Mouseguards on poly hives

[Levitt53]

What do those with poly hives do about mouseguards. And before this goes off topic yes we have mice in our garden and I want to use a mouseguard. The poly entrance block has a 4 hole guard setting but last year this seemed too small an entrance for my active hive. I was going to just put a normal mouseguard on it with the entrance black ck removed but the groves in the brood box mean it won’t sit flush. I’ve only just twigged that and am not sure what to do.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

What do those with poly hives do about mouseguards. And before this goes off topic yes we have mice in our garden and I want to use a mouseguard. The poly entrance block has a 4 hole guard setting but last year this seemed too small an entrance for my active hive. I was going to just put a normal mouseguard on it with the entrance black ck removed but the groves in the brood box mean it won’t sit flush. I’ve only just twigged that and am not sure what to do.

http://www.oakandreclaim.com/a-history-of-staddle-stones/

 

[Millet]

I know this picture is on a barrow from a different thread but it depends on which Polyhive you buy, me personally buy the Lyson/ Abelo type and i will continue to do so, if you look at the floor you will see it is sat on a under floor entrance as these Poly boxes have a National footprint which allows you to play with what you want to use.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sorry for the hijack Levitt

I know this picture is on a barrow from a different thread but it depends on which Polyhive you buy, me personally buy the Lyson/ Abelo type and i will continue to do so, if you look at the floor you will see it is sat on a under floor entrance as these Poly boxes have a National footprint which allows you to play with what you want to use.

Millet,
I like the look of those boxes.
How many frames do they take? Please

 

[Millet]

Sorry for the hijack Levitt



Millet,
I like the look of those boxes.
How many frames do they take? Please

They are National boxes D so they take eleven, the eleven fit nice but you get no room for a dummy board, i will find out in spring if it is a problem but i doubt it will be,if they are a problem i can always drop to ten frames though.

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

My swienty hives have a cheap & cheerful T---es, I bought a hundred of them in last years sale, about 38p each. They are not really needed on the Swienty I am told but brings peace of mind.

 

[Swarm]

They are National boxes D so they take eleven, the eleven fit nice but you get no room for a dummy board, i will find out in spring if it is a problem but i doubt it will be,if they are a problem i can always drop to ten frames though.

From what I saw, they look like eleven and a little wiggle room, you shouldn't have a problem. I just wish they did a TBS version.

Levitt, you could make a reduced entrance block and create a guard by tapping pins in to create bars with bee gaps between?

 

[Erichalfbee]

From what I saw, they look like eleven and a little wiggle room, you shouldn't have a problem. I just wish they did a TBS version.

I love my swienty but I must admit I have got really cheesed off with using them without runners. So........ Stan has glued a plastic strip to the top and the runners are back in place. Works fine. I like the look of the lyson deep roof too.

 

[Millet]

From what I saw, they look like eleven and a little wiggle room, you shouldn't have a problem. I just wish they did a TBS version.

Levitt, you could make a reduced entrance block and create a guard by tapping pins in to create bars with bee gaps between?

One is ok and one is ok but a little tight the other one is even more ok, however i have bought hoffman frames from three different companies which are all mixed up now, the one that is best ok has T's and someones else's frames inside the one that is the worst ok has easipet frames inside, so i may draw my conclusion there..

 

[Millet]

I love my swienty but I must admit I have got really cheesed off with using them without runners. So........ Stan has glued a plastic strip to the top and the runners are back in place. Works fine. I like the look of the lyson deep roof too.

Lyson hives have the plastic runners molded in so no messing about with modifications are needed.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Lyson hives have the plastic runners molded in so no messing about with modifications are needed.

Yes there is. The modification is to make it top space by adding more height to the top. With a swienty you simply take the runners out but that is not ideal

 

[Hedgerow Honey]

I glue the runners in the wrong way on my swienty box's, large flat horizontal, top bee space.

 

[Millet]

Yes there is. The modification is to make it top space by adding more height to the top. With a swienty you simply take the runners out but that is not ideal

Why all the issues you buy what you have researched, if it does not suit you adapt/improvise and overcome, that is what i have done for the past several years, nothing is perfect unless we make them.

 

[Levitt53]

Ok back to me please. Mine are from Paynes like this. https://www.paynesbeefarm.co.uk/pol...c-poly-14x12-jumbo-national-hive-with-frames/

Anyone else had this problem.

 

[Swarm]

I guessed you had paynes hives by your description of the moulding. I made UFE's for mine but you could modify an entrance block like I suggested perhaps?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Yes there is. The modification is to make it top space by adding more height to the top. With a swienty you simply take the runners out but that is not ideal

I've not had any issues with my standard Lyson hives so I'm not going to fix what isn't busted. Each to his or her own.

 

[Beefriendly]

To provide top bee space in any national I use a metal queen excluder in a wooden frame.
Just put it on "upside" down to the picture below, the distance between the wood and the metal is about a bee space. Many of mine don't even need cleaning at the end of the year.

 

[Beverlyp24]

Hi Rachel,

I too have the Paynes poly hive and have been wondering whether or not I need to do something re mouse guards. I agree the four hole setting is insufficient. I currently have the entrance block in as shown below I was planning to measure the height of the gap as not sure if this is narrow enough to protect against mice.

 

[Swarm]

Now imagine that block with little nails knocked down through it and you have a mouse guard.

 

[Erichalfbee]

To provide top bee space in any national I use a metal queen excluder in a wooden frame.
Just put it on "upside" down to the picture below, the distance between the wood and the metal is about a bee space. Many of mine don't even need cleaning at the end of the year.

I do that with my Maisie nucs but I use a Perspex crown with a rim.
If you have supers on top you would need a double rim.