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GRIZZLY
10-08-2010, 07:04 AM
I've been plagued with Earwigs getting up under my hive roofs and hiding in the various crevices.Ants are also a nuisance.So come on folks - lets have some solutions to the problem as the usual anti Earwig and Ant treatments will be toxic to the colonies.I've tried trapping the Earwigs with corrugated cardboard with slight success but the females outbreed my efforts .
Calum
10-08-2010, 08:46 AM
For ants- place the legs of your stand in tins of cooking oil. Spreading chilli powder around will put off ants too, they follow scent trails. I have peppermint planted around one stand - hardly ever seen any ants on it.
GRIZZLY
11-08-2010, 08:58 AM
For ants- place the legs of your stand in tins of cooking oil. Spreading chilli powder around will put off ants too, they follow scent trails. I have peppermint planted around one stand - hardly ever seen any ants on it.

Can't take your advice Calum as my stand legs are hammered into the ground for stability against the high winds we get here.I'll try the pepper tho'- might keep the cats and rabbits away!.
gavin
11-08-2010, 12:56 PM
What about a band of grease on the legs of a stand, as you might do for an apple tree for codling moth?

It might even keep the mice away ...

G.
GRIZZLY
11-08-2010, 08:30 PM
What about a band of grease on the legs of a stand, as you might do for an apple tree for codling moth?

It might even keep the mice away ...

G.

Yeah might give that one a try Gav.
Stromnessbees
19-08-2010, 08:08 PM
We harldy have any ants here in Orkney, so no problem with them.
Plenty of earwigs though just now, mainly in the roofspace of the nucboxes. I wasn't aware that they can be a problem. What exactly would they do to the bees?

Doris
GRIZZLY
19-08-2010, 10:22 PM
We harldy have any ants here in Orkney, so no problem with them.
Plenty of earwigs though just now, mainly in the roofspace of the nucboxes. I wasn't aware that they can be a problem. What exactly would they do to the bees?

Doris
They defacate over the crown board and leave a lot of frass.They also steal food.
ajtony
20-08-2010, 12:55 AM
The earwigs will do no harm to your bees and will disappear as soon as the cold weather starts. The amount of food they may steal is negligible so don't worry about them. cheers