# stupid mistake- killed bees trying to kill ants!



## devdog108 (May 7, 2009)

It happens. Down here in red ant country, i just used th bait systems and granules. They keep them at bay.....


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## arthur (Apr 6, 2008)

try putting your hive on a stand that you can ant-proof.

As in, a stand with legs. Each leg can sit in a coffee can, that has soapy water. Some people use sand and motor oil.

Some people forego cans/containters and put vaseline on the legs.


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## beesinvt (May 16, 2010)

Yes the stand has legs (not sticks-LOL) that is where I pu the tangtree. i will next try the coffee cans- I am a little afraid next I will drown them...But I think it will work better then this did...


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## ccar2000 (Aug 9, 2009)

I put a mound of diatomaceous earth around each leg on my set up and it works just fine. You can get it at a pool supply store or home center.


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## honeybeekeeper (Mar 3, 2010)

Is this the stuff your talking about????...I been trying to find it online cause i have never heard of it! I have ant problems myself! Its been an ongoing issue that needs to be taken care of. I been using cinnamin and they become ammuned to it i guess!...hahaha

http://www.treehelp.com/mmTREEHELPSTORE/Images/WS-5170_500.jpg


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## eas2 (May 21, 2010)

I have done the same thing with the tanglestuff, then I put cans of water & drowned them. now use vaseline at the very bottom of legs near the ground....so far so good...


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## deknow (Jul 17, 2006)

ants can be a big problem in some parts of the country...but in the northeast, most of the ant problems i've seen occur when feeding sugar syrup. are you feeding?

deknow


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## ccar2000 (Aug 9, 2009)

Yep that'll do the job. You can get it at a pool supply shop at a better price by buying a large bag. It works in the chicken coop and the garden as well. Kills soft bodied insects including ants.


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## honeybeekeeper (Mar 3, 2010)

*deknow* Yes im feeding! They are 2 new package bees on the first deep hive body! and a swarm installed in an observation top bar hive! A few weeks ago i had issues with black ants, now this is the very first that i seen red ants. Everything i have tried has not taking care of or slowed them down...So now i need something to take care of them once and for all!

*ccar2000* they want $15 for that 4 pound bag....on ebay they want $12 + $13 S&H=$25 for a 10 pound bag!


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## devdog108 (May 7, 2009)

DE can be bought at home depot and lowes guys....outside near the plants and stuff


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## JOHNYOGA2 (Sep 30, 2008)

For DE you might also try Rural King or Tractor Supply, someplace that sells poultry stuff. It is frequently used in chicken pens.


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## MichaelShantz (May 9, 2010)

After trying other things, I put cups of vegetable oil with posts inside to support the hive. This solved the ant problem very well but too many bees missed their landing and died in the oil so I put old CDs on top of the posts. The CDs extend out over the cups like flat umbrellas to keep the bees from falling in. So far so good. This is probably not a commercial solution.


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## beesinvt (May 16, 2010)

No, I am not feed sugar but there was a pollen patty in the hive which I took out. The land that I (and now the bees)live on is really rocky and we have ants. Last evening I cleaned up the dead bees (RIP) and tried to remove the tangltree and hosed off the cinammon. Today there were a few more dead bees but I think I might have missed a few or there was still some sticky stuff-which they might have gotten into... Hopefully that is all. I am hoping they don't have dysentary or something... there were only a few dead bees so tonight when they are in there hives i will inspect around their hives.


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## kathygibson (Nov 3, 2009)

will the DE harm the bees if they happen to miss the landing and fall into it?


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## Holly (Mar 15, 2010)

I havn't used DE because I thought it would kill the bees like it does to other insects.


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## ccar2000 (Aug 9, 2009)

I use the DE. I think the amount of bees that miss the landing or are for any other reason crawling to the hive are a negligible amount. Having said that I found that since my hives have built up (two deep brood boxes) they seem to dispatch the ants themselves. We will see what summer brings when the ants are more active. I believe my packages got a good start due to the use of the DE. It may not be what everyone wants to use but it is environmentally friendly:applause:!


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## devdog108 (May 7, 2009)

i dont throw it all over, just around the stand legs.....thats all i care about anyway and they are under. My ants are trained and they just sit and wait at the bottom below the landing board like sharks in the water.....only in one other spot have they actually gotten into the hives(no de used, i forgot). i then used DE and that solved that problem as well. I let the ants have anything below the landing board...


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## Cappy (May 10, 2018)

Yes DE will kill bees the same as other insects but if you put it down at night while the bees are safe inside it shouldn't cause a problem except for the occasional bee walking on the ground. DE lacerates the exoskeleton causing bugs to die of dehydration. But they have to walk in it or have some kind of direct contact. BUT...you should wear a respirator because the dust will scar your lungs.


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## vtbeeguy (Jun 10, 2016)

There is no reason you should be having ant problems in Vt. What are they actually doing to your bees? I'm not far from you my in-laws live in Marshfield I'll probably be up there this weekend pm me if you need some help would be willing to stop by. Good luck either way bud


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## JWChesnut (Jul 31, 2013)

ccar2000 said:


> Y You can get it at a pool supply shop at a better price by buying a large bag.


The DE that is sold for packing pool filters has been heat treated (to burn off organics that would discolor the pool water), This rounds and sinters the glass sharp edges. The bulk pool DE is far less effective than the garden-purpose mix. You can observe the difference under a microscope.

One important caution in DE use is avoid inhaling the dust --- it tears up the lungs (and likely induces cancers, just like asbestos). 

I live near (40 miles) an enormous open pit DE mine. Marine diatom rich sediments are the source material.


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## elmer_fud (Apr 21, 2018)

Why was a 8 year old thread revived?


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