OMF and mice

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jezd

Drone Bee
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Anyone heard that using OMF means there is no need to use mouse guards?

Just been reading an article in the "Melksham Bee Keepers Association" mag, March 2008 edition and it suggests that OMF's mean you can do away with mouse guards.

Thoughts? I assume he thinks the draft and air flow will put mice off.

JezD
 
Well, I use OMF on my Nationals and never use mouseguards, and I've never had a mouse invasion to date.....although I'm not sure if it's the OMF that's made the difference or just a dose of good luck!

Possibly stands to reason though. Rodents like warm, dark and cosy nests. I can't see that an OMF helps provide that.....
 
Well. It rather depends on the size of the entrance.

I have never used mouse guards on poly hives as I have never had a problem.

However I would not recommend it for traditional entrances.

I have in the past put plastic bags of poison under my hives, on out apiaries I add, and been amazed at the consumption. So yes there are lots of mice out there.

PH
 
During a particularly cold spell I put the varroa insert boards in to cut down the airflow, leaving a 2" deep "letterbox" opening at the rear of the hives. When I removed them about ten days later 2 of them had mouse nests started in the front corners UNDER the varroa mesh. So my mouse guards remain on.:)
 
I wish I had not bothered with MG's, I watched the bees over Winter and the guard is such an obstacle that they could have done without – watching them trying to find a hole in freezing temps was something I wont repeat next year.
 
Can they be taken off now though? Presumably the mice will have made their nests by now.
 
I should leave them on a little longer,until it warms up and the bee's are more active,and less frosty nights.
Then i would remove them from the strong colonys,leaving them on any weaker one's for a while longer.
Mice don't just make one nest then thats it,the buggers make nests all year round,and breed like....mice.
 
If you are worried about a cold steel mouse guard, you can use a castillated wooden one; as long as the holes are small enough to not let mices in. However a sliding one on a WBC of mine got ripped apart - a rat I assume - so I put a steel one in place which stopped the bugger getting any further.

it's not the mouse in the hive that's the problem, it's the keyboard and the monitor that does the damage.
 
you have been dying to tell that joke all week i bet :)
 
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