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I have not but I definitely will. Thanks for the information. While thinking of all the things that can go wrong, I'm envisioning painting the legs with tanglefoot and the ants getting stuck one ahead of the other and creating an ant bridge over the goo. At least it should slow them down.

They come across the ground in droves and climb up the legs. I think the ants have multiple nests all over the area. I haven't been able to locate them because they travel fast over large areas. I've used ant bait with limited success. It's strange because I've lived here for over 20 years and...

We'll keep putting our heads together. I was so desperate as to use Amdro Ant Bait. It didn't seem to bother the bees and had some effect on the ants but it was slow. As for the DE, the ants are nearly a half inch long and so big, I think they could walk across a desert of DE without touching...

Quote: Thanks to both of you. I did use cinnamon but didn't seem to be much of a deterrent. These ants are so big they just stride over every deterrent. I put legs of hive stands in small buckets and filled them with both water and oil yet they found a way across the moats to get into the hives.

Does anyone else here have problems with ants? Both small and large ants invade my hives. Large black ants completely killed one of my hives last year. I watched them drag out bee larvae.

Wow, what a day. I've had a couple days like that this year. I went from one hive to four but ants killed off one of them. Looks nice. I remember how scary handling the first package was.

X2 Definitely, pressure treated would be a bad idea. Just plain pine untreated, unpainted would last several years. Painted, or linseed oiled it would last 20 years or more. The bees don't even like plastic or metal, if they accepted pressure treated wood it would probably kill them. After all...

If you have the woodworking tools to do the job - go for it. There are good dimension parts information available. Getting a hive established in August will have to be fed all winter and into the spring because they won't have time to get stores brought in. Syrup till it gets cold and then a...

Are there enough bees that you need a suit and smoker? If they didn't make it through winter, then there is no queen or queen cells. Just take it all apart to see what you have and what's going on.

In warm weather, if in doubt, add another box.

What did you use for bait? I'm picking up a package in a couple hours.

I'll see them on Monday. I have to pick up some equipment and a package of bees. Excellent point.

I do not but when I've looked into my friends' TBHs the brood was in the middle. I think it was spring so I'll have to ask them what they do for winter.

Again, that points to a temperature issue. When the space is below the mid 40s, they can't leave the cluster. If temperature stays there, they could starve when there is more food in the space.

Quote: If I had to hazard a guess it would be because the space is so large (at least in those I'm familiar with) and when it is cold, they will cluster in one space and not be able to access the other stores because when leaving the cluster when cold, they can't move.

Yeah, he was pretty good, simple and straight forward. Obviously very experienced. His videographer friend didn't know much. The discussion about black queens and big butts was awkward and revealing.

That's good advice. Around here, we don't use syrup after it drops below 40 or so at night. I switched to a candy board - which I made myself. My hive came through very strong. However, it was a mild winter and everything bloomed a month early, especially trees. I also put a pollen patty in...

These people are messed up.

Swarms are usually docile. Bees try to save their stinger for protection of the hive, brood and stores. I cut the grass right up against my hives. Just don't provoke them. Unless you're hassling the hive, you won't get stung unless you step on one or get one caught in clothing. You'd have to cut...