# ANTS....Blah!!!



## Bee_Sweet (May 27, 2008)

Hello, this is my first thread here on the Beesource. I just started two new hives after being out for 5 years. Yesterday I went out to see how they were doing on their first morning in the new home. ANTS everywhere !!! Little tiny ants crawling up the stacked cement blocks and into the hive.

I had never encountered this before... I was told to put down a barrier of Boric acid around the cement blocks (ground level) and that would stop those jokers from crawling up the blocks. After applying I checked on them a few hours later and it seemed to work. 

Well, I thought it worked! However, there they were crawling back up the blocks and getting into the hive. It also seemed to stress the bees out a bit, and the ants would attack the bees that had fallen onto the ground. Now these are not fire ants, they are tiny ants (some call them Argentina, or Pavement ants).

So, I contacted several pest control companies and told them of my dilemma and that I wanted something to get rid of the ants, but would be safe around bees. 

Here is what I did today:
1) Thanks to a helpful sales associate @ Brushy Mountain, she told me to try putting Vaseline around the base of the blocks. So I did this and the ant go up to it and turn away..... (fingers crossed!).
2) After talking to the pest control companies, I was informed to use Advance in an 8oz bottle. This is a non-sweet granular and an 8oz bottles sprinkles 1/2 an acre. 28.00 a bottle from a Do-it-yourself pest control. Also, I was informed that this is safe, because it is non-sweet and will not attract bees.

I will let y'all know how this experiment works.

Matt C.


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## EngineeringBeek (Mar 4, 2008)

It may not attract bees as a sweet source but they could likely mistake it for pollen if it is a powder substance. I would be extremely cautious using anything of that sort near the bees just because the chances and consequences are too great.
I've heard that cinnamon will deter ants, they don't like it. Sprinkle cinnamon around the hives and report back to us.


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## Bee_Sweet (May 27, 2008)

*non-sweet granular*

Thank you EngineeringBeek,

It is not a powder substance. It is a non-sweet granular - no powder as this was discribed by pest control would harm the bees. They said anything powder could get onto the bees as pollen does, SO you must use a granular. The Advance I mentioned in the 8oz bottle is a granular.

I will also try the Cin. thanks. However, the Vaseline seems to be working. I will continue to monitor and if the vaseline fails over a period of time I will try the Cin.. One at a time that way I will know what it was that worked at stopping the ants. 

The plan is to slow them down and keep them out of the hives until I can get rid of their colonies.

Thanks again,
Matt


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## MollySue'sHoney (Apr 10, 2008)

I never thought about using Vaseline. I've always used Heavy Marine Grease. If that Vaseline works I'm switching. No more scrubbing!! Just rub it in.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

I had a big big big colony of ants pretty much wipe out one of my yards. Brought down some of my strongest hives. I found the ant colony and took care of it with some ant killer. I dislike using that stuff but I needed to do something. I hope it worked. I will check today.


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## Zane (Mar 28, 2008)

*Ants*

I had some huge blk ants and some regular blk/red ants invade me in the beginning of the season while I was feeding them. I ended up using some old ant/roach killer under a pie pan w/ a rock on top on the nest. I still have ants around just not around the hives. Good luck!


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

did you put the pie pan on the top of the hive?


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## Bee_Sweet (May 27, 2008)

*What finally worked*

Okay, here is what worked. I used the Vaseline around the base of the blocks and it worked....(in the afternoons). When I went out and checked them the next morning ants were walking right over it, but as the day became warmer and the Vaseline got sticky & gooey again they stopped walking on it. So, the Vaseline is good when it is hot enough to keep it gooey.

Next thing I used was cinnamon. I used this in the morning when I saw the Vaseline was not working (in the am). I spread this around the cement blocks and it works great!!! It has lasted for days, so you do not have to spread it out all the time. Sure, you will still have a couple here and there that might find an opening, but nothing like when it was a free-for-all (ants at a picnic).

Those remedies worked great together, and being that I had them slowed down, I went and applied the Advance non-sweet granular ant killer. I hit areas all over my yard, and as soon as I dropped it they took off with it. It has been a week and I no longer have an ant problem. 

So there you have it!


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## BeeCurious (Aug 7, 2007)

*Hive Stands From Space... are not ant friendly*

This is what I've tried to prevent ants from entering the two hives I started.

The legs are 1/2" pipe, the "rain deflectors" are quart yogurt containers, and the inverted bottles have a couple of inches of mineral oil in them.

Note: Coke bottles fit nice and tight on the 1/2" pipe.

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj305/js06807/Hive Stands/IMG_0090.jpg

http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj305/js06807/Hive Stands/IMG_0091-1.jpg


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## kirk-o (Feb 2, 2007)

*ants*

I have had horrible problems with ants.The only thing that worked for me was.I take 12 ounce water bottles fill with borax and sugar add wate and put 3-4 around each hive plus a ring of sugar arounfd the hive the ants stope there.I give them what they want.Also cheap grape jelly and borax mixed they eat that to
kirk-o


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## Bee_Sweet (May 27, 2008)

*Kirk-o*

I was wondering why you mix the borax with sugar water? This would seem to attract your bees also. That is why if you are using a granular pesticide it should be the non-sweet version so that your bees to not go to it. Boric acid is relatively nontoxic to bees, but not absolute... I would be scared to do that.


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## Veracity (May 3, 2008)

I had an a bad problem with ants too, I use the store brand petroleum jelly and it works great for me...

I have not seen any ants get past it... I usuaually put it on pretty thick, with the GA heat it does run down the wooden legs but still effective...


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## beeman1966 (Jun 14, 2008)

I combined your two methods and mixed petroleum jelly with cinnamon in a Zip-Lock bag. I squeezed it around in the bag to mix it, then cut a corner off the bag and squeezed out the mixture onto my hive stand legs. It sure seems to have stopped the 
ants. I'll see how long it lasts and will update. 
Thanks for the info.


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## Bee_Sweet (May 27, 2008)

*Cool Beeman*

Great idea Beeman, you must bee a baker...


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## beeman1966 (Jun 14, 2008)

Bee_Sweet said:


> Okay, here is what worked. I used the Vaseline around the base of the blocks and it worked....(in the afternoons). When I went out and checked them the next morning ants were walking right over it, but as the day became warmer and the Vaseline got sticky & gooey again they stopped walking on it. So, the Vaseline is good when it is hot enough to keep it gooey.
> 
> Next thing I used was cinnamon. I used this in the morning when I saw the Vaseline was not working (in the am). I spread this around the cement blocks and it works great!!! It has lasted for days, so you do not have to spread it out all the time. Sure, you will still have a couple here and there that might find an opening, but nothing like when it was a free-for-all (ants at a picnic).
> 
> ...


I tried a combo of Bee Sweet's remedies by making a thick paste of petroleum jelly and cinnamon and applied it to the legs of my hive stand. No more ants! Its been more than three weeks now with no sign of the pests. 

Thanks, Bee Sweet.


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## Truchaos (Jun 30, 2008)

*Carpenter Ants Conquered*

Here's my ant story. 

This spring I ordered a few nuc's and a few weeks before I picked them up, I placed cement patio squares on the ground to suppress weed growth, placed blocks down and put the boxes in place, with the entrances blocked. All I had to do is pick them up and drive to the apiary for the bees. Well, the day before I was to go pick up the bees, I was preparing to load the boxes on the truck only to find they were filled with huge carpenter ants, with thousands of eggs. Thousands and thousands of them. I shook the ants out of the boxes and ordered the "Viz Elevated Hive Stand's" from Dadant. 

https://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=846

Before the stands arrived, the ants kept invading the lids of the hives and the inside covers. I'd pick it up and it would be filled with ants and their eggs. Once I installed the Viz stand and filled the barriers with water, No more ants!

Now, I'll be honest. I don't like the Viz Stand's. They do keep the ants out but they also drown too many bees for my liking to be used continuously. Maybe two cups of bees among the three hives. Now that the ants are long gone, I'm going to switch back to blocks and keep the Viz stands for when I need them again. 

One other complaint about the Viz stands, they don't seem to fit properly with screened bottom boards. 

The big Plus is that they allow the insect problem to be dealt with without poison and messy other products. 

Another big negative is that they're expensive. 

For what it's worth. 

(this is my first post as a new member)
Jerry


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## Dr.Wax (Apr 30, 2008)

You didn't mention what problems these ants are causing your hive.


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Try using Crisco grease, it works somewhat better than vasaline. Also, I've heard the cinnamon works, but I've not had any ant problems this year so far to try it out on! Glad to hear it worked for you, I'll be trying it out next time I need an ant solution!

Thanks!


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## Ken&Andria (May 2, 2007)

> Next thing I used was cinnamon. I used this in the morning when I saw the Vaseline was not working (in the am). I spread this around the cement blocks and it works great!!!


I tried this cinnamon thing last year. As soon as I spread it around the hive, the bees came out and collected it all and brought it into the hive. I guess they thought it was pollen. Didn't seem to hurt them any.


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