# Fire ants- please help!



## Hank Scudder (Apr 10, 2013)

Have you considered using a moat of diatomaceous earth? It's worth a shot unless otherwise contraindicated. I once used it to rid a bunkhouse of a 5-Star bedbug infestation.


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## Blackwater Bees (May 7, 2012)

You already stated the problem, leg touching the side of the water container. Move the hives so the ants don't know where to come for food,Fix the container it so it doesn't touch the legs. Leave the ants alone, they'll eat SHB larvae.


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## julysun (Apr 25, 2012)

With Fire ants I track them back to the mound and use any fire ant killer there. It will be away from the bees and it works. A strong hive will help once you get to that point but first find that mound! Or mounds.


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## Bubbles (Jul 14, 2012)

Here are a couple of links that might help. 

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?252812-fire-ant-control/page2
http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...ive-Stand-Actually-Works!&p=862141#post862141


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## DrDoorlock (Mar 5, 2013)

Blackwater Bees said:


> You already stated the problem, leg touching the side of the water container. Move the hives so the ants don't know where to come for food,Fix the container it so it doesn't touch the legs. Leave the ants alone, they'll eat SHB larvae.


S?HoneyBee larvae. When teaching, please assume the student knows nothing. I've been researching for weeks, but couldn't quite figure this anagram. Thanks.

I tried moving the hive just 6 feet around a corner of the shed and 15 minutes later they were circling around where it was so I moved it back. I could cut the points off the legs and make it narrow enough to not touch the sides of the pan two legs are setting in, but I worried the vibration would drop the combs or stir up the bees too much. I guess it's a risk I will have to take.


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## DrDoorlock (Mar 5, 2013)

Appreciation to all who replied. Tomorrow those darn ants are getting a sprinkling of proven ant killer. I just hope they don't win before I get there. Maybe the rain we are sure to have tonight will wash away the problem, but I'm still taking some major poison over there.


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## BayHighlandBees (Feb 13, 2012)

i've heard a ring of cinnamon does wonders. Any reason you wouldn't place an ant poison station or two on their main ant trail?


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## Bubbles (Jul 14, 2012)

SHB = small hive beetle. Their larvae goes down into the soil to start their life cycle.


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## Lburou (May 13, 2012)

Amdro insecticide will stop the fire ants. Use a little, not too much and it will get fed to the ant queen. HTH


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## Hambone (Mar 17, 2008)

Orthene by Ortho works great. It doesn't have sugar in it and the bees won't mess with it.


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## Blackwater Bees (May 7, 2012)

Sorry about the abbreviations. Yes, SHB-small hive beetles go down in the soil to mature. Part of IPM-integrated pest management I've seen is to leave the fireants alone if they aren't causing you a problem. They'll eat the SHB larvae. It's a win, if they arent' bothering your hives. Fireants don't bother my hives, its the larger ants that do. Big red ones the size of the black carpenter ant. They don't seem to pick up the amdro like the fireants do. Yes, Orthene would work, but after losing some to sevin dust, I freak out about any kind of powder or dust around the hives. I use both amdro and orthene on mounds in the garden, with good success.


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## DrDoorlock (Mar 5, 2013)

I just MURDERED the little creeps with poison after I found a clutch the size of a quarter on a top bar. I made a circle all around the hive and I know this stuff works. Things are still looking pretty good inside. I'm waiting for this colony to build and progress more before I move the partition. Without seeing the queen, I feel strongly I know where she is staying at bar 3. I'm not doing a full inspection, but I plan to use the endoscope again today. Thanks everyone!


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## bevy's honeybees (Apr 21, 2011)

Blackwater Bees said:


> ... Leave the ants alone, they'll eat SHB larvae.


I stopped messing with fire ants after learning that they are after the shb larvae. I watch them carry out the larvae, and now I too leave them alone. It's the bull ants that I've lost weak hives to, not fire ants.


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## brianlacy (Apr 14, 2009)

I've not tried it but heard Tangelfoot works wonders see this too


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