Big ant problem, don't know what to do

[kincade]

Will boric acid be brought back to the hive or does the bee that gets into it die in the field?

It depends on the delivery method I suppose. Boric is not a fast 'knockdown' killer.

Most often the boric acid is mixed with sugar water (as with Terro ant bait) which the ants carry back to their nest. The idea is that it WONT kill them quickly so that they can bring lots of it into their nest. If a bee can get in the sugar water baited with boric then they too would bring it back to their hive (especially this time of year when there is a dearth in many areas). I have no idea what the level of kill would be but you would no doubt lose some bees over time.

I use the boric bait stations (identical to the terro but homemade) every spring in my home when the ants start to emerge and it has worked exceptionally well. By many reports the ants switch to a more protien oriented diet partway through the season so peanut butter, sugar water, and boric acid may work better in the fall.

Also, be aware that boric is extremely toxic to dogs/cats/etc. So make sure these stations are out of reach from pets and young curious hands.

[julysun]

Kincade

Like the man said, Candy is dandy but liquor (Boric acid liquor) is quicker!

[BOYZNUS]

The ants that I am having a problem with are very, very small black ants. Maybe "grease" ants? They don't seem to be a masive invasion, but are so very tiny, and they are traveling up into the second deep. I only see about 10 or 12 at at time. The bees don't seem to be interested in them as they travel by them. Will try DE and see if it does any good.

[Charlie B]

The ants that I am having a problem with are very, very small black ants. Maybe "grease" ants? They don't seem to be a masive invasion, but are so very tiny, and they are traveling up into the second deep. I only see about 10 or 12 at at time. The bees don't seem to be interested in them as they travel by them. Will try DE and see if it does any good.

Those small black ants in my neck of the woods are Argentine ants that over ran three of my starter hives. DE, Amdro, cinnamon and the like didn't work at all against these little devils. Do what I described in my previous post #12. It really works.

[dfortune]

I dont know what kind of ants i got, but yall sure as heck dont want em. They cover every square inch of over an acre. Fast little bugars too. Very tiny mounds all over the place so you cant really poison em. Dead bees all over the front of my hives from ant attacks. Eventually they got so bad i had no other choice but to move my hives. Thankfully they only inhabit dry sandy areas. I dont know how many hives you got but you could put them on stands with legs in some oil.

[G'ville beek]

Well that sounds like alot of ants, but I can only tell ya what works for me. This is a method used in the Biodynamic world, Gather yourself a bunch of ants, roast them in a metal pan over an open wood fire (outdoors) get yourself a mortar and pedestal and grind them for an hour, making a nice fine powder, sprinkle the powder over the area you want to deter the ants. Ants no more, you will have to reapply from time to time and this should be done between Sept 13th 9:00am and Sept 15th 5:00pm. This is called ashing. The time frame stated is when you want to prepare the ash and apply.

[julysun]

Since my effort to control Crazy ants is ongoing I will report this. Texas A&M Univ. reports that there is at present;
"Effective products involved with the treatments are not readily available to the consumer. If you suspect your house or property is infested with these ants, call a professional pest control provider. After treatment, or when making multiple applications over time, piles of dead ants must be swept or moved out of the area in order to treat the surface(s) underneath.

**Note for Professional Pest Management Personnel: According to the Texas Department of Agriculture, the following products have received expanded use approval through a Section 18 Quarantine Exemption from the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the control of these ants. These are only available for use in counties with confirmed infestations of the Rasberry crazy ant. See product labels and supplemental labels for specific use directions: This exemption will expire on October 21, 2012.:
http://urbanentomology.tamu.edu/ants/rasberry.html

So, my problem with Crazy or Rasberry ants may not match your ant problem.
To date:
Tanglefoot is rapidly (one day) breached. TOTALLY covered!
Water Barrier; Works but is a pain and drowns bees. (not practical for one of two hives)
Oil barrier; Same as water.
Boric Acid; They drink the stuff like good wine and just keep coming.
TERRO; Bait and dry broadcast; under test today
Diatomaceous earth ; Under test today.
Best defense so far? Bees! They seem to be holding the fort BUT, if this fight does not come my way then I will abandon the site. (Further note, one, the TBH seems to have the biggest problem and is the weakest hive. The Lang seems stronger and less molested. Both were started with 3 lb packages this spring. Could be the ant fight.)

Results to date; Ants 7, me 0.

Update; Ants 7 me 1

I needed to feed a weak TBH but every time I put a feeder in the hive ants just swarmed the hive. I got a chicken water can and hung it with a rope from a pine tree, the ants took it over in mass in 1/2 hour. I swung the can with thin wire from a flower pot hanger about 20 feet in front of the two hives. Ants in 15 minutes swarmed down that wire and covered the water station. So I put a Perky Pet ant guard (http://www.shop.krusefeed.com/images...865752538.jpeg) in the support wire, Presto! ants blocked! Bees feeding with little fighting. I did fill the water trough with marbles for the bees to walk on. That was noon Yesterday, noon today the bees are still sucking it up and the ants are still blocked.

[Kritterbee]

a much safer product to eliminate ants is to slice cucumber's and place at each leg (if hive is on a stand) or simply placed around the base of your stand. Ants hate the smell and will avoid the area entirely. Also, if you can locate the ant nest (hill) get some peppermint candies and crush them up, then sprinkle a few chips onto the top of the ant hill. you do not have to uncover the hill. the ants will take the chips down to feed the babies which kills the brood, hence, no more ants - most chemicals simply allow the ants to relocate into another section of the yard - peppermint kills the brood and ants that consume the candies - ants eliminated.

[TheRatLover]

I have yet to see any bees near my cups of boric acid solution - even when a lid happens to come off. I use this recipe: 1 cup water, 2 cups sugar and 2 tablespoons boric acid. I locate plastic (yogurt/cream cheese) containers full of this boric solution 2-3 feet from each hive. Just like Julysun said, "They just keep coming, but they prefer the syrup to the bee defended hive."

-Lori

[BOYZNUS]

These ants are so small. and there isn't alot at a time, the bees don't seem to notice them. They ants alomst seem to be wanders.

[julysun]

Boyznus' that is exactly what Napoleon said at Waterloo!

Seriously, I don't seem to have a problem unless I am feeding. So, I am feeding at a distance from the hives. That may come with it's own problems, we'll see.

[Gypsi]

If I had a feeder that was 100% beeproof I would mix sugar water, peanut butter and frontline for the ants. Someone was doing it for yellow jackets - only using tunafish and frontline. (in a cat/dog proof feeder trap) It is of course VERY poisonous to bees, small children, dogs and cats.

For the moment I am counting my lucky stars. My water bins under the old stand have screening over to keep most of the bees out, and are large enough to keep most of the ants out as long as I don't let any weeds grow up next to the pallet platform and make a bridge.

[SRBrooks]

I'm with TheNance007. An exterminator told me that ants will not cross a line of baby powder. Diatomaceous earth works the same. I use baby powder when it seems the ants just won't give up. Baking soda would work the same way.

[Gypsi]

I'll be testing that baby powder in a couple of places today (front porch cat food dish sounds likely - cinnamon bombed.)