Mouseguards on poly hives

[Bosleeu]

I push mine in with the curved edge backwards, holes facing forwards. Then I edge it in slowly until it leaves a small slit, big enough for the bees but too small for a mouse, about as wide as the holes in the front).

Hope I explained it right - the space is between the curved edge and the bottom of the hive body. When it gets really cold I push it in all the way, flush with the hive body. I repeat this process in reverse when it gets warmer in Spring.

I am going to the bees later so can take a picture if it's confusing.

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Here is a picture.....

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[Millet]

Can the dead bees be removed ok by the undertaker bees with the entrance block like that.

 

[Bosleeu]

Can the dead bees be removed ok by the undertaker bees with the entrance block like that.

They seem to. There is still the four little round holes for them to use as well.

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[Millet]

They seem to. There is still the four little round holes for them to use as well.

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I was just thinking as i have heard stories of dead bees gathering on the floor and slowly blocking the entrance.

 

[Bosleeu]

I was just thinking as i have heard stories of dead bees gathering on the floor and slowly blocking the entrance.

Not happened to me yet. When I do the Spring cleaning there is always a few dead ones but no blockages.

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[Barbarian]

I use a DIY mouseguard on my wooden Nationals which have a full width entrance.

It is a strip of perforated metal (from the scrapyard). The perforations are too small for a bee to get through. Using push pins, the strip goes across the entrance but leaving a space below the bottom edge that the bees can get through but mice cannot.

The advantages are that the bees can come and go freely, pollen baskets are not knocked off the legs of returning bees, and housekeeping bees can remove floor debris without restriction.

My hives are also tilted forward to avoid a damp floor.

 

[Poly Hive]

Returning to the guards I make using a 9mm bit the pollen is not a problem or put it this way in over 25 years now I have never seen loads knocked off.

PH