Mouse guards from Queen Excluder

[Leigh]

I've finally decided do close down my charity for homeless mice, and have made some mouse guards from strips of old queen excluder.

Watching the girls that came out to check goings-on, whilst obviosly they can get through a QE (bit disastrous if they couldn't generally!), it didn't seem to be a particularly easy passage for them when used as an entrance for dosy workers.

Does anyone else use strips of old QE as mouse guards, and does it do the job well for you and your bees?

I suspect I'll hunt down some appropriate galvanised sheet and get to it with an 8mm drill at some point soon.....just in case.

 

[oliver90owner]

OK at this time of year, if pollen collection has ceased. But a lot of pollen will be lost with slotted queen excluder as a mouseguard.

Regards, RAB

 

[For want of a better word]

I have 2 cats!

 

[Hivemaker.]

I have 2 cats!

They should work okay,as long as when you nail them to the entrance of the hive, you leave a small gap for the bee's.

 

[Dishmop]

For anybody who has the time, a hour in B & Q can be beneficial. Go in the evening..

There are many things made for one purpose that can be used for several other purposes.

B & Q do a range of air vent grills that could be cut down to make 3 or 4 mouse traps. I am thinking of the plastic ones similar to those which are fitted to caravans as fridge vents..the slats are angled and will help keep out rain.
Also they sell small pieces of different sorts of metal mesh.
Steel angle iron.
Aluminium angle which is ideal for frame runners.
Plastic angle edging.

 

[For want of a better word]

They should work okay,as long as when you nail them to the entrance of the hive, you leave a small gap for the bee's.

Should I nail said cat to hive through the tail or just the ears?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Should I nail said cat to hive through the tail or just the ears?

You dont say what type of cat you have, go for the ear option if it looks like one of these

 

[Dishmop]

Should I nail said cat to hive through the tail or just the ears?

Screws would be better. The banging might frighten the bees.

 

[Teemore]

Some plastic edging strips for tiling come ready made with a series of 8/9mm holes along their length. A little trimming and you have yourself a whole load of mouse guards.

 

[Otleybee]

Mouse guards cost 60p each from Claro bees. Why mess about trying to do them cheaper than that?

 

[johna]

I've tried D.I.Y.plastic mouse guards.The mice loved them and chewed them to bits.I now use entrance blocks with a 6mm deep slot which keeps mice out and doesn't knock pollen off the bees.Metal mouse guards are O.K. but can also remove pollen.
My dog wouldn't allow cats !.