[MtwWallace]

How do I keep ants off of my Swarm box?
I got a Swarm interested in my box, they started marching in. I came back at sunset to collect the box including the forgers and scouts that were out during the day. When I got there the bees were gone, and ants where crawling all over the inside and outside of my box. This was a swarm call, not on my own property.
Could I sprinkle a little tight Macius earth on the ground and then put my box down?
Would this take care of the problem?
What have you done to take care of this problem?

 

[Akademee]

Ants won't be attracted to places with no food, did you box have any frames with honey in it? If you did, they love that stuff! You can use things like Diatomaceous Earth sprinkled around or cinnamon, but both have to be frequently replaced, especially if it rains. Your other option is ant moats, where you put each leg of a hive stand in a pan of water or oil and the ants can't cross it.

 

[JWPalmer]

Sounds like the swarm never actually moved in. Yet. You probably saw heavy scouting if it was a swarm trap you set. If you put a swarm in a box, they did not like what you had to offer vs the location they had selected and moved on. Same if you placed a swarm trap near an existing swarm, they may have shown some interest but if the swarm is gone and they are not in your box, you lost them.

The above advice holds true, never have any food source in a swarm trap, including frames with pollen, or ants and roaches will be all you catch.