Like most hive pests, including wax moths and small hive beetles, ants are opportunists. If you find ants in your beehive, it could mean that there are other issues going on. Ants tend to stay away from strong, healthy colonies.
Most ant species are a mere annoyance in the hive. Often, they raise their young in the space between the inner cover and the telescoping lid. Other times, they do it in the small space between the telescoping lid and the outside of the hive, which is warm, damp, and not too full of bees.
I have seen hundreds of white “eggs,” which are actually pupae, stuck to these safe surfaces up here in the Pacific Northwest. I simply skim them away with my hive tool, a five-second fix.
However, if you see ants actually traveling into the colony itself, you need to do a hive inspection. Remember, ants are opportunists and scavengers. An ant colony that isn’t well protected is easy prey, so a line of ants leading into the hive may mean that something else is wrong with the colony. Open it up and find out.
Weak and failing hives are not the only ones to attract ants. New packages, small nucs, swarms that were just caught, and splits that happened not long ago might not have the bee power to fight off ants. Keep a close watch on these small colonies.
Ants can be a major nuisance for beekeepers. Not only do they steal honey but they can also prey on bee larvae and weaken colonies. Keeping ants out of your beehives should be a top priority. The good news is there are several effective methods to deter these unwanted pests.
Why Ants Invade Beehives
Ants are attracted to the sweet honey and larvae inside hives Some species like Carpenter ants will even tunnel into wood to access the hive interior Ants compete with bees for food and can transmit diseases. A heavy infestation can cause so much disruption that bees may swarm or abscond. Controlling ants before they become established is key.
Effective Ways to Keep Ants Away
Use Physical Barriers
Creating physical barriers is an easy way to block ant access. Elevate hives off the ground with greased hive stands. You can also set legs of the stand in cans of oil or soapy water to deter climbing. Sticky barriers like Tanglefoot can be applied to stand legs. Avoid natural items like twigs that ants use to bridge gaps.
Maintain a Clean Beeyard
Don’t give ants extra incentives to visit your hives. Clean up spilled honey and wax bits after inspections. Remove piles of old equipment or unused hive boxes. Keep vegetation trimmed low around the hives. Ants need moisture, so drainage or gravel can help.
Employ Natural Repellents
Many natural substances deter ants. Sprinkling cinnamon, crushed mint leaves, or dried chili pepper around hives creates an unpleasant barrier. Citrus oil or vinegar can also repel ants. Avoid applying these directly on hives where bees may be affected. Refresh repellents after rain.
Use Ant Baits and Boric Acid
Granular ant baits or boric acid sprinkled around the hive can be effective. The ants take the product back to the nest and it spreads through the colony. Use extreme care that bees don’t come into contact with chemicals. Never apply pesticides directly on or in the hives.
Control Nearby Ant Hills
Search for signs of ant nests near your hives and eliminate them. Carefully pour boiling water on underground nests. For above-ground mounds, Sprinkle diatomaceous earth or use targeted mound treatments. Reducing ant populations in the area helps keep them away.
Limit Feeding Sites
Don’t feed your bees unless absolutely necessary, as open feeders attract pests. Use entrance feeders and vacuum up drips. If possible, feed in the evening when fewer bees are flying. Remove feeders as soon as supplemental feeding is no longer needed.
Tips for Deterring Specific Ant Species
Carpenter Ants
Find and destroy rotting wood they are nesting in. Keep hives away from wooden structures ants can access. If ants are tunneling in hive stands, paint with a borate solution. This natural pesticide spreads through the nest.
Argentine Ants
Control is difficult due to large colonies with multiple queens. Tackle them early before they spread. Remove debris they can hide under. Keep the apiary free of moisture. Chemical treatment is usually required to fully eradicate Argentine ants.
Fire Ants
Due to their painful stings, make fire ants a top priority! Their large mounds are easy to spot. Use a shovel to knock down and drench mounds with very hot water. Apply fire ant bait around the bee yard. Avoid disturbing or placing hives directly near ant mounds.
When to Call a Pest Control Professional
If you are unable to control an advanced ant infestation, it may be time to bring in a pest management expert. They have access to stronger chemical treatments not available to the general public. Just be sure to hire someone familiar with bee-safe methods.
Prevent Ants from Returning
Once you evict ants from your beehives, regular monitoring and maintenance will help keep them from coming back. Address any areas where ants accessed the hives. Refresh repellents before they lose effectiveness. Control vegetation that allows ants to climb upwards. Stay vigilant for signs of new ant activity.
Keeping ants away from your bees takes some work, but is well worth the effort. Follow these tips to protect your hives and maintain healthy honey bee colonies. Let the bees reap the rewards of their labor instead of feeding ant colonies! With diligence and the right tactics, you can enjoy an ant-free apiary.
Argentine ants are the aggressive exception
Argentine ants have spread to many parts of the world, including the southern United States. This has made things difficult for beekeepers. If you live in an area invaded by Argentine ants, more than passive control may be necessary. Stories abound of large colonies absconding to get away from invading hordes of Argentine ants.
Argentine ants live in huge colonies that spread to nearby areas when a queen leaves the main colony to start a new, closely related colony. These close-knit colonies sometimes even share workers. Instead of fighting and competing, they form huge networks of ants with similar genes that are better at hunting than the local ant species.
These incredible invaders are tiny, averaging about 2 mm long. As such, even tiny spaces between brood boxes provide ample room for coming and going. They normally walk from place to place and can be seen in long columns. The ant population within a colony varies with the season, but in North America, they peak in October.
Although they are omnivores, Argentine ants prefer sweet foods, which means they are highly attracted to beehives. All that luscious food packed into one small place with easy access is irresistible.
How to prevent ants from invading your hive
- Take action: There are several things you can do to keep ants out of your hives. Argentine ants don’t fly, so where the hive is placed is very important.
- Remember to keep your hives off the ground. Ants live in the ground, so any hive that is lying there is easy for them to get into. Also, it’s hard to see them coming in when the hive is on the ground. For ants, a stand with six-inch legs will work. For skunks, opossums, and raccoons, longer legs will also help protect the stand.
- Keep an eye on the legs of your hive stand. Ants have to walk to get to their hive, so check the legs of your hive stand often. Remember that Argentine ants are small, so pay close attention.
- Take down any structures that could be used as ant highways between the ground and the hive. Check under your hive stand for branches, tall weeds, grass blades, and wildflowers.
- Fix your boxes. It is hard to keep all of our bee boxes in great shape, but cracks can be filled or fixed, joints can be made tighter, and rough edges can be sanded or planed down. If it sounds like a lot of work, it is. If you need to fix a box, do it than let ants take over your whole colony.
- Bring a bucket. As you work your hives, put burr comb pieces and other hive waste into the bucket. If you leave these small treats on the ground, they can bring ants and other pests from far away.
- If you want to keep Argentine ants away, keeping a pool of vegetable oil around each leg of your hive stand is probably the best thing you can do. Many beekeepers just put an oil-filled tuna fish can under each leg of the stand. Others fill the cans with a solution of soapy water. Soap, a surfactant, causes the ant to drown.
Treating Honey Bee Hives For Ants – Two Minute Beekeeping Tips
FAQ
What will kill ants but not hurt bees?
How do I keep ants out of my flow hive?
What ant killer is safe for bees?
How do I protect my honey from ants?
How do you keep ants off a beehive?
Botanicals are a great way to repel pests from a beehive. While mint can be used as a wax moth treatment, cinnamon can be used as an ant deterrent. Cinnamon can be used inside and outside of the hive to keep ants off the beehive. To use it outside the hive, sprinkle it liberally on the ground around the hive.
How do you make hives go away?
You can prevent hives from breaking out by identifying and avoiding the particular circumstance or substance that triggered your skin reaction. Once the hives have already started, you can help them go away by taking an over-the-counter antihistamine. If they persist or continue to recur, it’s time to see your doctor.
How do you get rid of ants in a hive?
Beekeepers can install ant moats beneath the hive stand legs. These are shallow dishes filled with water which create a barrier that ants cannot cross. Alternatively, beekeepers may install sticky barriers around the hive stand legs and hive bodies. Another way to deter ants naturally is to use natural repellents.
How do I protect my hives from ants?
Be proactive: You can do several things to protect your hives from ant invasions. Since Argentine ants are walkers, not fliers, hive placement is important. Keep your hives off the ground: Ants live in the ground, so any hive sitting on the ground is easy pickings. In addition, when a hive is on the ground it is difficult to see them entering.
What should I do if I see ants in my hive?
If you notice a 1-2 dozen ants milling around on the hive, then just brush them away. You should definitely take further action if you see an ant nest in the hive or there’s a steady trail of ants coming and going. What can I do if ants are already in the beehive?
How can I make my hive less attractive to ant colonies?
There are things you can do to make your hive area less attractive to ant colonies. And honestly, if you are feeding sugar water to your bees, don’t spill it. When you are working your colonies, avoid throwing down pieces of honey comb, burr comb and other types of hive debris.