermont, question,,, what is {DA} the stuff you used to rid ants??

AGREED, Using sugar solution is the best means I know of to get the bees to wax out frames.
Blessings

Acebird · « **Reply #12 on:** June 10, 2018, 06:36:52 pm »

Quote from: VermontHoneyBee on June 10, 2018, 02:50:56 pm

This is my first year and I have zero drawn comb.

And you are very impatient. It will bite you in the butt. Vermont is a haven for bees. Why do you think Michel Palmer does so well?

VermontHoneyBee · « **Reply #13 on:** June 10, 2018, 06:45:10 pm »

Quote from: Acebird on June 10, 2018, 06:36:52 pm

And you are very impatient. It will bite you in the butt. Vermont is a haven for bees. Why do you think Michel Palmer does so well?

Hi. Not to sound defensive but you don't know me to render an opinion on me being inpatient or not. I am actually following his methodology but you perhaps don't know that. How would you?. You did not ask me.

I don't understand why some older folks on this board come swinging the way you do. Asking before rendering an opinion may deliver your message in a better way, as opposed to condescending. Oh yes, Mike Palmer and Randy Oliver are in sync on this. I actually communicated with Randy and he has a study on feeding for comb production. The only right thing you said was "Vermont is a heaven for bees"

VermontHoneyBee · « **Reply #14 on:** June 10, 2018, 06:50:46 pm »

Quote from: Van, Arkansas, USA on June 10, 2018, 06:07:32 pm

Vermont, question,,, what is {DA} the stuff you used to rid ants??

AGREED, Using sugar solution is the best means I know of to get the bees to wax out frames.
Blessings

Hi. Diatomaceous earth. I put it on the legs of the stand. My stand holds all 6 hives. The problem with DE is that if it rains you have to apply again. Diatomaceous earth is made from the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms. They are so tiny that they cling to the ants and pierce their skeletons causing them to lose their water. They also carry it to their nest and share with their friends. The DA was effective only to slow them down and had to be replaced often. The tanglefoot was effective 100% in 24 hours. I know I will need to apply more but this is only while I build comb. Once I am done building comb, I suspect I will no longer need it since I will not be feeding the bees until the fall (only if they need it)

Acebird · « **Reply #15 on:** June 10, 2018, 06:54:36 pm »

Is Mike Palmer feeding bees now? Randy is in the west. He could be doing anything. Does Mike have an ant problem? Never heard of Mike having an ant problem. Please, if you are following him show me a post where he is having an ant problem. I don't believe it exist in VT.

VermontHoneyBee · « **Reply #16 on:** June 10, 2018, 07:00:50 pm »

He does feed bees, not know. He does speak about if for drawing comb. I was not aware that California bees knew what to do with syrup but the ones in Vermont don't. Do we have ants in Vermont, yes we do. Lot's of them.

Shall I point you to all the research done on this topic "Feeding sugar to increase comb production"?. I am assuming that you have it, since you are an experience beekeeper but just choose to ignore it.

Can we just say that you and I don't agree?. Does everyone who disagree with you is inpatient?. Or wrong?. I have been to many apiaries here, specially the ones that sell hundreds of nucs and they feed. Shall I tell them that they should stop too?. They are in VT and one of the largest producers of nucs. Do they have an ant problem, yes they do. They must be inpatient also. I will be sure to send them an email at once.

Acebird · « **Reply #17 on:** June 10, 2018, 07:16:57 pm »

You are on your way to be a great beekeeper with such a thin skin. Ants are everywhere but in the north east they are not a problem for honeybees. I don't want any newbies up here thinking they are.

VermontHoneyBee · « **Reply #18 on:** June 10, 2018, 07:32:15 pm »

Now I am thin skin because I called out you condescending approach?. Don't twist things. I never said that we have an ant problem in VT. I give you the facts but you just ignore them. Mike, Randy and many others, just page up and see my other post, have supported the idea to stimulate comb production. I am a new beekeeper but one that has done extensive support and is happy to paste it here. For your reference

http://scientificbeekeeping.com/light-or-heavy-syrup-for-drawing-foundation/

Want to know where I got this link....here. From another expert who did not fire with statements accusing me of being inpatient or asking me if Mike Palmer does this or not.

New beekeepers should be well informed. Not be told "You are inpatient". I am trying to build comb because I have none. And guess what, I have 6 hives. One does not get any sugar and 5 do. The one that is not fed is still on one brood box. The other have already drawn 8 frames and exploded in bees because those queens are laying everywhere. The remaining 5 are have 2 brood boxes. I want the strongest hives I can to survive the winter. Oh yes, Michael B was the one that pointed me to Randy's research. His quote was "Yes. I've observed this for years and recently Randy Oliver experimented and came to the same conclusion. Stronger syrup has the same effects as weaker syrup. Either will stimulate comb building.". He must be wrong too then.

I am not thin skin or inpatient. What I am is someone who calls out others when poor email etiquette is used. Your email, sir, was condescending at best and called for an expert who you have no clue if I follow, live right next to, or a new beekeeper who actually does a lot of research.

Cappy · « **Reply #19 on:** July 06, 2018, 02:12:15 pm »

Quote from: Acebird on June 10, 2018, 07:16:57 pm

You are on your way to be a great beekeeper with such a thin skin. Ants are everywhere but in the north east they are not a problem for honeybees. I don't want any newbies up here thinking they are.

Acebird, you are a jerk. No need for that puke here. No need to attack and insult people like this. And as for Palmer, he ain't God. Yeah he has said some brilliant stuff. But like most "brilliant" beekeepers I have studied he has said some pretty stupid stuff too. I'll play your game now: Since you praise Palmer so much I will assume you agree with him that the traumatic decline of the Honeybee around the world is to be blamed on the American government for deporting illegal aliens. YES he said that! And at the National Honey Show no less, during one of his hour presentations. Now leave the guy alone for trying to help his bees. Feeding them may not be a perfect solution but it is what we do to help them draw comb. Get over it! You are not helping anyone.