Mouse guard

[Nick W]

Hi

When do you think is a good time to take this off?

My girls have been out today as it is quite warm.

I have taken it off while they are out and about so not to hinder getting in and out with any goodies they might have but will put it back on as it cools down later on today.

Is there a normal set procedure for this, for example if its warm every day for a week?

Cheers

Nick

 

[Poly Hive]

Leave it on as sure as eggs you will forget on evening and then a cold snap and oops.....

It will not hinder the bees. Yes they may have to queue a little but that is of no matter.

Also it is less disturbance leaving it alone.

PH

 

[Vergilius]

Nick,

Another cold snap is on the horizon. Definately don't take it off!!! Wait until mid-March.

Ben P

 

[Nick W]

Thanks - and when do you think would be a good time to feed pollen patties? Or are they not worth it?

 

[drstitson]

i've put my first pollen patties on today as the bees are busy bringing pollen in and i want to build up quickly for the cherry blossom (21 mar-mid april) and then be strong for the acacia crop.

 

[Nick W]

When would be good to take Mouseguard off?

Now or a few weeks time? How do you know when you can take it off?

Thanks!

 

[simonf]

I have a hive which gets sun in the morning and none in the afternoon, I have found the bees have to queue up to get in, I am finding dead bees with pollen attached that are chilling waiting to get in. do mouse guards give that much protection agains cold ?

 

[Rosti]

do mouse guards give that much protection agains cold ?

No Simon they dont (esp if you have an OMF), but cold drives mice who may have left shelter to look for fresh shelter and a nice centrally (bee) heated hive with food a plenty is just what they are looking for. Mice can wreck comb and disrupt a colony when it is at it's weakest (and numbers wise that is now). R

 

[Nick W]

So when would be good to take Mouseguard off?

Now or a few weeks time? How do you know when you can take it off?

 

[iball]

So when would be good to take Mouseguard off?

Now or a few weeks time? How do you know when you can take it off?

I would suggest when the chance of a hard overnight frost is gone.

For me it will be April 1st at the earliest. It was -3.5C this morning up here on the west side of the Pennines, 200yds down the road in a frost pocket -5C, what it's like in Kidderminster is anyone's guess.

 

[Rosti]

So when would be good to take Mouseguard off?

Depends on your local weather and hive activity. Here in Yorks it was frost and -2'C again! I would suggest that you have two considerations:
1. When you think that it is likely that you are past sustained cold snaps such that mice wont be likely to invade the hive and/or
2. Irrespective of weather variation the level of bee traffic is being seriously compromised by the mouse guard and is holding the colony back more than the pressence of a mouse in the hive.

If it helps I wil start considering removal at the beginning of April, we are currently still having sustained cold weather but crocus and snow drop are now out, there will hopefully have been the first batch of brood hatched by end March, a few frames of brood activity and the bees will be routinely patrolling the interior of the hive making it less attractive to a mouse. Hence remove guards. Hope that helps, look at your circumstances, don't be led by mine. R

Edit add - P.S. sorry iBall, just noticed your post after writing this, so in strict response order, I agree with you!

 

[iball]

Edit add - P.S. sorry iBall, just noticed your post after writing this, so in strict response order, I agree with you!

You say it with so much more authority though!! This being my first spring and having never removed a mouse guard before I'm making educated guesses rather than speaking from experience.

Ian

 

[Hombre]

A small container of washing soda that I keep my hive tools in was still frozen this afternoon in the shade 12 miles from Kidderminster.

One of my colonies that needs a mouse guard has it off in the day and on again late afternoon when the activity has stopped.

 

[oliver90owner]

Never mind dates, actual minimum temperatures, etc, etc., the time to take mouseguards off is when the bees are no longer tightly clustered. Over-night internal temperatures in the hive are far more important.

When the bees have a large brood-nest and are generating oodles of warmth by keeping a large brood covered, and those larvae are all producing metabolic thermal energy, the bees will not be tightly clusterered and would soon sense any interloper and 'see them off' in short time. That is the time to remove mouseguards. For some, this may be some time yet, but for others, with colonies encouraged to build up quickly (1:1 feeds and sufficient pollen/pollen substitute), that time may well be approaching fast.

A colony with brood over 6, 7 or 8 frames will leave precious little hiding space for mice.

All a matter of experience rather than date or thermometer watching. Take local advice.

Regards, RAB