Allen is indeed right about old carpet. I have 8 of my hives on them, and I
wish the rest were. That fiber-cloth you put under bark and stone in your
garden to keep out weeds works well also, but you have to stake it down,
otherwise the weeds push it up.

The snakes are garter snakes, and they love to eat the small mice that live
around beehives. I found a couple by some of my hives a few months ago, and
brought them home to my kids. Within a few weeks we had nine babies (they
are live-bearers). They are not at all mean, and can be handled. They are
altogether nicer that the spitting cobras that hung around my hives in
South Africa.

The best advice I got for ants is from the archives here. Mix 10-30 percent
or so borax with honey and put it into jars or cans with nail holes. Put it
under something like an upside down hive body so the ants can come in but
the bees can't. It takes a few days, but it works great. I've even poured
it directly onto the ground around the hives and placed a flat board on top.

Regards

Tim Vaughan