how to keep ants from eating the bait on mouse traps?

I had a mouse problem in my greenhouse; in a few nights they destroyed a hundred seedlings. I caught two and the problem seems to be under control, but I know there are lots of mice in the yard it and it only a matter of time till they move back in. I want to keep traps baited to prevent a recurrence. The problem now is that ants are removing the peanut butter; they can get it all removed overnight. It is a waste of time (and peanut butter!) to keep rebating them.  Does anyone have any thoughts? Could I put the traps on some sticky paper, or something?

Have you tried DE?

Coffee Grounds might help:

https://permies.com/t/124185/Coffee-grounds-confused-good-bad#992274

Bryant said:  The acids in the coffee that is brewed this way will burn the ants up and by going far enough away from the obvious mound, you can be fairly certain of getting the queen in the laying chamber as well as the workers and the nursery.

I mix Boric acid (Roach powder) with peanut butter as mouse bait, and boric acid with a little sugar and water smeared on the cutting board for that ant swarm I'm having right now.

I've never thought of mixing stuff into the peanut butter... Makes me feel dumb in hindsight, but how well does it work?

I don't think there's any point in adding boric acid to the mouse bait, since boric acid is pretty non-toxic to us mammals.

You could place the trap in the middle of a tray or plate of water which would deter the ants, but I don't know if it would also discourage mice from reaching the tray.

Or try other types of bait and see if the ants don't eat up some of them.

I'm dealing with the regular mouse invasion that happens most autumns. I'm using peanut butter on a scrap of bread. Last year I didn't get mice and I was very proud of my new first-phase composting barrel, that kept food waste away from the mice until it's too decomposed to be food for them. But somehow this year they're coming in anyway. Oh well.

Boric acid doesn’t harm critters or people, but it will kill ants

Have you tried instant potatoes? It has been very effective with chipmunks for me.

To me, getting rid of the ants would be the easiest strategy.

I have been using my used up dishwater that was going to go down the drain anyway.

Find the mounds and pour the dishwater right on the mound.  It can also be pour on trails.

Vinegar is another solution.