# HELP Little black ants



## Robee (Dec 9, 2007)

The little buggers are trying to take over my hive. I just hived my first bees 1 week ago. A few days later I saw a few ants, now they look like they are taking over. I am feeding sugar syrup inside the hive so I am sure that is what attracted them.
How can I get rid of them or at least discourage them without putting the bees in danger too?
Thank You,
Rob


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## beenovice (Jun 19, 2007)

I like some ideas from here 

http://www.manataka.org/page1949.html 

Especially the chalk one. I do not know what line of chalk will do to bees ...


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

Robee said:


> How can I get rid of them or at least discourage them without putting the bees in danger too?


I've never seen any damage in Vermont from these little ants. They use the warm space between the inner and outer covers to raise their brood. Leave the bee escape hole open, and the ants will leave.


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

*Especially the chalk one*

Sometimes what looks like chalk is lime AKA agicultural grade lime for ph adjustment in soil management.
Regards,
Ernie lucas Apiaries


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## Dr.Wax (Apr 30, 2008)

How do you feel they are harming your hive other than taking some sugar water?

They won't drink much!


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## Robee (Dec 9, 2007)

It sounds to me like bees and ants cohabitate and I just didn't know this. Perhaps it wasn't the bees that didn't want ants but just Rob who didn't want them. 
OK, OK, I'll give them a chance. 
Thank you,
Rob


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## kirk-o (Feb 2, 2007)

You have to watch them they will over take the hive and the bees will leave this is my bigest problem.I put bottles of sugar water out for the ants so they go there and stay out of the hives
kirk-o


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## noelb (May 20, 2008)

*A toad stand*

I was having problems with little black ants but have solved the problem now. I placed the hive on what we in Australia call a toad stand. But any four leged stand will do. Just wrap some hemp or cotton around the legs for about 4 inches and soak in sump oil or grease etc. The ants will not cross this barrier. 
Just make sure nothing else is touching the hive allowing the ants to gain access.
I would post a picture if I could workout how to!

Regards,

Noel


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## geoffkb (Jul 2, 2007)

*I'm using oil too.*

I've collected plastic containers such as gallon milk jugs and cut them 3 or 4" deep. Put them under the legs of the hive stand and pour an inch or so of used sump oil from your friendly neighborhood auto-shop.

You have to be vigilant, if leaves or twigs fall in the oil and make a bridge, or you leave a board leaning on the stand they'll be over it in a matter of a few hours.


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## AllFloridaBee (Sep 25, 2007)

Antguard.com has some nifty products with permethrin-containing O-Rings that worked well for insect rearing facilities. I'd think they would be ideal for beekeeping. 
http://www.antguard.com/


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## Brent Bean (Jun 30, 2005)

I have has luck by using rock salt under and around the hive the ants hate it and it keeps the grass down. I have also had luck putting ant traps under the hive they carry it back to the nest and you nip it in the bud.
The little black ants here in Michigan are Argentinean ants and seem to be more of a nuisance than a real threat, I have never has a hive abscond because of them but they do seem to take resources away from more important things, like making honey for the beekeeper.


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## leafcutter (Mar 16, 2006)

Any of the variations on the 'hive stand with axle grease on the legs or with the legs sitting in tins of oil' will work.

I would not give them a chance to see of they all get along. Perhaps the east coast little black ants are not as mean as the ones out here, but the west coast variety will overrun and destroy a hive if given a chance.


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## Sambee (Apr 29, 2008)

I just went into my hive yesterday and found a little colony of those little black ants too, they werent on any of the combs, just the inner cover, but I dont want to take a chance. I am going to try the vasoline and cinnamon suggested in another thread, mixed together and spread around the base of the hive


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## JordanM (Jun 6, 2008)

I have an inner cover on mine, so if i just take the screen off the hole in the inner cover the ants will leave?


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## Sambee (Apr 29, 2008)

Thats a good question, a local beek here said to just remove the inner cover and the bees will clean them out, does that sound right to anyone? I'd hate to not take action or take too little action that would cause any slowness in my hive production, we want the girls to have a build up for winter.


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## hsbcapt (Mar 31, 2008)

GROUND CINNAMON !!! 
IT EVEN WORKS ON FIRE ANTS. I sprinkled it on a good size mound under my hives and they were gone in a couple of days.


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

Very Kewl!!!
I'd never heard of ground cinnamon for ant control before, thanks so much for the info, it's gonna make life much easier for me here. I'm going to see where I can get bulk quantities of ground cinnamon!


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## Axtmann (Dec 29, 2002)

*ants*

When you have trouble with ant mount one short angle iron on each leg of you hive stand. Put all four legs in empty cans (from hearing, dog food, cat food or whatever you have) and fill a little bit oil in each can. It solve the problem, the ants can’t swim in oil and than climb up to the hive.
It works not with wood legs because the wood soaks oil and the can will be empty.


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## pcelar (Oct 5, 2007)

RayMarler try Middle Eastern food store.


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