Bl**dy mice

[MJBee]

I made a TBH in 2009 and put it out as a bait hive last year without success. I didn't bother corking the one 1" entrance I left open. I've just had a look at it and the mice have eaten every single one of the starter strips right down to the top bars

Also the 3 colonies I have in the wood have loads of mouse poo on the varroa trays - they have not managed to get in though OMF intact and mouseguards firmly in place

Moral:- You may not see them but the wee sleekit timerous beasties are out and about, be aware
(apologies to Robert Burns)

 

[For want of a better word]

Bait them with a haggis and get a cat!


My Nationals all have mouse guards fitted....... bit difficult to fit to WBC sliders..............

any thoughts

(have tried drawing pinning one onto the slides but was not easy and gave up when the Greeks started getting too interested!)

 

[Vergilius]

Seen a couple of dead rodents ( 1 field mouse and 1 huge rat) round my apiary recently...

Hopefully my nailed-in mouseguard will keep the little (or massive) blighters out!!! Oh and my killing machine...

View attachment 3169


Ben P

 

[hedgerow pete]

wouldn't the haggis kill em off any way

 

[For want of a better word]

never seen a mouse try to eat one, but my cat loves them, and hangs aroud snacking on mice as a sort of starter!!!!

 

[drstitson]

so as i understand it you left an empty bait hive out over winter with 1" entrance and were surprised/annoyed that mice took advantage?????

 

[Hombre]

We were out doing the OA just the other day and found at one apiary two roofs that were not quite kosher. One had two battens across and the other four pillars at the corners (bl**dy second hand kit).

Well, mouse guards on and super/eke above the crown boards and a 3kg dod of fondant. Oh and two mouse nests, but the residents had departed, possibly because the warm sun had increased the bee activity around the vacant escape hole in the respective crown board.

The wee beasties had come up under the open roof and made them selves very comfortable, with the occasional nibble at the fondant it seems. Luxury or what?

Evicted in their absence of course.

No signs of any attempt to enter the brood box. So watch those roofs are correctly made and maintained.

The site was a known mouse site, having bashed one fatally a couple of years ago.

 

[MJBee]

so as i understand it you left an empty bait hive out over winter with 1" entrance and were surprised/annoyed that mice took advantage?????

Surprised - yes I did not expect them to find it! 18month old 1" strip of foundation cannot have been giving off much smell, and the location of the entrance - 3' off the ground on a smooth ply side and a "reverse slope" of approx 30 degrees - acrobatic mice.

Annoyed - yes - with myself should have known better and will have to redo all the bars for this season.

OP was to remind others not to be complacent - an old flight safety punchline was "don't assume - check" saved my a*se once or twice

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

My Nationals all have mouse guards fitted....... bit difficult to fit to WBC sliders..............

any thoughts

(have tried drawing pinning one onto the slides but was not easy and gave up when the Greeks started getting too interested!)

Have you seen these? Dispences of the need for a mouseguard for WBCs

http://www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk/store/WBC-Entrance-Slide-p-16228.html

 

[oliver90owner]

Good idea if you can put up with just 6 beeways.

Remove slides from hives, clamp together and drill three appropriately sized holes along the join close to the closing end (mine used to only fit properly one way!). Result - three half holes in each slide. Replace on hive.

So if it takes three men a day to dig a hole....how long will it take for two men to dig half a hole....

Regards, RAB

 

[For want of a better word]

I could make those!


and it depends upon the type of shovel...... my Devon ones are not much use this side of the Tamar.... saving up fot a Cornish one.... more pointy I believe!!!


Cheers for the info......

 

[Silly Bee]

I made a tunnel out of varroa mesh to keep out the wasps.(as per JW) It works just as good for mice.

 

[Mickby]

No mice left round here, rats have driven them out.

 

[MuswellMetro]

I made a tunnel out of varroa mesh to keep out the wasps.(as per JW) It works just as good for mice.

i've seen the double wall plastic glazing used for consevatories roofs used a tunnel mouse guards


might try one next year

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Rats can rip the wooden castellated sliders apart for WBC's. Some of my WBC's take mouseguard - they just slide in. Others need a little adjustment

 

[Mickby]

If rats want to, they can chew through 3/4'' boards in a single night; but I have'nt heard of them going into hives.

 

[jallen]

wouldnt put it past them