Do most people use mouse guards or not?

[Do224]

I’m curious as to how common it is to use mouse guards in winter.

Of the beekeepers I’ve visited locally, none of them bother to use them (they say they’ve never had a problem). I’m in rural Cumbria so there are plenty of mice…

I know it’s a case of ‘are you willing to take the chance…?’ but just out of curiosity, who uses them and who doesn’t?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Never had a winter mouse problem yet but my apiary is next to the chicken shed and has rodent bait boxes set nearby. The hives are arranged on supports which create an overhang to reach the entrance (google steddle stones) so if mice are close by the lure of the smell of food in the chicken shed/bait boxes might divert any hungry mice.
Another factor to consider - creating a restriction to an accessible entrance risks rodent teeth demolishing sections of wall or floor around the restriction
I did witness a pain wracked mouse exit a hive one summer. It fell and expired, evidently been well and truly taught a lesson.

 

[Etton]

I often get mouse droppings on the varroa board! But this year I have not used mouse guards and no apparent problems yet seen.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I use UFE so don't need mouse guards but when I ran regular floors the winter entrance block had a 100mm x 8mm entrance which worked as a mouse guard

 

[JamezF]

I don't use them and I've never had problems with mice, but my hives tend to overhang the stand which possibly makes the entrance more awkward for a mouse to get to.

James

 

[ericbeaumont]

Every year I forget to fit a few and mice usually find one or two of those. Will be making UFE floors this spring, so that will solve the issue (I hope).

 

[Poly Hive]

My Swienty hives have mouseguards built in as part of the design. On floors that have a deeper opening then absolutely. I have bought hives in the past that came with encapsulated mice. It's not a risk I am willing to take. Nuc entrances especially can be an open goal for the little horrors.

PH

 

[Michael Palmer]

This is what I use as a mouse guard.

 

[hemo]

I use UFE's.
Generally 9mm is deemed safe except for the smallest of mice or shrews to get in.

 

[The Poot]

I’m currently using the Abelo floors with the castellated entrance insert as mouse guard. (I have a mouse or shrew eating dead bees on a varroa tray so can’t risk removing the guards yet).

 

[robinharman]

I rarely used them until last winter when I lost at least five colonies (£1,500+?) to mice over different apiaries.
Have also seen many lost for another bee farmer who I do work for, who thought is was not cost efficient for the labour involved to do.....
I hate opening up and finding them, let alone the smell.
So this year I put mouse guards on every single colony a the cost of 80p each and a few seconds.

 

[Into the lions den]

We never use them.

Quite redundant if you use 3/8" entrances as they just cannot get in.

Traditional UK floor have entrances that are far deeper than needed and mice just waltz in without guards.

 

[ericbeaumont]

Traditional UK floor have entrances that are far deeper than needed

Yes, way too deep. Only reason I can think of is that it allowed for a sloping solid floor, to drain water or condensation.

 

[Dodge]

UFE = Underfloor entrance one assumes?

 

[Erichalfbee]

UFE = Underfloor entrance one assumes?

YES

 

[JamezF]

YES

What's a YES?

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

What's a YES?

James

Opposite to NO?

 

[Moobee]

I do use them as we have a lot of mice in the garden and a few years ago, in the house as well. Had to get Rentokil in as they were having a party in the loft and shinning down a redundant chimney at night into the kitchen.
There were so many that even the spaniel took to eating them (disconcerting sight of a dog running round with two legs and a tail hanging out of her mouth!).
I also have a mystery nibbler in the apiary leaving neat piles of bee parts…. Must set the camera up again…..
They’re off now as they can knock pollen off the bees legs.

 

[FlySwat]

I do use them. But never really know when it is best to remove?

 

[Erichalfbee]

I do use them. But never really know when it is best to remove?

When the danger of the bees clustering for a prolonged period is over