mouseguard?

[DaveS]

Its getting colder - is it time to fit a mouseguard?

Thanks

 

[Tim.S]

I wont be fitting mine until later this month down here in the sunny south. There is still a bit of warm weather forecast and the girls are bringing in loads of pollen which they will lose on the metal mouse guards I use.

 

[Spikedog]

I believe so - although I did remove one today to facilitate an absolute flow of pollen (Ivy I imagine) and have just replaced it this evening - our wee rodent friends will be looking for warm winter habitation - time to close up. P

 

[Tom Bick]

I will fit them in 1st week of November

 

[theeggman]

I've had them on for 2 weeks now and reduced to 2 holes as an anti wasp device. the bees just have to wait for their turn to get in, seems to work and no losses to wasps so far!

Tim

 

[garlicpickle]

I'm going to wait a couple of weeks, until it gets a bit colder.

 

[oliver90owner]

Its getting colder

No, it's getting warmer. At least that is what the forecasters are saying. There is little problem until the bees cluster.

 

[Cazza]

I wont be fitting mine until later this month down here in the sunny south. There is still a bit of warm weather forecast and the girls are bringing in loads of pollen which they will lose on the metal mouse guards I use.

Ditto
Cazza

 

[sharonh]

While wasps still on the prowl, I will wait a little longer.

 

[tonel]

Was going to fit mine last weekend but decided against it, was worried there might still be wasps around - was proved correct as was chased around the car park by one after taking off my beesuit whilst packing stuff away. Am sure I looked a right idiot..quite ironic in a way too

 

[Stiffy]

Its getting colder - is it time to fit a mouseguard?

Thanks

Won't be putting mine on for while yet as it's still pretty warm and bees are still have flow on
S

 

[For want of a better word]

Often wonder if mouse guards are a necessity....... only ever seen one mouse in a colony, and that was someone else's... in 30 + years!
But along with the matchsticks and midwinter acid trickling, some will continue with the practice dogmatically.....
not even sure how to fit them to a BHS polly.. thumbtacks?

 

[user 6228]

I will fit them in 1st week of November

Do the mice book in advance or is this a regular arrangement you have with them

 

[Cazza]

Often wonder if mouse guards are a necessity....... only ever seen one mouse in a colony, and that was someone else's... in 30 + years!
But along with the matchsticks and midwinter acid trickling, some will continue with the practice dogmatically.....
not even sure how to fit them to a BHS polly.. thumbtacks?

Map pins
Cazza

 

[Vramin]

Often wonder if mouse guards are a necessity....... only ever seen one mouse in a colony...

But how often do you look into a colony during the winter, when the mice would be there?

Mouseguards only cost a couple of pounds. Making use of them seems eminently sensible to me, considering the damage a mouse could do, even if it only happens once in a beekeepers lifetime.

 

[itma]

not even sure how to fit them to a BHS polly.. thumbtacks?

The question really revolves around the Dartington (under and up) entrance on the BHS floor.

On the BHS website (somewhere), there is a photo showing a standard mouseguard laid flat on the floor over the entrance slot. This means lifting the brood box while positioning the strip accurately - a team job I think!
ADDED - Found the photo (under FAQs)

I gather that JBM doesn't use any guards on his own version of the Dartington.

I wondered about putting 2 or 3 guard strips (one above the other) to cover the large face of the entrance ...

 

[BeeJayBee]

ADDED - Found the photo (under FAQs)

Has anybody used this arrangement with a poly lang, or is it too fiddly to position it correctly?