# Ant Barrier set of 4 Made in U.S.A.



## lazarus4 (Jun 5, 2014)

Hi
Some places where I have my hives I have had ant problems. Try regular cheap powdered Cinnamon . Remove the outer cover and try to kill as many ants as you can. Then remove the inner cover and check for ants also. No ants in the hive-no worries. I have had to sprinkle some into the hives causing with no problems for the bees. They don't seem to mind it. Just don't get too carried away inside the hive. Put it on top of the frames. Put the inner cover back in place and sprinkle on the inner cover the Cinnamon. I try to sprinkle it way they would have to cross over the Cinnamon. This will help you with controlling the ants. If you put it on the outside rain will just wash it away. This really works for me.


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## Chester5731 (Jan 11, 2016)

I have never put it on the frames but I do regularly put it on the inner cover. Works good. Cinnimon that is.


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## lazarus4 (Jun 5, 2014)

I would rather keep it off the frames but you might try it. The Cinnamon on the top of the inner cover should do the trick.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

well, they arrived a couple of days earlier than expected.
He reduced the shipping (from CA to Al) so less than charged by ebay.
I ordered 4 sets.
he added several other bonus doodads to the order.















tests are underway


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

maybe it will stay dry and the ants can find the honey. 
I placed soapy water in the base on the right. 
nothing in the base on the left. 
and a little honey on the rail to help them find it. 
it's 58° F
a bee found it so far

.
.


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## MissMollyTN (Feb 19, 2017)

I bought the same ones (we probably saw the same post on fb). 
What do you plan to use in them? (I assume something that won't evaporate.)

I've seen similar traps that beekeepers filled with wheel-bearing grease -apparently because it won't melt in the heat(?). Also, some used it on the underside of the cover instead (less chance of the grease collecting dirt & debris). Thoughts on this? 
I'm a new beek (starting my first 2 hives this spring), so all of this is new to me. Don't want to fill these traps with anything the bees will try to eat or drink, though.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

I'll put some kind of oil in them. right now it's dawn and water. 
I've used bearing grease on the hummingbird feeders to keep the ants out. it's gotten dirty over the years but it's still keeping the ants out.
I'll try the neverwet on the underside of a cap to test that too.

The weather messed up my test. I'll start again when it warms up and stops raining.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

the ants are being warm weather wusses. so far, too cold for them to be out in force. 

had a bee visit though.

http://i.imgur.com/p3JbNc1.jpg

It looked like it was trying to get into the soapy water underneth. I put her up on the plate.
I found a dead be in the water Friday.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

you know what? I think this is one of the ground bees I have living in the hillside under my deck

it seemed really small and now I think I know why
.


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## MissMollyTN (Feb 19, 2017)

Yes, I don't want to use any water-based solution, as it will evaporate, and also because it seems (from reading others' experiences) that the bees will try to drink from it and drown. My hives will not be right near my house, so I'd rather use something that's low maintenance and won't break down or melt. I'll be interested to hear how the neverwet works- I assume you're just "painting" it on the underside?


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

yes. it's a two can spray application. I'll spray it on the underside of the top covers (the part with the comb design on it in the above pic)


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

seems to work.
I'll test the neverwet soon.
.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

this is with soapy water in the reservoir.
.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

finally got around to opening the neverwet.
these are the covers, and some aluminum strips
.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

and this is with neverwet on the underside of the cover
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.
looks like it works to block ants


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

by the way, the one on the right never had anything in the reservoir. showing that ants can crawl over the cover. 

the dawn and water in the one on the left would evaporate in a day of sitting in the sun so you'd have to use oil in the trap or grease under the cover.

also, when it rained, both units would have water in the reservoir due to splatter from the near by surface. granted, this test is out in the open and not under a hive.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

the intended application... This is part of an old swing set made with 4x6s that my kids out grew.
btw, the covers were off being painted with neverwet.

Left hand end of stand
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.
.
Right hand end of stand
.


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## MissMollyTN (Feb 19, 2017)

So the ants can't seem to crawl over the neverwet, correct? 
Are you planning to leave the bottom cups empty, then?


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

MissMollyTN said:


> So the ants can't seem to crawl over the neverwet, correct?
> Are you planning to leave the bottom cups empty, then?


yes and yes.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

so far so good, no ants
.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

I'll have to watch for weeds that grow up and make a bridge though.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

1 week in and the neverwet if working perfectly. 
There are ants everywhere on the ground below feeding on the dead bees and spilled syrup. 

I almost made a mistake and left the excess strap laying on the ground. that would have been a bridge.
.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

3 weeks, no ants.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

ant's this morning. 
turns out a blade of grass had grown tall enough to touch the stand above the barrier. 
They had just gotten there so I dispatched them with a blow torch early this morning before the bees were too active.

only a few left wandering around this afternoon.

I knew I'd have ants. I'll just have to watch for bridges over the barrier.


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## TinyFish (Mar 22, 2017)

I bought some of these, they seem to work. Like with any moat you have to manage 'bridges' and what you use in them. The guy who sells them is a beekeeper and seems very nice and, as you say, included a couple of doodads in my order. Just little things, but a little surprise is a fun thing.
Here in Bay Area, California, we have argentine ants, and I've found cinnamon only slows them down for a few hours.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

hey, welcome to beesource
yep bridges.... 
I'm not putting any oil or anything else in the moat. I'm relying entirely on neverwet on the underside of the moat covers.


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## R_V (Aug 20, 2016)

week 4 
besides the blade of grass bridge indecent, all is well. no ants

putting down 3mil black plastic sheeting under and around the base to prevent a repeat blade of grass bridge.

As handy as these "Ant Barrier" things are, I think I could accomplish the same thing with a plate or pie tin painted with neverwet and inverted over half a brick.


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