# fire ants and bees



## COWS (Dec 23, 2012)

Don't have bees now, used to.

Was at a county fair recently and stopped by beekeepers table. I asked if they were having trouble with fire ants and was told that fire ants helped the health of the hives by killing in the ground the larve of hive beetles and foulbrood. Any experience with this or other comments?

COWS


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## TxGypsy (Nov 23, 2006)

Interesting thought. Fireants have wiped out all the quail and a large portion of the tick population in this area. Yes that is an interesting possibility.

I have had other beekeepers tell me that if small hive beetle larvae hatch out and start destroying a frame they will take the frame out and lay it on a fireant mound. The fireants kill and eat the larvae without noticeable damage to the comb.


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## ©1949 (May 9, 2018)

TxMex said:


> Interesting thought. Fireants have wiped out all the quail and a large portion of the tick population in this area. Yes that is an interesting possibility.
> 
> I have had other beekeepers tell me that if small hive beetle larvae hatch out and start destroying a frame they will take the frame out and lay it on a fireant mound. The fireants kill and eat the larvae without noticeable damage to the comb.


WOW that is indeed interesting! IhI have wonderful news to share. I was down in Athens, TX a couple of weeks ago and, pardon my shouting to the rooftops, I FOUND RED ANTS!!!! If you're a Texan you know this is fantastic news. Horny Toads (taxonomic - name horned lizard) feeds on red ants. The invasion of fire ants has made them


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## ed/La (Feb 26, 2009)

Fire ants also kill termites. I still kill fire ants in my yard.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

YES, to big red ants. They are gone near the Gulf Coast, but still here in Central Texas.


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