Ants in the bee yard

[donniethebeeman]

i have noticed growing ant hills in my bee yard. I know they shouldn't pose a problem for my strong hives but i also have several weak hives from swarm captures and cut outs. I was just wondering if anyone knew of a good safe way to get rid of these ants naturally.

[Grid]

I built simple stands with 18" long legs out of 2"x2". I put the legs in tuna cans with water and keep them filled, and all the surrounding vegetation trimmed to prevent any bridges over my ant moats. :)

Doesn't answer your question on what can kill the ants safely, but this is working for me.

Grid.

[donniethebeeman]

I have heard of the legsin the cans method working well before. I might try that with my weaker hives but i have too many to do this with all of them
but thanks. I am also thinking about the pipe tobacco method i have heard that will get rid of the ants also

[RAlex]

When I see a few ants in the hive it doesnt bother me a lot, but if it looks like too many then I add a burdock leaf to the top of the inner cover which usually takes care of them...Rick

[bhfury]

I don't really try to kill them because they do help clean up trash around the yard. If they get to out of hand, I will kill off a few nests.

[KQ6AR]

You could built a long hive stand/table with legs, that could hold several hives.
Might be the easiest way to protect the weak ones.

[Tom G. Laury]

There are so many species in Fresno county, and they do little or no real damage. The meat eating red ones will clean out waxmoth. I don't bother with them. But in coastal regions, we are blessed with an invasive species, the argentine ant. They form huge supercolonies, throwing queens and forming new groups that stay connected with each other for mutual benefit. They eat sweets and protect aphids on willow trees so they can collect the honeydew. By July, the creeks are dried up and the willows too. These ants are devastating. They will invade apiaries, living under pallets, between boxes, and everywhere else. I have seen trails of these things 6" wide. They will drive all the bees out of three stories full of brood honey and bees. Anything you may do that attracts them can be a disaster. You can't kill them. Bees have to be moved or all will be wiped out in 60 days.

[bhfury]

We just an ant bloom last week the ants were flying everywhere. It is the most awesome time to fish the San Juan River quality waters. An average San Juan river rainbow trout is 17", but fish over 20" are abundant.

[Tom G. Laury]

Can you still get a three day out of state license? I'm on my way.

[bhfury]

Yep - a 3 dayer... Here is all you will need.

http://www.troutsource.com/RiversFolder/SanJuan.htm

[BruinnieBear]

You can't kill them. Bees have to be moved or all will be wiped out in 60 days.

Tom

I just bought some surface treatment spray to control the horrendous mosquito problem we've had of late. The product is Cutter Bug Free Backyard concentrate. It lists Argentine ants as one of the species controlled.

On the down side, it does have a warning about foraging bees. It comes in a water spray applicator, and you surely wouldn't want to haphazardly spray in your yard, but you might be able to dilute the concentrate for spot treatment.

BB