# Ant poison



## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

It seems that you like to work with wood, so making small wooden boxes for the 'ant poison' sounds great; TOO much work for me and no real,.. 'workshop'! Interesting hives, first time I've seen your site.

I have used the borax, sugar and grape jelly formula and put it in those small plastic containers for leftovers; 2-3 cup size with small holes about 1/4-1/2 inch above the bottom. It seems to work. I don't like to 'kill things' like that but have to keep the ant numbers down near the hives somehow, especially when they get inside and make nests around the covers.


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## JP (Jul 10, 2005)

Mike, there is a product called terro-pco that is a boric acid based ant bait product that I use. You snip one end to create a ramp, that ants use to enter and feed. http://www.cooperseeds.com/froogle.php3?prod=924


...JP


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## newbeemike (Jan 20, 2009)

Bummer. Here I thought I had a new invention.

The link you gave is down, but I found it here. Thanks.


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## Bizzybee (Jan 29, 2006)

Would depend on time of year you are putting it out. If you have a fair flow going, you can put out all the sugar paste you like and the bees aren't going to touch it.


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## franktrujillo (Jan 22, 2009)

im new first year with bees i only have 1 hive first was birds that was eating my bees,then the ants,couldn,t do anything about bird,unless i kill it but i figured they have to eat.i searched out there ant holes and put it on there holes 1 they dont bother ur bees after it took 2 applications but no more problems with ants next is them birds any ideas? non leathel plz if any im trying to raise natural hives, i moved the hive to new location in my yard thank you for the replys im going to try garlic for ants and as for birds ill get another hive


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## Ian (Jan 16, 2003)

is borax a type of poison or are you talking of the wash solution ?


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## jean-marc (Jan 13, 2005)

Ian:

One and the same.

Jean-Marc


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## wmgysi (Feb 14, 2009)

*Ants a simple problem for small operations*

I don't think you should use any poison to control ants. They are needed as much as are the bees, but they are just in the wrong place. Its the same with humans. They eat where it is easy to get at and with this we get overcrowded cities and the problems related to that. So make your hive less attractive to ants. First step is to not have any honey or other source of feed around your hives or near. No leaking pails during feeding. Breed for colonies with the guard bees in mind. You can always use smoke that will make any agressive colony managable as long as you do smoke first, before you open!
Now if you still have ant problems use garlic toes, peal them and put them on the inner cover of the hive. Also smear the garlic accross the tracks ants built to clim the hive. Place a pealed toe at the entrance if that is where the ants are. Repeat the later after rain or about every 2 weeks. Ants will look for another place to gather food like that. Of course if you have more than 30 hives you may still have to use a quick solution but you also do not get the satisfaction of looking after your bees properly. That is what beekeepers should really be doing but commercial requirements have made this impossible.


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## Brent Bean (Jun 30, 2005)

I have had good luck putting rock salt under and around the hive stand. The ants hate it the bees don’t bother with it and it keeps the grass from growing up around the hive.


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## J-Bees (Jul 12, 2008)

Brent Bean said:


> I have had good luck putting rock salt under and around the hive stand. The ants hate it the bees don’t bother with it and it keeps the grass from growing up around the hive.


another thing that works is corn meal... give them lots of it they take it back into the mound an die of starvation.

JB:}


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## dcross (Jan 20, 2003)

wmgysi said:


> garlic toes



Garlic toes?


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## wmgysi (Feb 14, 2009)

*garlic toes for people in the US are cloves*

But up here we call them toes as there is about 5 to 8 to a garlic bulb. I hope language does not hinder your education.
Werner




dcross said:


> Garlic toes?


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## USCBeeMan (Feb 7, 2009)

Salt was mentioned above. I found this info on a site sometime back and kept it:

Fact or Fiction? :scratch:

*Appalachian Old-timer Wisdom: Both quaint and qualified*

*A "nasty" hive will calm when salt is sprinkled at the entrance (old-timer 40 years experience with this one).* 
*Salt sprinkled around the hive and across the entrance will keep mites out of the hive* 
*A "sweet potater" cut in half and laid across the top of the cluster in the brood chamber will help prevent starvation in the winter. The bees use it for bread in the winter.*


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## dcross (Jan 20, 2003)

wmgysi said:


> But up here we call them toes as there is about 5 to 8 to a garlic bulb. I hope language does not hinder your education.
> Werner



I figured it was something like that, just thought maybe you were using scapes or something


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## franktrujillo (Jan 22, 2009)

*ants*

thax for the information ill try it this year...garlic is great i have growing in yard


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## franktrujillo (Jan 22, 2009)

so when do u suppose i put a sweet potatoe half in hive and would u peel it


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## USCBeeMan (Feb 7, 2009)

franktrujillo said:


> so when do u suppose i put a sweet potatoe half in hive and would u peel it


Don't know. But I would think in Nov or Dec, depending where you live.


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