# Borax around hive for ants



## Ern (Mar 24, 2010)

Is it safe to use borax around hives to discourage ants?

Ern


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## Nantom670 (Jul 29, 2011)

Run a search on *will borax kill bees* and you will see that is what is recommended to kill bees if they are creating a problem for someone. They say it will also kill the ants and the grass. It is used inside the house also to rid it of insects, a natural killer for insects and can be used to make your clothes whiter also, just threw that in.


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## JClark (Apr 29, 2012)

Borax, or boric acid, is usually mixed w/ a bait to make it palatable to ants. Most baits on the market are mixed w/ sugar for "sugar ants" or mixed w/ a grease based bait for other types of ants--like Pheidole spp. (common name big headed ant?) in the south. This is done so they take it into the nest and it eventually kills the queen(s). That said, if the bees have access they will do the same thing (for the sugar bait)and it could result in the same end (depending on the proportion they take in to other foodstuffs).

If you are talking about sprinkling borax crystals on the ground it will only kill the ants (or bees) that come into contact w/ it. Won't remove the colony so more foragers will come to replace them. W/out mixture in a palatable bait they won't take to the nest. 

So if the bees don't land on it then it shouldn't hurt them.


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## Myron Denny (Sep 27, 2009)

I sprinkeled ground cinnamon right out of the kitchen cabinet on the inner cover that was covered with what we refer to as piss ants about a week ago. I will check tomorrow to see if it worked. I had previously dumped all the ants and eggs but they came back, will see tomorrow if the ground cinnamon stopped them.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I would mix the borax with equal parts of grape jelly and water and put it in a sandwich container with some 1/8" holes drilled in the top...


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## Myron Denny (Sep 27, 2009)

I checked the hive with cinnamon on the inner cover this AM, there were no ants.


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