Ants in the roof

[Davelin]

For the past few weeks I have noticed a steady trail of ants going up the outside of my hives. There is a congregation of them in the roof, they don't appear to be going into the hive itself.
In the roof I have blocks of insulation (B and Q Jablite). The ants seemed to be tunnelling in and around this although there was no evidence of a nest in it. Last week I took the insulation out of one of the roofs and now the ants have abandoned that hive totally, although they are still going into the one with insulation..
Weird I thought, do they have a polystyrene fetish?

 

[REDWOOD]

Nippon between 2 slates held apart with match sticks so the bees can't get at it

 

[Swarm]

Out of interest, is this stuff foil covered like kingspan? If so, have you taped over the cut ends?

 

[drstitson]

redwood - would that be official bbka approved sterling silver commemorative matchsticks or just common or garden household ones?

 

[REDWOOD]

redwood - would that be official bbka approved sterling silver commemorative matchsticks or just common or garden household ones?

They are only ants the won't mind the common wooden ones lol

 

[Davelin]

Out of interest, is this stuff foil covered like kingspan? If so, have you taped over the cut ends?

No it doesn't have any foil on it, I wedged some bits around the edge to hold it tight and they seem to be burrowing in between them.

 

[Davelin]

Nippon between 2 slates held apart with match sticks so the bees can't get at it

I will order matchsticks from BBKA! Where am I putting the slates? on the ground where the ants run or on top of the crown board?

 

[REDWOOD]

I will order matchsticks from BBKA! Where am I putting the slates? on the ground where the ants run or on top of the crown board?

Yes, intercept the ant trail on the floor

 

[alanf]

I tried a good smear of vaseline (actually pound shop petroleum jelly around each block the hive was standing on. Discouraged them a bit without being poisonous.

 

[Davelin]

Update.

Removed insulation from both roofs now. Not an ant in sight.

Weird

 

[oliver90owner]

Weird

Not really. Cold and nothing to take back to the ant nest.

I leave insulation in my roofs all year round.