Mouseguards and winter ventilation

[BeeKeyPlayer]

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

Did you buy or make the floors with underfloor entrances?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Did you buy or make the floors with underfloor entrances?

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threa...-on-the-dartington-underfloor-entrance.46002/

 

[Michael ECB's]

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

Truth be told, I would much rather have snakes than mice or rats.... Pests!
Even the venomous ones here are quite, uuum, harmless, if you understand what I mean .... If left alone that is!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Did you buy or make the floors with underfloor entrances?

Yes lots of us make Emyr's floors. They are great. My only modifications are to make them a little deeper as I am on top space, to add a hole for the sublimox above the OMF at the back and to make the entrance half way back thereby reducing the area of the OMF by half

 

[Swarm]

Have you tried under hive entrances with solid floors? Thinking more of the nucs here, I've made a few like this and with underfloor insulation

 

[Erichalfbee]

Have you tried under hive entrances with solid floors? Thinking more of the nucs here, I've made a few like this and with underfloor insulation

I have thought about it since I saw the photos you posted. At the moment the nucs are on UFE OMF

 

[fiat500bee]

Have you tried under hive entrances with solid floors? Thinking more of the nucs here, I've made a few like this and with underfloor insulation

"Underfloor insulation?" Stop messing with my head. I've just got used to open mesh floors and top insulation.

 

[user 6228]

"Underfloor insulation?" Stop messing with my head. I've just got used to open mesh floors and top insulation.

Swarm might be joking .... but ....

 

[fiat500bee]

Swarm might be joking .... but ....

.......but.......

Just posted on FacebooK...Beekeeping for beginners....

 

[Erichalfbee]

.......but.......

Just posted on FacebooKView attachment 22476View attachment 22476View attachment 22476...Beekeeping for beginners....

That particular group is renowned for beginners giving each other advice based on who knows what!
Even Jonathan Getty has given up trying to help

 

[Swarm]

Swarm might be joking .... but ....

No kidding, Derek. I made a few of them, solid floor with 25mm recticel below.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

That particular group is renowned for beginners giving each other advice based on who knows what!

Correction - beginners giving each other bad advice based on bad advice given to them by self acclaimed 'experts'

 

[Erichalfbee]

Correction - beginners giving each other bad advice based on bad advice given to them by self acclaimed 'experts'

Yeah

 

[colinlyne]

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

Glad we don’t!!!

 

[Moobee]

That particular group is renowned for beginners giving each other advice based on who knows what!
Even Jonathan Getty has given up trying to help

Oh I came off that group. It seemed like the blind leading the partially sighted!

 

[understanding_bees]

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.

I do not understand your reasons for not liking mouse guards. What size mice live in your area?
I have permanent gratings at 6mm spacing in my hive entrance. The bees are able to negotiate the entrance grating easily. Any mouse that can squeeze through that size grating would have to be very small.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I do not understand your reasons for not liking mouse guards. What size mice live in your area?
I have permanent gratings at 6mm spacing in my hive entrance. The bees are able to negotiate the entrance grating easily. Any mouse that can squeeze through that size grating would have to be very small.

It's not just mice to think about shrews as well.
I've given my reasons above, all from my observations.
2. Having a full mouse guard is way to much of a draft in my colonys.
3. I have 6 cats also there my mouse guards.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

i have always (5 years) kept the block in and put a mouse guard over the top....people say i should remove entrance block but cant see why

any views?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

i have always (5 years) kept the block in and put a mouse guard over the top....people say i should remove entrance block but cant see why

any views?

the reason for taking the block out is that with the reduced size of the entrance behind the mouseguard raises the risk of the bees not being able to clear the entrance of the dead and being trapped inside.

 

[Cuckmere couple]

ah, ok, thanks for that....i did cut the bottom of the circular holes on the guard to make it similar width to the middle of hole like a tear drop if you get me and they seemed to remove dead bees ok and its still mouse proof but thanks as every for the explanation...