Ant control

[John Sabat]

I am new at this along with a friend that attended the last beginners class. We both have 3 hives each and both have some ant problems. Medium sized black, large carpenter ants, a few red ants and a few small black. We both have sugar water feeder on top of our brood boxes. There is not a large amount of ants but we want to be proactive and keep them from becoming out of control. What are our options?
John Sabat

[Wally]

A few ants act as hive cleaners...A bunch of ants become a problem. I don't worry about them until they become numerous.

Hive stand legs in oil cans, white lime around base of stand, gardstar, are all used by some beeks for ant control.

[Kurt Bower]

I have never seen ants to the point where they were a problem for the bees.
I have been aggravated by them especially when they build colonies under the inner cover, but still dont do any real damage.

Kurt

[bdloving]

I tried the sticky goop they sell to keep insects off of trees. dont bother, it becomes a huge mess in the heat, and any leaf/stick that falls on it becomes a bridge for the ants. I had 3 hives where the ants actually ate the corners off the feeder edges and were happily robbing all my sugar syrup. Depends on the type of top feeder wether the bees can keep the ants under control.
The screened ones are an open invitation.

[Locust&Honey]

What about spider mites?? And those other white looking things that are all over the white paint on the outside of my hive??? Should I worry???

[Wally]

L&H, mix a little dawn dish soap with water in a spray bottle and spray the sides of the hive. Not the front.

[TJ]

I just found about 60 large ants dead in my top feeder. I new they were feeding but didn't know how many. I had already smeared vaseline all around the blocks my hive sits on. I have now tried Wally's lime trick. Will post back and tell you how that went.... Anyone know what the large beige cockroach type things with large wings are? I found a few that scattered under my lid....freaked me out. Also, is the black mold on the underside of the top cover okay? I have a screen with ventilation holes that I've added on top of the feeder to keep (ha!) the bugs out. I've put it notched-bar holes up, screen down (to block access to syrup). My top cover has that lip that comes down over the frame bar holes and I don't think the ventilation is very good because this mold is building up and looking creepy, like lichen. Can I salt down the inside of the lid and rinse to prevent this (I wouldn't want to use bleach). Or maybe an antibacterial essential oil like melaluca (tea tree)? Any suggestions? Thanks!

[ski]

I don't have an ant problem yet. When I had the hive top feeder on there were a few feeding but not many. I would guess you have already read about the borax and jelly that Michael Bush uses. But that kills the ants.

I have been using the screen inner cover, just like a window screen. The screen cover came with the hive I purchased from Reels. So no mold yet. There have been some big(half inch ) cockroaches on the screen under the top cover. Maybe a screen innercover would provide more ventilation and prevent the mold?

[TJ]

Ski, That's what I have, a screen inner cover. But I think the top cover is tight and is prevent circulation. Should I just use the screen and screw it down with no top cover? Do people do that in the summer? I thought the bee smell and noise might attract animals. So they are cockroaches! Yech! They are HUGE! I'm from Canada and we don't see them that big up there, (I never saw them at all but they're in the rundown apartments, and in Toronto, but they're small and brown). I didn't read about the borax and jelly -- where is that post? I try not to kill anything if I don't have to, but if the nest gets huge, I might succumb to the temptation. TJ

[ski]

TJ
I don't think I would use the screened cover alone, I agree that may cause other problems. Maybe just prop the outer cover up for a little more vetalation just a thought. I have also heard of off setting the supers by an eight of an inch or less to let air circulate but it has not been that hot here yet. Maybe some of the more experienced beeks can add some better info.

Another good forum is beesource the thread below is from bee source.

About the 4 or 5th post down talks about the borax and jelly.

http://www.beesource.com/forums/showthr ... light=ants

[bdloving]

No dont use just the screened cover, 1 thunderstorm and you have a drowned hive. I use a regular hive cover and just stick a twig in 1 corner if I feel they need more ventilation. Remember the bees are masters at central air conditioning, so unless it gets scalding, they can handle it as long as water is available.

[ski]

TJ
Is the mold coming from the sugar syrup?
Are the bees consuming the syrup?
How long does it take the bees to consume the gallon or whatever you are putting into the hive top feeder?

Could it be that the bees are not consuming it fast enough and it is fermenting and molding on the top cover. May not be a ventilation issue may just be fermenting sugar syrup that needs to be changed more often Just another guess.

Ski

[TJ]

Thanks for the tips! Should have thought of the "drowning the bees" bit. ~sigh~ poor bees, having me for a mommy. Ski, the syrup seemed fine, there was no moldy scum on top, and they took more of it after a 4 day lapse in me checking and there's only a little left. They've taken down about a gallon and a half in 4-5 days, and I've fed them 2x now since having them, they're probably going to want more tomorrow. These bees are amazing! The black mold is on the inside of the top cover and on the screened cover wood frame, not in the feeder box itself. I will put a twig in to ventilate, excellent idea! Just wanted to keep those darn huge cockaroaches out, but I guess they're not hurting anything; maybe they will symbiotically eat the mold and we will all live together in bliss. Thanks for the links on the borax too. TJ