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  • From: Joyce Bowden Kirby <joyceleighbowden AT icloud.com>
  • To: Phil DeGuzman <phil.deguzman AT gmail.com>
  • Cc: "ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org" <ocba AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [ocba] Ants
  • Date: Mon, 30 May 2016 18:50:44 -0400

Hi Phil,

I used cinnamon, bought four spice jars of it at Dollar General for $1 per plastic bottle, surrounded each leg of the stand with it, put vaseline up the legs for 4” to make it harder to climb up.  It worked to slow them down about *0%.  I mixed apple jelly with borax and spread it on small scraps of paper, turned down toward the ground so bees could not eat it, but ants could, put it right over the entrances to their homes, with a little stone to keep it from blowing over.  The ants are gone.

Best,

Joyce


On May 30, 2016, at 4:21 PM, Phil DeGuzman <phil.deguzman AT gmail.com> wrote:

It has been a few weeks since I checked in on my hives, so I took advantage of the sunny day today to check in. Both of my hives were invaded by ants. They were crawling up the back of the hives and into the inner cover. I didn't really see any in amongst the comb, but there were ants a plenty and what looked like ant grubs so I suspect they've been there a while longer than the bees would like. I ran the weed whacker all around the hives to make it less easy for the ants to climb up. Any advice on how to rid the colony of ants?

I have read about using cinnamon and also mint leaves. Not sure if these are folklore or tried and true. I also read something about borax solutions, but I am concerned that might affect the bees.

Appreciate any advice.

Phil

--
"There is nothing quite so useless, as doing with great efficiency, something that should not be done at all." ― Peter F. Drucker
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