Ants: Efficient Cleaners?

[MeadFarm]

Is there a problem with letting the ants clean out stored comb? It's kind of difficult too keep them away. They'll move on when the honey residue is gone and from what I know they aren't vectors for disease. Can they be doing any harm?

[Billy B]

I am a first year keeper, I had some ant problems this year but found out you can use plan old cinnamon. I don't know why it works but it does. I put a liberal amount around the hive and they stayed away. If you want to keep the ants away it works well.

[MeadFarm]

I've heard of cinnamon and a few other ideas for keeping the ants away from the hive. Though that is not my concern. Its the stored comb - the frames that have already been spun and are being stored for next year.

[Panhandle Scott]

I would think it shouldn't be a problem as long as they don't start chewing up the foundation. Depending on what type of ants they are they can be destructive at times especially if a food source is scarce. They have been known to eat away the rubber coating on electrical wires.

Why wouldn't you just let the bees clean them up after extracting then store them.

[Merlyn Votaw]

When I had ants in my hivr I put 2 peppermint leaves on top of the frames. Nevt day no ants

[ccar2000]

As far as cleaning wet supers I have not found a place that I can put them that both the ants and bees get to them and clean them up. I don't know who does a better job.
If I see an occasional ant in my hives but do not sweat them. If they get out of control I put a ring of diatomaceous earth around the hives.

[MeadFarm]

These ants are the tiny black variety. They don't really bother me I just want to make sure they aren't doing harm. I'm pretty sure they don't eat foundation but that certainly wouldn't be good.
I would rather let the bees clean out the supers but I dont want to encourage robbing and I don't want to disturb the hives at this time. We'll see what happens.
I'll try peppermint in the hives next time I see ants there.