Ants everywhere!

[orvette1]

Ants have made a home in a hive.  Any ideas on how to get them out? I can't use legs in oil because it rains too much.

[melliferal]

I suppose I might try to build something like a wooden skirt where necessary on the legs to keep the rain out of the oil cans?  They need only be an inch or two above the tops of the cans and only just wide enough to avoid drips from getting in.

[edward]

We use plastic sheeting , if you have a sheet that sticks out around the hive the ants have a hard time climbing around the edge.

hope you understand my explanation  :-\

mvh edward  :-P

[AllenF]

Do the ants have a nest in the hive, or just helping themselves to a free meal?

[orvette1]

The ants seem to have built a nest in the hive. Maybe only in the honey super, I can't tell yet. It will be a few months before I take off the super. I would prefer to not disturb the hive as much as possible.  Shb is pretty bad around here.

[edward]

Small black ants don't hurt the hive , they might make a mess of poly hives buy tunneling.

The big ant hill ants that live in the forest can over run a hive in the early spring before they have had a chance to grow.

They take honey and even the eggs and larvae, they do this to start their season also ,

Later in the season they usually leave the hives alone. Some bee keepers feed ant hills sugar in the spring build up so they will leave the hive alone.

I don't have this problem because I have black bears that eat the ant hills  :roll:

mvh edward  :-P

[Sundog]

Try some ground cinnamon powder.  The ants don't like it and the bees don't seem to mind.

Have fun!

[orvette1]

Sundog,  I have thought about putting cinnamon around the bottom, but it rains too much. Do you think I can put it directly in the hive and on the frames?

[Sundog]

You DO need to re-apply on the outside after it rains hard, but it dries again and after a few applications it permiates the area. 

I have put it on the top bars of my KTBH with good success.    I once OD'd the top board of my Lang (cap fell off while shaking) and the bees got mad but other than that they don't seem to mind.  Give it a  try, it isn't too expensive and you can always put the leftovers on toast.

Have fun!

[Danpunch]

I was quite impressed with these:

http://forum.beemaster.com/index.php/topic,38060.0.html

The bearing grease won't melt in the heat or wash away in the rain. Going to build a few of these this weekend.

[loumaro]

Go to your local garden supply and get some (Tangle Foot) and smear it
on the legs of your stand. It's about like axel grease but made for insects
that get on apple trees and such. If your garden supply dosen't carry it look on E-BAY.         
Works for me.

Louie

[asprince]

I would brush away as many of the ants as I could and sprinkle some granular ant bait around the hive. If the ants have a trail leading back to the nest, follow and treat the nest. This has worked for me.


Good Luck,

Steve   

[Bradeeen]

Some kinds of Ants are much dangerous for us because these ants put a lot of negative effects on different important things. If you are failed to removed ants from your house or garden you can get the services of a pest removal company for this purpose.