Mouseguard for poly nuc?

[BernardBlack]

With the gate/disc on, and the queen excluder slots over the entrance I’m losing some pollen at the entrance due to the size of the slots. But don’t want to leave the big hole opened in winter with mice about.

Is there a mouse guard option I could buy for the nuc, with bigger holes to enable the bees to come back in without pollen being lost?

Hate to see all that foraging and pollen going to waste.

 

[understanding_bees]

With the gate/disc on, and the queen excluder slots over the entrance I’m losing some pollen at the entrance due to the size of the slots. But don’t want to leave the big hole opened in winter with mice about.

Is there a mouse guard option I could buy for the nuc, with bigger holes to enable the bees to come back in without pollen being lost?

Hate to see all that foraging and pollen going to waste.

Some months ago, the size of openings which prevented mouse entry was discussed on the forum. It would seem that openings about 6mm or 7mm diameter will prevent mouse entry, but allow easy passage for the bees

 

[Erichalfbee]

Before I had all my floors with underfloor entrances I used an entrance block with 7mm x 50mm slot all year round with no mouse problems

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Is there a mouse guard option I could buy for the nuc, with bigger holes to enable the bees to come back in without pollen being lost?

Forget the queen excluder, just open the ordinary entrance hole just wide enough for bees to move freely but deter the mice.

 

[Boston Bees]

With the gate/disc on, and the queen excluder slots over the entrance I’m losing some pollen at the entrance due to the size of the slots. But don’t want to leave the big hole opened in winter with mice about.

Is there a mouse guard option I could buy for the nuc, with bigger holes to enable the bees to come back in without pollen being lost?

Hate to see all that foraging and pollen going to waste.

Definitely forget the QEx setting in winter - you risk getting the entrance clogged with dead bees that they can't evict. Just do what JBM said, and perhaps also put a pin in the disc so that a mouse can't force the entrance wider than you want it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Before I had all my floors with underfloor entrances I used an entrance block with 7mm x 50mm slot all year round with no mouse problems

Oops. Missed the nuc bit

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

To be honest, my nucs have the disc set on fully open throughout the winter and thus far I've had no issues (and yes, plenty of mice around) maybe the fact that they're all on eighteen inch high stands plays a part

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes mine too. Next year they are on wooden UFE with a solid floor.

 

[user 819]

15mm max dia and a mouse generally can't gain entry though maybe a shrew will, I keep mine on 9mm UFE all year round.

 

[BernardBlack]

Definitely forget the QEx setting in winter - you risk getting the entrance clogged with dead bees that they can't evict. Just do what JBM said, and perhaps also put a pin in the disc so that a mouse can't force the entrance wider than you want it.

Yeah good point re: dead bees.

I have a few pins to keep the disc in place. But yeah, as JBM said, using a smaller entrance is probably the best idea