should the mouse guard be removed now

[victor meldrew]

Almost, it was dressed in black.

Mine are all golden bees

Cold bees go black
Also an Autumn supercedure could throw up some dark bees !
Mild Winter ; some early brood , keep your eyes peeled, you may see a good few robbers appearing
VM

 

[MandF]

Actually, the flying pattern was the dead giveaway. Thats what initially drew my eye to it, the stealth-garb merely confirmed my suspicions ;-)

 

[Silly Bee]

I had two very different colours in one hive last season, I assumed the Queen was fertilizing with different sperm.

 

[luckydunny]

My bees seem to have survived their first winter with me {so far so good}
Is it ok to take the mouse guard off now?
They were out today and it was so nice to see them on the crocus and garden heather

No, not yet, but then again maybe if you think no meeces.....

 

[Vergilius]

My bees seem to have survived their first winter

No they haven't. Last time I checked February was still in Winter. Mouse-guards should not be taken off for a good few weeks - most definitely some cold nights still in store.


Ben P

 

[oliver90owner]

I removed a mouse from the insulation above my WBC- only drawback with them is they do have access up there,

How? My WBCs were impervious to mice. There must be a hole somewhere?

 

[rink123]

No they haven't. Last time I checked February was still in Winter. Mouse-guards should not be taken off for a good few weeks - most definitely some cold nights still in store.


Ben P

Yes true, the warm spell and seeing them so active was such a relief that they are ok and had me thinking the worst is over

 

[MandF]

Surely the correct answer is that mouseguards shouldnt be taken off permanently yet because its still winter.

If we have warm temps and the bees are active, first there are bees around to defend/deter, and second mice wont be looking to move.

In fact, wont mice have already found a nice warm winter home, and therefore not be out looking to move any more (unless disturbed)?

 

[Heather]

I removed a mouse from the insulation above my WBC- only drawback with them is they do have access up there,

How? My WBCs were impervious to mice. There must be a hole somewhere?

It crept up between the lifts and the brood box - couldn't get into the bees but onto the top-above the cover board

 

[masterBK]

Mice visit hives to feed whether they nest there or not. I often find mouse droppings on the inserts under the mesh floors all year round. Also shrews will nip in and out of hives to eat bees on the floorboard and can get through much smaller gaps than mice

 

[itma]

Surely the correct answer is that mouseguards shouldnt be taken off permanently yet because its still winter.

If we have warm temps and the bees are active, first there are bees around to defend/deter, and second mice wont be looking to move.

In fact, wont mice have already found a nice warm winter home, and therefore not be out looking to move any more (unless disturbed)?

Well, that's pretty much my thinking right now.
I've taken off the excluder and left them with the reduced entrance.
That has made their own spring cleaning much easier and there's no pollen being lost at the entrance.

But, only being at the bottom of the garden, it'd be no bother to replace the guard if the weather turns cold again.
Using a cylindrical magnet as a drawing-pin-pusher makes installation (and for that matter, removal) really easy even with Marigolds on.
Monday night excepted, the outlook down here is continuing mild around 10C ... it was less than that when I took a glance at the activity half an hour ago, and there was quite a lot of pollen coming in.
If I was worried about them, I'd be closing the guard up every night. But all seems well - so far!

 

[rink123]

Well it was such a nice day today I removed the trap and then put it back around 5pm , the bees had a good spring clean so I think they were glad of the fact I had taken it off, thanks everyone

 

[Moggs]

It's winter. Read a good book instead. I recommend Hooper.

 

[jezd]

It's winter. Read a good book instead. I recommend Hooper.

Good idea, that includes anyone who said take em off - it February for goodness sake! temps are trending down for March already.

JD

 

[newbie]

Heather, what do you use for insulation ... and where do you put it - between the crown board and the the roof presumably ?

Do you also fill the gap between the brood box and lifts or not - I would have thought that would have caused damp issues ?
thanks