# Ants! attacking new hive



## BakerMary (Feb 18, 2006)

Installed a package of bees into a new hive last Thursday. Had liberally fed with sugar water spray, and left the package crate and the feeding can inside the hive, and planned to go away and come back in a few days. Of course I had to peek the next day, and ANTS were swarming over the hive, into the entrance, and jumping on bees and killing them!

I've seen info elsewhere on the web about putting hive stand legs in cans of oil to prevent ant infestations, but nowhere have I found any info about gangs of ants jumping on bees. Have put DE and cinnamon around, will be putting some tanglefoot at the base, but do any of you have this problem?

They might be carpenter ants, which reportedly love honeydew and similar sweet stuff, and can 'masticate insects' and extract food.

HELP!

Mary in W. MI


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Haven't had a problem of ants attacking the bees, but have had every thing else.
I also use borax spread all around on the ground when ants show up. 
We have been spraying areas where we are going to place bees with Ortho's Home Defence Max. Does a good job of killing and repelling ants till it rains.

Sounds as if your doing every thing else by the book.

 Al


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## dcross (Aug 12, 2005)

Just curious, you found packages now?


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## BakerMary (Feb 18, 2006)

Good news! The ants have been beaten back for now - we wrapped the concrete blocks (that the hive support boards rest on) with duct tape inside out which trapped some ants and seems to have discouraged the rest. We also severely trimmed the evergreens behind the beehive - found three ant nests in the ground and have been pouring boiling water into them regularly for about 12 hours now. Ants are dying and those that aren't dead seem distracted. AND the bees are out and humming! We pulled out the entrance reducer, scooped out LOT of dead bees, and put it back this morning, and this afternoon bees were flying.

I called a company named Gardner's Apiaries in Baxley GA last Friday (6/22) and they shipped my 2 lb package on Tues. 6/24 and it arrived on Thursday 6/25. In fine shape, although it was a bit drippy from the feeder can. 912-367-9352 - their ad was in last Bee Culture magazine on p. 24. The Gardner of the name hosted the local beekeepers' meeting in Zeeland at his home & beeyard in May, so that's why I used them.

Thanks for the advice, Al - we're trying to stay organic here, so will try the borax.

Mary in W. MI


7/2 update: forgot to mention, used cinnamon around the hive on the supports, entrance board, and on the ground. Slowed the ants some, seemed to confuse the returning bees, didn't stop the ants totally but was useful. Pretty sure that sugar-coating the bees (spraying them with sugar syrup before installing the package) was shat made them so attractive to the ants. Bees still doing well, and we're still pouring boiling water down those ant nests. Borax is next.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

When we have ants on the intercovers we also sprinkle cinnimon on them. I buy it at GFS in the 5 pound jug.

We bought 3 pound packages from Garners last year. Strong workers had two deeps drawn with honey and broud by August.

 Al


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## rmaster14145 (Mar 14, 2007)

the beekeeper here sprays oil on the stand legs and it keeps them off.

rm


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