Ant control?

[Alicia]

I was wondering what you guys use for ant control? Have a few trying to get in my hive.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I've used cinnamon before, but then they got pretty bad, so I used some Terro. The bees don't bother the Terro. I put it on the ground where they were coming up to get to the hive. The only bad side of cinnamon, is you have to reapply after a rain.

 

[Maggiesdad]

Are they little ants? Bees know how to take care of them. It's not like they are going to make off with a bunch of honey. My mentor laughed at me for using the blow torch on the ants... he said just line the boxes back up, propolis takes care of the rest.

 

[Beekissed]

Cornmeal, if it's just regular black or red ants and not tiny sweet ants(the sweet ants don't seem to respond to the cornmeal). Cornmeal will take care of those coming and will also take care of the nest they carry it back to. They feed it to their young and they eat it, but it's corrosive to their intestines and causes them to die from that corrosion. We use it here at the house and within 3-4 days, no more ants.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Are they little ants? Bees know how to take care of them. It's not like they are going to make off with a bunch of honey. My mentor laughed at me for using the blow torch on the ants... he said just line the boxes back up, propolis takes care of the rest.

I agree with this too, but they can still be a pain. I had sugar ants make a nest last year between the inner and outer cover. The bees kept them out of the hive, but they were a pain every time you opened it.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Cornmeal, if it's just regular black or red ants and not tiny sweet ants(the sweet ants don't seem to respond to the cornmeal). Cornmeal will take care of those coming and will also take care of the nest they carry it back to. They feed it to their young and they eat it, but it's corrosive to their intestines and causes them to die from that corrosion. We use it here at the house and within 3-4 days, no more ants.

Good to know, I've never heard of that. I wonder if it would affect the bees.

 

[Maggiesdad]

Blowtorch takes care of the ant nest, lol. Cornmeal shouldn't hurt the bees, I've read of them collecting grain dusts when they are short on pollen.

Hey Bee, did you ever make that barrel TBH?

 

[Beekissed]

I sure did and it turned out great, even had a nuc in there for a bit but had a severe drought. I had three full combs in there, but I wasn't checking them frequently enough~should have fed them, they got hungry, ate all their honey and then they swarmed on me. I never got back into bees after that due to one thing or another but I'd sure like to and I'd do the barrel TBH again if I did. This time I'd do it better.

Here's a pic of it during the build....

 

[Maggiesdad]

That's cool! I remembered reading behind you in a certain tan colored bee forum when I was researching top bars.

I may try one of those yet...

 

[Alicia]

Thanks for all the tips. They are little ants. The only time I have a problem is if I put out a ppollen patty, in the hive, or a jar of liquid feed. So should I just try the above when feeding or is there a trick to feeding?