Ant guard with NeverWet Flow Hive 2

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12:01 I’ve got customers. image|666x500 image
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1:07
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2:07
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So far :blush:

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3:15 rain has slowed them a bit.

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4:05 and I’m ready to call this a success
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If you’re interested, go and check Jeff Willard’s YouTube page out. He’s been doing a lot of testing using this against SHB.

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Looks interesting, but where did you put the “never wet”? On the white disk?

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If this works I’ll consider doing the concrete my bee stands are on

It probably won’t work on concrete, because the surface is too rough. If you want to do that, I would first stick a continuous strip of 2" wide aluminum metal tape all of the way around the blocks, then paint the strip. It is what the makers of AntCant recommend for rough surfaces, and their product looks like it does the same thing - makes it too slippery for the ants to climb.

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The disc is 0.5mm aluminium sheet that I’ve cut out with a hole saw, enlarge the central hole so that it sits inside the thread and screws down the foot, filed the edges smooth and then gone over with some 150 grit sandpaper.
The NeverWet is then sprayed on both sides following the instructions.
The white is the actual colour it finishes at. Interestingly the finish feels rough to the touch but the ants can’t grip the hydrophobic surface.
Even when you place them on it a light breath of winds sends them flying.

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I left that out for 24 hours and the piece of ham on the top was untouched.
I’ve got my 5frame hive on a wooden stand with 4x2 legs that are currently sitting in terracotta saucers with water and canola oil, it stops ants but the bee mortality is pretty disturbing.
I’m going to do some 100mm wide (4inches) bands around each leg. I just need to figure out the join :thinking:

I realise I should have put a control beside it to be “scientific”, but I’m convinced, those ants knew that ham was up there and wanted it but couldn’t get it.
I’ll do a follow up once my hives are set up.

Hey Brad, Ants are the curse of bee keepers sooner or later. You sparked my interest in Never Wet and have placed an order. I have tried most other things :thinking:
Regards

I recommend checking out Jeff Willard’s YouTube channel Peter. That’s where I got it from and he’s done heaps of trials on it for SHB as well as ants, he also gives a lot of details about the best surface preparation etc.
I got mine at Bunnings.

I’ve just re read my response and I’d better clarify, all the sanding, drilling and spraying are done before you screw it down.

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HMMM, it says multi surface and with concrete on the box. Did I look at the wrong product? Or am I missing the point of the metal strip?

I am just saying that these folks developed an ant resistant product specifically for beekeepers, and they recommend applying it to a smooth surface for maximum effectiveness. They are in San Diego and have done a presentation at our local bee club meeting. For cement blocks, they would recommend 2" wide aluminum tape, which is cheap and readily available from Amazon and Home Depot. :wink:

https://www.crittertechnology.com/instructions
https://www.crittertechnology.com/frequently-asked-questions

I would imagine that similarly, Neverwet would be more effective on a smooth surface than something rough, because both products probably work in the same way.

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You are right in that it can be painted onto concrete but my thought would be that the concrete would soak up the solution so to get the best of the product economically use an all purpose glue to hold an aluminum strip 2" wide onto the blocks and treat that only as the ant barrier.
Cheers

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One thing we as Flow users should have learnt is that “stuff” shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand.(Just type in FlowHive into YouTube and watch videos from three years ago as with hindsight we see people speculating and making complete and utter arses of themselves)
So, @Martha i’m in the process of painting up some more equipment with NeverWet, one of which is a concrete paver that my hive stands will be sitting on. Another is the complete foot assembly, rubber as well. All will have controls beside them.
I’ll post them soon.

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AH the larger picture explains it. Thanks! :smiley:

So, can I get some biscuit cutters and paint the product on it and set the rings around the feet of the stand?

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Thanks! That would be great to make a treatment that repels a march of ants and beetles. :smiley:

AH 2 different products. I watched the videos and I can see different applications. The key is the aluminum tape.