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Author Topic: Fire ants  (Read 9233 times)

Offline Beaver Dam

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Fire ants
« on: March 16, 2009, 08:34:28 pm »
Checked one of my hives today and only about 100 bees left. FIRE ANTS. No queen what a shame.  Hive was building up 2 weeks ago. Every thing looked good. Now dead hive. What do ya'll do to keep ants out?

Offline JP

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #1 on: March 17, 2009, 01:12:48 am »
Well, I have never had an issue with fire ants in my bee yard but they have gotten in a hive I set up after a cut out.

Have you ever heard of acrobat ants? I've been fighting them at my main bee yard for 3-4 yrs now. They will eat honey and brood, I didn't quite realize to what magnitude until today, I pulled 6 hives full of them, lost hives!

Over the yrs I've lost a few here and there to acrobat ants but today was too much.

I use a product called Talstar pl for fire ants and today I used it for all ants, especially acrobats that want to PO me even further.

Its a 3 month control product for fire ants, you can get it at any do it yourself pest control store. Its a granular product that gets down into the grass thatch. Its been a while since I've needed to use it in my bee yards, I've used it around my bees before, it does not get into the hive and its probably really good against shb as well.


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Offline Understudy

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #2 on: March 17, 2009, 02:38:17 am »
You must break the scent trail for ants.

Sprinkle cinnamon around the hive.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

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Offline TwT

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #3 on: March 17, 2009, 06:44:34 am »
I have been fighting ants for years here but found the trick a few years ago, you couldn't put any type feeder on a hive here without them being attracted to the hive, most hives could fight them off but some wouldn't, so the trick I use most here wouldn't but it works well for me, I stack 2 cender blocks high and put 4x4's across and them hives on the 4x4's to keep hives off the ground, then I spray the blocks with Triazicide and haven't had a problem since, most don't care to use poison around a hive but for ants I do, I have sprayed a few bee's before with it figuring it would kill them but it didn't, had to use soapy water instead (last of a removal) .


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Offline JP

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2009, 10:14:59 am »
Been using this product for many years for fire ants http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/talstar-pl-granules-p-47.html?gclid=CPjhheyEqpkCFQrFGgodN1NIpg

Tried cinnamon before, its very short term. One bag of Talstar pl will give me protection for about 3 months and it does not harm the bees.


Oh heck, I just saw that Talstar may not be the ticket for acrobat ants, but I will keep you guys informed. I needed to apply it anyway, though, fire ant piles were building up saw about 5-6 around hives but not bothering the hives, just the stupid acrobats.


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Offline Understudy

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2009, 10:20:08 am »
Been using this product for many years for fire ants http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/talstar-pl-granules-p-47.html?gclid=CPjhheyEqpkCFQrFGgodN1NIpg

Tried cinnamon before, its very short term. One bag of Talstar pl will give me protection for about 3 months and it does not harm the bees.


...JP
Correct cinnamon is a short term solution. It will wash away with the rain. What I usually do is sprinkle some around a new hive when I bring it to the farm. Because the established hives can handle the fire ants.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

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Offline JP

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2009, 10:22:31 am »
Brendhan, I'll gladly trade you my acrobat ants for fire ants any day of the week!


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Offline Understudy

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #7 on: March 17, 2009, 10:25:18 am »
Brendhan, I'll gladly trade you my acrobat ants for fire ants any day of the week!


...JP

Sent you a PM on those guys

Sincerely,
Brendhan

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Offline SlickMick

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2009, 03:31:17 am »
I am using a horticultural sticky glue that is conventionally used around the trunks of trees to stop insects invading the tree from the ground. I do get harmless ants but I also get gekkos and lizards coming onto the landing platform for a free feed so the sticky stuff stops them from advancing up the hive stand

I would imagine you would be able to get something similar in the US to what I get here

Offline JP

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #9 on: March 18, 2009, 12:21:17 pm »
I am using a horticultural sticky glue that is conventionally used around the trunks of trees to stop insects invading the tree from the ground. I do get harmless ants but I also get gekkos and lizards coming onto the landing platform for a free feed so the sticky stuff stops them from advancing up the hive stand

I would imagine you would be able to get something similar in the US to what I get here

I don't like sticky glue nor sticky traps because they are indiscriminate. Geckos, lizards and skinks are not pests. I've seen glue boards on shelves in garages that were gecko graveyards, just terrible, an awful way for critters to die as well as suffering is prolonged.

If you are having a problem with fire ants consider a granular product that gets down into the grass thatch, a heavy type of granual, one that cannot get airborn. Never use any kind of pesticide dust anywhere near your hives. Dusts of course drift and lend to contamination issues.

BTW, there are a few seasonal fire ant granular products out there that keep fire ants away for anywhere from 2-4 months.


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Offline jdpro5010

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2009, 04:26:10 pm »
Hey guys, while I don't seem to have the ant problems at the bee hives that some do, I do have problems with ants in the garage and such.  I use boric acid (20 mule team) on the ground for those and it works very well IMO.  I know it is also harmful to the bees but if you sprinkle it on the ground it will probably "settle out" and the bees will not be able to get it.  I am just thinking out loud here but it is an idea.

Offline Keith13

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #11 on: March 18, 2009, 05:34:20 pm »
Hey JP ever use the product top choice to control fire ants can be effectice up to a year its a heavy granuale just like talstar but it is expensive. If I remember correct it is 100.00 for a 25 lb bag but the stuff works great. I never used it around my bees just in my lawn and yard

Keith

Offline JP

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #12 on: March 18, 2009, 11:50:23 pm »
I've heard of it but never used it. Talstar pl lasts on average 3 months and I have used it around my hives.

I'll check out top choice some more.


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Offline ArmucheeBee

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #13 on: March 23, 2009, 04:14:00 pm »
I use a rebar stand with the legs in cans of water.  I have 5-6 different ant species attacking the hives until I did this.  Next I am building a 2x4 stand with 6 inch sections of rebar sticking into and out of the 2x4 legs and then put in cans of water.  No chems. around the hives.  I have pics if you want them.  Simple and easy build.
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Offline JP

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #14 on: March 23, 2009, 11:23:17 pm »
I use a rebar stand with the legs in cans of water.  I have 5-6 different ant species attacking the hives until I did this.  Next I am building a 2x4 stand with 6 inch sections of rebar sticking into and out of the 2x4 legs and then put in cans of water.  No chems. around the hives.  I have pics if you want them.  Simple and easy build.

Post your pictures Stephen, its always good to see what other people are doing.


...JP
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Offline ArmucheeBee

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #15 on: March 24, 2009, 09:44:56 pm »
I posted it under "equipment' last month

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,19975.0.html

"Homemade Solutions"

I went back to the cans of water instead of the grease around the legs.
Stephen Stewart
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Offline Brian D. Bray

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Re: Fire ants
« Reply #16 on: March 24, 2009, 11:15:51 pm »
You must break the scent trail for ants.

Sprinkle cinnamon around the hive.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

Recalled the scene in the movie "Ants" about the ant who panic'd when a leaf fell across the trail. 8-)
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