Mice?

[JG_7oaks]

As it was a reasonably sunny day today and not too chilly I thought I'd do a quick check on my hive to see whether my bees have survived the winter. The great news was that they have - but two things I found have me very worried.

First there is a pile of debris in front of the hive entrance - mainly wax and no dead bees. Secondly - the wooden mouse excluder had a hole gnawed in it to make a mouse-sized hole.

I didn't want to pull out the frames as I was keen to get my visit done quickly in case bees got too cold, but the bees seem to be congregating on the rear five frames rather than the front five so I guess a mouse has got in and eaten the stores in some of the frames but not all. I pulled out the mesh floor to see whether there was anything heaped up on that, but found nothing so I guess the bees did the clearout which resulted in the heap in front of the hive.

I've put in a metal mouse guard now. And put in some Candipolline and some syrup in a feeder.

Is there anything else I should be doing to help my colony win through?

thanks!

 

[For want of a better word]

I will say it before all the wise crackers get to it... buy a cat!!!

Yeghes da

 

[bontbee]

Where was the mouse when you put the mouse-guard on?

 

[BrianO]

Not sure why people reply as such but anyway.

First off too cold to be opening your hive.

Though you need to get the thing out.

Have you an open mesh floor, look from underneath can you see it, listen through hive wall can you hear it. ?

Maybe on a warmer day Mid next week( forecasted for here )day put a stethescope to the wall of the hive hit it a couple of taps will get bees moving and intruder scuttling so you can confirm prescence / raise bees to attack mode to drive it out.

What else.

Too early to be feeding syrup, to cold , bees will have to evaporate water content, it is to cold for them to do that now.

Fondant is worthwhile if you have confirmed low on stores, and will do no harm, they dont need it wont use it.

If i was you would be concerned you need to get the intruder out, but that should not e by tearing through the hive exposing and chilling brood, causing major disruption.

a thought, if you cannot get it out , as a last resort could vapourise Oxallic acid and ( unfortunately kill it ) without killing brood .

Others may have better ideas but they would be my thoughts.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Take the mouse guard off. Take the entrance block out completely and give the hive a jolly good thump. Mouse will run out.

 

[bontbee]

Apologies, Brian O - I thought it was a pretty reasonable question....should I have assumed that the mouse was outside?

 

[BrianO]

Now there is a good response from someone who obviously has had the same problem... after all my typing

Sorry but has not happened to me to date so havent had to deal with.

Hopefully the syrup advice and hive opening and fondant advice will help you out.

 

[JG_7oaks]

thanks for these helpful comments - particularly re the syrup and listening for the intruder. I hadn't thought it might still be there!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

but the bees seem to be congregating on the rear five frames rather than the front five

Bees do that - they consume stores then move along en masse to the next source of food. by the end of the winter they will have moved right the way around the hive.

 

[oliver90owner]

For starters, since when has this hole been there? If possibly most of the cold weather, it has likely taken refuge, built a small cosy nest and is still inside.

But it is March and mice are likely more active now, so may have recently breached the defences and gone in for a meal while the bees were clustered.

EHB suggesting a thump might dislodge the is one idea, as long as the mouse is active and not curled up asleep.

Now it is nearly spring, I would taking my spare hive with a dividing board and a nuc along and moving the bees into the appropriate box, afterwards feeding with 1:1 syrup. I would make sure they were taking the syrup and go from there. You do not want a mouse, or nest, in the hive. You do not want a cavern forvthe bees, should you need to remove mouse-damaged frames. Think about it, ready yourself and do it promptly, (three frames at a time where the bees are?). Doing nothing is not really an option.

There will be a warm day, shortly, but like I said - doing nothing is not going to help your bees if there is serious mouse damage, nest and mouse excreta already in the hive.

 

[Nige.Coll]

Take a video through the open mesh floor with your smart phone. change settings so it doesn't lock focus and turn the light on.
A selfie stick saves wet knees or bad back if your dropping to pieces like me lmao.
you can see quite a way up into the frames move the phone slowly so it can keep up with the focus.

 

[For want of a better word]

There will be a warm day, shortly

Wow Tractor Man you agree exactly with the Old Beekeeper down at the Silver Weal!
But the Groundhog predicted Spring would be beginning on the 14th March... and it would be unwise to peep into a hive before that date... Trust the Groundhog.. I have his lair placed over a reliable leyline!

Mytten da

 

[abm]

How about this...... gadget heaven...

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/thumbsup-snake-scope-inspection-camera-a95tn

 

[JG_7oaks]

@ Brian ["Too early to be feeding syrup, too cold , bees will have to evaporate water content, it is to cold for them to do that now."]
Does it do any harm? Or do they just not touch the stuff until it's warm enough? The day I did my visit it was 12 C. and a few bees were venturing out. Now its back down to zero.

I will try both Eric's and Nige's suggestions - but - if I'm left unsure whether my mouse is still there, would it do any harm to the bees to put some mouse poison - the type which comes as brightly coloured grain - just inside the entrance?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

would it do any harm to the bees to put some mouse poison - the type which comes as brightly coloured grain - just inside the entrance?

And have a rotting mouse corpse in the hive?

Do as EHB suggested - wait until a warmish day when the bees are more active, remove the lifts, good solid thump on the side of the brood box and watch the b*gger run!

 

[REDWOOD]

these will kill mice.... am I allowed to say kill !

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

these will kill mice.... am I allowed to say kill !

Yes, as long as you don't go completely off topic and say they kill rats and ickle birdies as well

 

[MartinL]

Yes, as long as you don't go completely off topic and say they kill rats and ickle birdies as well

+ "Other means are available"

PC B011*cks.

 

[JG_7oaks]

Take a video through the open mesh floor with your smart phone.

Thanks Nige - that worked and gave me a glimpse of the blighter moving about. So not curled up asleep.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If the thump approach doesn't work, get some help and just lift the whole hive off the floor and hope it's there to be shaken off