Hive Stand and Ants

[DianeJones]

Hi, My hive is on blocks at the moment and I'm being overrun with ants. I want to move onto a hive stand so that I can grease the legs - I've heard this works.

If the entrance becomes lower or higher due to the height of the stand will this bother the bees?

Can anyone tell me if the ants hurt the bees or just annoy the hell out of them?

And... can anyone recommend a good place to buy a stand (for a National).

Thanks
Diane

 

[MuswellMetro]

Hi, My hive is on blocks at the moment and I'm being overrun with ants. I want to move onto a hive stand so that I can grease the legs - I've heard this works.

If the entrance becomes lower or higher due to the height of the stand will this bother the bees?

Can anyone tell me if the ants hurt the bees or just annoy the hell out of them?

And... can anyone recommend a good place to buy a stand (for a National).

Thanks
Diane

1) no problem with a few inches change in position... 3ft rule
2) grease legs or as i do stand legs in yoghurt pots with water or veg oil in them
3)Ants only after the Honey



stand, PM Tom Bick, he makes stands

 

[DianeJones]

Thanks

Diane

 

[malawi2854]

Sorry to hijack this post slightly - I have quite a few ants in my hive too - I've wondered if they are a pain for the bees? I figure not... they were sharing the world long before Humans got involved!

However, should I be doing something about them? I don't have millions - and I've never seen one INSIDE the hive... but they are quite often in and around the lid, walking across the top of the supers etc. etc.

It never twigged that they'd be after the honey

When my bees had a bout of throwing larvae out the entrance of the hive, I often saw ants carrying away parts of larvae... I figure that's OK... it's all recycling!

Or am I being a bit too "hippy" about it, and should I do something?

 

[davethegas]

Carrying off bits of larvae.... can't beat a good sky burial!

 

[BKF Admin]

Dont ants eat Verroa ?

 

[bushman1872]

hmm if the ants do eat the varroa and don't eat all the honey and other things precious to the bees and their keepers then that would be a fantastic symbiotic relationship.