Well I lost my first hive, and I mean my first hive. Things had been going extremely well so far (4 weeks?). Nice combs, growing colony, etc. Had been having a minor ant problem for a few days. Treated with boric acid/sugar, and maintained a perimeter with some Ortho powdered product. I was checking them everyday. Well today I went up and the ants had some how found a path thru the defenses, and I mean alot of ants. Something seemed strange so I popped the top, and everyone was gone. So bummed. Anyway, to any other newbees out there, those tiny little brown/black ants can be a serious pest problem. Cleared me out in 24, so keep an eye out.
Good night,
RD
Oil bath works great- keep an eye on them. If the edges of the cans are touching the legs, they will have found their way in. I had to rig little "ballarina tutus" on the legs above the cans to keep curious bees out.The cans filled up pretty quickly with dead bees before.
I've heard that where there are citrus trees, there will be these Argentinian ants.
I dont care for pesticides, but Amdro has eliminated these ants for the first time ever from our house this summer. When it starts to get hot, they move in in thick black lines and stay until it cools off in October. Good riddance to them i say.
Uh, did you treat inside the hive with the boric acid/sugar? I know bees like sugar but i dont know what boric acid mixed with it might do. They at least might try to clean it out and if they really dont like it, they might just pick up and leave. Like i say, i really dont know.
I do know that those ants would drive me out.
Do get another hive going and try to stay one step ahead of those --- ants.
My condolences. I mourned the death of my first colony for quite a while. Get another hive, dock it in motor oil, and watch it. Those ants will suicide in the oil, and when there's enough, they'll walk on the bodies.
sounds like your standard variety of fireants. nasty little creatures. and toss out the idea of sticking legs of the bee stand in cans of motor oil. been there done that. the first rain will float the oil just as the fireant is set to begin an incredible bioliogical expansion. I would suggest a line of axle grease smeared around each leg and renewed ever six months.
"and maintained a perimeter with some Ortho powdered product."
What product.. I've read that the "dust" type insectides are the worst for honey bees. It can blow around.. the powder can get on the bees to be brought back into the hive(there's always a stray bee on the ground).. and that the particle size of powder could be similiar in size to pollen.
I've used old oil on the hive legs.. it needs to be re-applied consistently.. thought I'd try the axle grease.
I tried the oil moat. No good. First, the cinder blocks soaked it up. Then, dirt and debris filled in the moat, making numerous bridges. I'll try the axel grease now. Yesterday I noted a major sugar ant highway.
Thanks for all of the replies and suggestions. Just wodering how the commercial guys do it- I mean they don't do the axle grease or oil routine on all their hives, do they? And all those hives out in feilds orchards etc. must attract tons of ants. I just can't believe how fast it happened,
but it is sinking in this morning, and I was wondering if its too late in the season to try again. I'm in San Diego CA. If not, anyone have a personal reccommendation where to get a package of bees (mine were collected from a feral hive) Can I leave the combs as is, or do I clear them out entirely when starting over?
Thanks again,
RD
Your new comb is very valuable. Do not damage it. Too late for package bees, but check around some of the beekeeper's associations in your area. Someone may be reducing inventory or getting out.
I've got a feeder on and the ants are going after it. A steady couple hundred. They appear to be going after the syrup only. Should I worry about this, how do I stop it?
I suggest that you not worry about the ants. When too many dead (drowned) ants accumulate in the bottom of the top feeder after the bees consume the sugar water, I remove the dead ants with either a paper towel or rinse the feeder. Dead ants and those feeding on the sugar water does not appear to interfer with bees consuming the sugar water. I've had ants establish a colony with eggs and brood between the floor and the feeder pan in the top feeder without the ants harming the bee colony.
I think it is important to start out with a nuc. I have wondered why people start packages out in a single full deep versus a nuc when they take a split from a hive and place it in a nuc. For me, if ants are a problem, I would make sure to have a swarm or package into a nuc, build up population so they can properly defend and than move them into a single deep. Ants are best kept away from the hive if bees, when you open the outter cover, are guarding the top of the inner cover. Makes since to me.
I am a cinnamon guy myself. I guess its the sweetness in me
Believe a large part of your problem was loose sugar within the hive. Beleive me an ant can be attracted a far piece with sugar and have great communication skills. With a few colonies, the oil surrounding elevated legs can work well.
It must be a matter of climate. I see a few ants around the hives during the summer, but they never seem to cause any kind of problem. I don't worry about them at all.
San Diego should be warm enough to start hives almost anytime I would think. Especially if you're willing to feed. Do queens even have a down period in that climate?
We have about every variety of ant here. I have never used anything to keep them out or treat them. I believe your hive absconded, then the ants invaded. I see them go after syrup in feeders, especially hive top feeders, but not active colonies. Think about it, how would any feral colony survive if it were really a problem? The bees probably had another problem, mites, insecticide, SHB, etc that sent them packing. The ants are just housekeeping.
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