I am a brand new beekeeper and desperately searching for a solution to my ant problem. I am located in North County, San Diego and our argentine ants are relentless. I worry that since my colony is just starting out, that any sort of invasion inside the hive would be damaging. I have of course searched the web for solutions, but the only one that has been effective so far is lubing the stand legs up with marine grease. The only issue, aside from the occasional goopy bee, is that when the temperature cools the grease seems to stiffen up just enough for the ants to walk over it. I find myself reapplying every night and I am hoping there is another way… I am hoarding tuna cans and will try the the “moat” approach ASAP, but I have read that that it has its downsides too, i.e drowned bees and evaporation. I would be so appreciative of any advice/suggestions on the topic!
Aren’t they just? In fact, in the unforgettable words of the lovely @Martha, they are total bastages… She was writing about a different pest, but only those who have suffered argentine ants can know the pain and troubles that they bring.
OK, so we have quite a lot of female beekeepers here, and we all love to support each other! So I would like to introduce you to a fellow San Diego county beekeeper, @claire_c. Like you, she is a new beekeeper, and she has done a fantastic job in establishing her first hive in Lemon Grove. She has bought a special hive stand which has built-in ant moats, as recommended by Hilary Kearney (professional beekeeper and senior member of San Diego Beekeeping Society). http://defyantstands.com/ant-proof-stand-for-10-frame-hive/
I have tried home made ant moats. They work, but they kill bees too. It is best to fill them with mineral oil - it doesn’t evaporate, and it doesn’t go rancid. You also need to make sure that the area around the hive is well weeded/cleared. Any stray grass stems or twigs can make a bridge for the ants very quickly. A paved hive area is ideal.
My current method is metal tape around my hive stand legs, sprayed with AntCant. Unfortunately, I think the AntCant manufacturers demised during the pandemic, and I am not sure whether you can buy their product any more. I have a tiny bit left in a bottle of it and I would buy more in a heartbeat - it works. However, I think that option is over, and the hive stands that Claire has, may be the way to go in the future.
Hi Faith! Nice to have another San Diegan on the forum! I’m convinced that my hive is perched on top of a monolithic ant mound. (All this time I thought it was a slope!) Fortunately they haven’t discovered the hive yet, although today I saw an earwig climb into the tray. A few weeks ago I saw a cloud of ants flying out of a hole in the ground about 15 feet from my hive. I read everything I could find about ants in San Diego and have come to the conclusion that mine are Carpenter ants. I haven’t yet seen them out and about – so far so good! Next step is to make one of @Eva 's borax ant traps.
@Dawn_SD@claire_c Wonderful to “meet” you both! Thank you so much for the info. Being able to chat with and learn from fellow keepers is invaluable!
I’m going to try to hunt some AntCant down. This may be a silly question, but would it be too risky to switch out stands? I haven’t added the super yet.
Thanks ladies!
No silly questions here. Not too risky to switch out the the stand - the bees will work it out. As far as the super is concerned, do you have 2 brood boxes? You should have 2 deeps or 3 mediums in San Diego (before you add a super) because we have long dry nectar dearths. You also need a good plan for Varroa management and SHB, both are a real pest here…
@Dawn_SD , I only have one brood box; I was gifted the Flow Hive 2 Araucaria 6 Frame bundle for my birthday. Should I add a second brood box before putting on the super?
I was just doing some reading on integrated pest management this afternoon after watching the new Hive Health Lesson on thebeekeeper.org. I definitely need to do more research to determine what the best option would be for Varroa and hive beetles though as it seems like there are a few!
Do a forum search (magnifying glass tool upper right) for oxalic acid sponges. That is my favorite Varroa treatment right now. You can start it a couple of weeks after you install your nucleus
@Dawn_SD@claire_c that makes it easy! You ladies are awesome. I will place an order today.
I am also going to get another brood box. It won’t be here till mid/late June-is that too long to keep the bees in just one box? I started with a 3lb package. They have drawn comb on all the frames but only a couple are full. Most are just getting started.
You installed a package @claire_c, and a weakened package at that. I would wait another couple of weeks for them to build up a bit more. If it was a nucleus, I would say yes, do it.
That will depend on your bees. However, I wouldn’t add an extra box (or a super) until all of the following are true:
Every frame has fully drawn comb occupying most of the frame, and
The comb is 80% full of brood or food (honey/pollen), and
Every frame is completely covered with bees
When all of those are true, you have enough bees to use the new space, defend it from pests and heat or cool it as needed.
If you started with a package, not a nucleus, I would wait to treat them. In fact, starting treatment when you add the second brood box might be the best timing. Same goes for @claire_c, then you know you have a strong colony before you put the treatment in. The bees don’t seem to mind it much, but even so, it is good not to disturb them until they need it.
One other thought @fsmithers. If you need a brood box quickly, you could try Mann Lake. They deliver very fast, often the same week. The wood may not match exactly, but the box will fit. If you have a 6 frame Flow hive, you could get one of their prepainted boxes to save time: https://www.mannlakeltd.com/8-frame-9-5-8-quot-hive-kit-wood-frames-painted?list=Category%20Listing
The flat packed boxes are a lot cheaper, but you would need to buy frames and nails as well:
@Dawn_SD Thank you soo much! This is so incredibly helpful. I think you are reading my mind!
Mann Lake looks like an awesome option. Based on your info it sounds like my bees will need several more weeks to establish further before requiring an additional box, but I’d like have it ready to go for them as soon as they are.
My brood box has foundation-less frames. Should the additional box also be foundation-less, or can I use frames that already have foundation?
You can mix and match. I actually prefer foundation for beginners, as it is more forgiving of handling (less likely to collapse when you turn it around). I understand the drive to go foundationless, but it requires some skill in manipulating which takes most people some time to learn. Either way, you may need to be prepared to correct some “crazy comb” - bees will build it on anything; foundation, plastic or foundationless. As long as you have empty space on a frame, and some rubber bands with a sharp knife, you can correct their naughty intentions. It is much easier to correct from foundation in frames.
@Dawn_SD this is great to know. I have enjoyed watching the bees draw and fill their own comb, but I do get anxious every time I inspect that I will mess something up. I have had to do my fair share of googling to make sure I hold and turn the frames correctly! My bees have been pretty good so far about keeping things tidy, but I’ve also been doing weekly inspections and using my hive tool to make sure of it. It would be nice to only have to worry about it in one box!
