bee keeping newbie

[firefightermom]

Hi folks. I need some helpful information please. I purchased a used bee hive with all the frames, screens ect... from a friend that was down sizing.My problem is that after I placed the bee hive on top of some concrete blocks, a while latter I found a large colony of small ants building a nest in it. I don"t have my mail order queen yet and am waiting to find out what I need to do to get the hive ready. What do I do to clean up the hive, get rid of the ants and make it so I can get my mail order bees? Someone said to purchase moth ball flakes, sprinkle the flakes in the hive, then place the whole thing into a large garbage bag and let the moth balls do its stuff, but he said to use the moth balls to make sure I don't get any months. But what about the ants? Is there something I can use to get rid of the ants without hurting anything in the hive, There was alot of bees wax inside the hive and the previous owner allowed the hive to be "robbed" before I purchased it. Did I get a raw deal?( only paid $50.00 for the set up) How do I get this hive up and going?
Any help would be appreciated.

[Anon001]

You got a decent deal if you paid $50 for two hive bodies, one super, and all the frames, bottom board, and a top cover. If you didn't get a queen excluder, you will need to do that. They are cheap.

For the ants. Open everything up to the sun so the ants will leave. NEVER use any type of pesticide. Remember that bees are insects and pesticides will harm them. Because of that you also need to be selective in what you spray or use around the house. Get a good book. The "ABC...... of Beekeeping" is a great source and probably the most recommended.

You can order from a reputable distributor such as Dadant & Sons (https://www.dadant.com/catalog/index.php) or Brushy Mountain Bee Farm, etc. I prefer Dadant & Sons. These places will have what you need to protect from wax moths and other parasites. You would probably be better served calling them so you can ask questions. Dadant is great about that.

Once the ants are gone, you can coat the blocks with used motor oil. It will keep the ants out. Also, if you build a wood stand with legs, sit the wood legs in coffee cans of oil, or smear grease on the legs (or bricks).

A couple things to keep in mind and prepare for. Study up on how to install a queen and a new colony, if you didn't get them with the hive. Before winter, you will want to either buy or make "entrance reducers". If you don't, and if you live in the country, I can almost guarantee you'll get mice nesting in the hive.

Also, always keep extra foundation on hand. I don't use wax foundation. I use a plastic called "Plasticell".

The reason I use the Plasticell is because it is reusable each year.

Keep something else in mind. When you go to harvest the honey, only remove the caps from the cells leaving the rest of the wax comb intact. The reason is because it takes 8 pounds of honey to make 1 pound of wax. If the wax cells look like they are in good condition, on the ones you bought, reuse them as is. As the wax cells age, they will also darken.

I would go ahead and read about how to install a colony and queen and get them ordered if you can still find any this late. You might also contact your nearest beekeeper's association. They are a wealth of knowledge and experience. They will also be more than happy to help you get started. They usually won't charge you for "mentoring".

Hope this helps,
Paul

[Anon001]

Two books for resources. I have both and like them.

The ABC and Xyz of Bee Culture: An Encyclopedia of Beekeeping (Hardcover) (http://www.amazon.com/ABC-Xyz-Bee-Culture-Encyclopedia/dp/0936028017/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275404874&sr=1-1-spell)

Hive Management: A Seasonal Guide for Beekeepers (Storey's Down-To-Earth Guides) (http://www.amazon.com/Hive-Management-Beekeepers-Down-Earth/dp/0882666371/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275404760&sr=1-7)

Personally, I think the ABC's of beekeeping is the most comprehensive, but the second book listed is probably better for a beginner.

I didn't check the Backwoods store. They may have one or both of them.

Paul

[bookwormom]

Paul said it all and I have to agree. especially about pesticides.

[Oblio13]

I had ants in one of my hives. I smeared "Tanglefoot" (the sticky stuff orchardists use for fruit trees) around the legs of my hive stand. Worked great, and no bees got stuck to it.