A BEE thread....for those interested in beekeeping.

[Leahs Mom]

I "think" this is why in nature, you find that they make passageways through their combs rather than leaving them solid. That way they can ventilate in summer and also travel across in the winter more easily.

So when you have plastic foundation, there are no passageways and they are forced to go around the outer edges.

It appears that when they build their own, they do it smarter.

eta: Have you considered converting to foundationless?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Medium vs. Large box was the question. I didn't say anything about foundationless, have some in fact. Has to do with amount of stores in one box and the need to move UP and if a cold snap unable to do so. That's the question. How far north are people using all medium?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

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.

 

[dotknott]

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.

I did 2 years ago. I covered the ground around the hive with ground cinnamon and they seemed to go away.

 

[rebrascora]

I had some ants that looked like they were setting up home between the crown board and the roof in one of my weaker colonies. I also used ground cinnamon, dusting the top side of the crown board and underside of the roof with it and it worked for me too.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I did 2 years ago. I covered the ground around the hive with ground cinnamon and they seemed to go away.

Quote:

I had some ants that looked like they were setting up home between the crown board and the roof in one of my weaker colonies. I also used ground cinnamon, dusting the top side of the crown board and underside of the roof with it and it worked for me too.

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.

 

[CherMoz]

My first thought for another option to protect a bee hive from ants is the use of food grade diatomaceous earth (DE); then I wondered if it would harm the honey bees. After quick internet research, it may work if you take proper precautions to protect your bees, I.e., don't create a "cloud," apply only where your bees do not land, and apply when the bees are least active. Please do your own research if this is something you decide to do. I have not used DE in this fashion, so I cannot state whether or not this will be efficacious. If you do try this, I would love to hear how it worked for you.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

My first thought for another option to protect a bee hive from ants is the use of food grade diatomaceous earth (DE); then I wondered if it would harm the honey bees. After quick internet research, it may work if you take proper precautions to protect your bees, I.e., don't create a "cloud," apply only where your bees do not land, and apply when the bees are least active. Please do your own research if this is something you decide to do. I have not used DE in this fashion, so I cannot state whether or not this will be efficacious. If you do try this, I would love to hear how it worked for you.

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 the more tender parts of their bodies.

 

[CherMoz]

Those ants sound huge! Hopefully, you will find something to deter them.

 

[mak1]

There is some chemical you spray around the area and it will kill them but dont spray around bees.