Mouseguards and winter ventilation

[Chris Nother]

Hi folks, with open mesh floors, how critical is it to have the full entrance block removed for the winter - do they provide too much ventilation along with the OMF? on the other hand, I have a Paynes national with integrated mouse guard of only four holes in the supplied entrance block - along with off (even with tray in underneath) - is this enough ventilation for the winter or should I remove the entrance block altogether and fit a mouse guard across the front? I have a Lyson poly national that has a nice integrated 10 slot mouse guard that means the entrance is one third available for air circulation which seems right. The just need to decide what to do with the two cedar nationals! Future hive purchase are going to be the Lyson nationals as designed for Donegal Bees - definitely a huge amount of thought behind the design!!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Entrance block out with omf makes no difference. You do however need a mouse guard.
A mouse guard goes over an entrance without a block.

 

[Chris Nother]

Thanks Dani but it an entrance block with four holes sufficient from a ventilation perspective? I suspect so - plus it keeps mice out...

 

[bobthecob]

Thanks Dani but it an entrance block with four holes sufficient from a ventilation perspective?

I think Dani is saying that if you have an OMF then whether the entrance is open or closed is irrelevant from the point of view of ventilation - it's like worrying about whether window is open in your house, when one entire side of the house is missing

 

[Curly green finger's]

My views, I don't like mouse guards and i don't use them.

Reasons..
1. Early spring pollen can get knocked of while trying to get through the holes.
When they do toilet duties over the winter/spring there restrictive.

I have my inspection boards in all winter and some colonys have a super nadired as a wind break
Entrances are 50mmx8mm some are 25mmx9mm.
Hives are elivated more of the ground for winter to.
I've not had mouse/shrew problems since I've been beeking!
And I've not lost a colony either.


Most of my colonys are 450m and above sea level on a windy hill side.
What works for me, might not work for a beekeeper in the valley.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes I don’t like mouse guards either. Under floor entrances for all mine, even the nucs.

 

[Chris Nother]

Great advice folks. My hives are not on stands - they are on wooden beams set on a paving slab and the apiary is on an elevated deck at the back of the garden. I originally did not buy hive stands because we live on a windy hill and I was afraid of them being blown over! But it turns out they are actually very sheltered from the wind by surrounding trees etc. Hive stands may make sense for air circulation and mouse prevention - and for my poor back too! I'v heard a little about nadiring a super - so this would be drawn foundation extracted earlier in the season - if the area is sheltered is there any benefit? Any other benefits? when would you put them in and remove them? Grateful for any guidance!

 

[BernardBlack]

Nearly sure I spotted a mouse run from under the hive stand earlier.

No sign of trying to get inside (entrance is reduced anyway), but it would be too early for them to attempt anything, wouldn’t it?

 

[Moobee]

I have a mouse guard and intend to use it! We seem to have a lot of mice in our garden.... they've already been removed from the house once and regularly make themselves at home in the greenhouse and under the decking and even the dog chases them so think it might be prudent, but how long do they stay on for? All winter I'm assuming from above comments.....

 

[Speybee]

Nearly sure I spotted a mouse run from under the hive stand earlier.

No sign of trying to get inside (entrance is reduced anyway), but it would be too early for them to attempt anything, wouldn’t it?

Not too early with temperatures dropping.
My new CEO of the Mouse Department since her arrival a couple of months ago has dispatched 15 voles/shrews; 10 mice and sadly 4 birds.

 

[Speybee]

I have a mouse guard and intend to use it! We seem to have a lot of mice in our garden.... they've already been removed from the house once and regularly make themselves at home in the greenhouse and under the decking and even the dog chases them so think it might be prudent, but how long do they stay on for? All winter I'm assuming from above comments.....

I never really thought much about mice and beehives thinking it would never happen to me.
I had stored away an entire super of wax combs and a mouse chewed through the thick polythene and chewed bits off every single comb.
The damage was inversely proportional to the size of the mouse which my cat quickly dispatched within days of her arrival.
With many councils cutting back on refuse collection, fly tipping and a general increase in accumulated rubbish rodents are having a field day.
All I can say is that my mouser from a cat rehoming Service was the best thing to keep these pests away.

 

[fiat500bee]

I have a mouse guard and intend to use it! We seem to have a lot of mice in our garden.... they've already been removed from the house once and regularly make themselves at home in the greenhouse and under the decking and even the dog chases them so think it might be prudent, but how long do they stay on for? All winter I'm assuming from above comments.....

I will be using a mouseguard too. I see no reason why the woodmice will ignore a cosy, food-filled beehive; they go for any other easy targets they find.

Woodmice breed like rabbits woodmice in early autumn. There's lots of food about and similar to bees, they want a big, healthy population going into winter. they have another boomtime in late winter/early spring. They're around all through the winter. They are sweet little things when you get to see them, but when they're darting about some people find it creepy. They are amazing climbers and can squeeze through incredibly small gaps. there's times I have to trap them in my garage because of the damage they do there. I'm not taking any chances.

 

[Speybee]

I will be using a mouseguard too. I see no reason why the woodmice will ignore a cosy, food-filled beehive; they go for any other easy targets they find.

Woodmice breed like rabbits woodmice in early autumn. There's lots of food about and similar to bees, they want a big, healthy population going into winter. they have another boomtime in late winter/early spring. They're around all through the winter. They are sweet little things when you get to see them, but when they're darting about some people find it creepy. They are amazing climbers and can squeeze through incredibly small gaps. there's times I have to trap them in my garage because of the damage they do there. I'm not taking any chances.

Unless you land up with a Mr Gourmet mouse, who turned nose up at various tidbits in the mouse trap eg cheese, peanut butter, chocolate, combo of all 3.
Not a nibble.
Had to take drastic action, hence cat, best mouse deterrent I’ve had

 

[fiat500bee]

Unless you land up with a Mr Gourmet mouse, who turned nose up at various tidbits in the mouse trap eg cheese, peanut butter,

..never failed with peanut butter...if they're fussy they get almond butter.

 

[Speybee]

..never failed with peanut butter...if they're fussy they get almond butter.

Will have to go back to Sunpat then, as bought Aldi’s own make of peanut butter and I wasn’t keen on it either

 

[drex]

Unless you land up with a Mr Gourmet mouse, who turned nose up at various tidbits in the mouse trap eg cheese, peanut butter, chocolate, combo of all 3.
Not a nibble.
Had to take drastic action, hence cat, best mouse deterrent I’ve had

One of our cats is a good mouser, but the other cannot be bothered. Never had a present from her in nine years. Peanut butter and a blob of jam has yet to fail. Posh mice north of the border obviously.

 

[Speybee]

One of our cats is a good mouser, but the other cannot be bothered. Never had a present from her in nine years. Peanut butter and a blob of jam has yet to fail. Posh mice north of the border obviously.

Not so much posh but blinded by brand loyalty

 

[Michael ECB's]

Noticed some newly shed skin over the weekend.... Looks like my mouse trapper has come out of hibernation....
Pic of him/her going into winter.... A local "Spitter species" Rinkhals.


.

 

[Hebeegeebee]

I use mesh floors, mostly cedar hives, my entrance blocks never come out. A 6" opening is enough, even for a large colony in summer. You will see that some colonies propolise up entrances to reduce the size of them in preparation for winter. That tells you all you need to know.

 

[user 819]

We in the UK don't have such mouse guards to use Michael .