Trapped Rodent!

[Floyd]

Afternoon guys,

Just did a fondant and tray check on both my hives.

One is showing signs that their is something un bee like in the hive, lots of chewed wax and bee legs!

Mouse guard was put on at beginning of October, and the hives are located on top of a shipping container, so it must be some athlete to have made it up.

It must have been hibernating, as the wax damage has only shown since last months food check.

Temperature next week is 10 to 12, Do you think it is best for me to take action and try to locate the intruder, otherwise I will no doubt loose all my comb.

Thanks in advance


Lee

 

[Erichalfbee]

Yes. Look in.
You could try the old trick of removing the mouse guard and giving the box an almighty thump!

 

[pevanstone]

Yes. Look in.
You could try the old trick of removing the mouse guard and giving the box an almighty thump!

Is this a myth,after the thump the visitor will leave like a rocket with jockeys on his back.once long ago a large spider wbc hive would drop off the side of the hive.after a few visits l placed my fore arms forcing him to exit down the front landing among the bees.he got up vertical on tiptoe and vibrated like mad,after three seconds he made a run for it,l thought he was safe but on the edge a bee banged him.no twitch died instantly.once in a life time experience l guess.

 

[enrico]

Afternoon guys,

Just did a fondant and tray check on both my hives.

One is showing signs that their is something un bee like in the hive, lots of chewed wax and bee legs!

Mouse guard was put on at beginning of October, and the hives are located on top of a shipping container, so it must be some athlete to have made it up.

It must have been hibernating, as the wax damage has only shown since last months food check.

Temperature next week is 10 to 12, Do you think it is best for me to take action and try to locate the intruder, otherwise I will no doubt loose all my comb.

Thanks in advance


Lee

Make sure the entrance is clear. if it is bunged up with dead bees this may be their only way of removing wax and bees, through the mesh floor!

 

[Erichalfbee]

Is this a myth

No idea. Never tried it which is why I said "you could try"
No harm in trying

 

[Floyd]

Afternoon,

Took your advice and went in today as morning temp was 10 degrees. Floor had been eaten under the mouse guard, Have lost 4 super frames which were nadired and thankfully only 2 brood frames. Did not find the culprit, and hopefully will not be back. I will be changing over to under entrance floors very soon.

Had a very quick look at the frames and have brood present, and the bees have been amazingly frugal with their stores, so wont be needing to spring feed.

Checked the second hive which seemed to struggle removing dead bees, so cleared the floor, plenty of bees over 5 frames, however did not check for brood, still hoping that this one the is in DLQ as the supersedure was rather late. Again, surprised with amoount of stores.

Will they priortise eating fondant above utilising stored frames?

Thanks once again for your time and advice.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Will they priortise eating fondant above utilising stored frames?

yes - they will go for the ready meal and keep the stores...................
for storing

 

[Bluetractorman]

yes - they will go for the ready meal and keep the stores...................
for storing

stores are for storing - brings back some memories

 

[Sutty]

stores are for storing - brings back some memories

Quartermaster?

 

[Gilberdyke John]

stores are for storing - brings back some memories

I worked for GEC Telecommunications for a while. Following a GEC takeover of AEI Telecomms in the 1960s which coincided with an industry cable shortage we found a vast stock being hoarded in one of the AEI cable stores. Apparently the storeman considered stores were created to keep stores in rather than release them to meet demand.

 

[Bluetractorman]

if they were for issuing they'd have been called issues, not stores...

 

[Garry R]

I worked for GEC Telecommunications for a while. Following a GEC takeover of AEI Telecomms in the 1960s which coincided with an industry cable shortage we found a vast stock being hoarded in one of the AEI cable stores. Apparently the storeman considered stores were created to keep stores in rather than release them to meet demand.

It's the old story which the comedian Mike Harding told which resonated with me when I working. The storelady at my institute was a real force to be reckoned with and Mike's comment was that storepersons "just had to hate people and give 'em bugger all"

 

[pargyle]

It's the old story which the comedian Mike Harding told which resonated with me when I working. The storelady at my institute was a real force to be reckoned with and Mike's comment was that storepersons "just had to hate people and give 'em bugger all"

I've had both types of stores persons working for me.

It's a thin line between issuing enough product and materials to do the job and too much which you never see back or encourages waste. There was nothing worse for me than a crew being at the other end of the country doing a time restricted job and runnning out of materials ...

But I had one storeman who, I discovered when inventory checking, added to the carefully calculated job requisition 'just in case' ... until I found a crew that had more of my materials stacked in their garage at home than I had in my stores - and using it for 'private jobs' - aided and abetted by the said storeman ... The storeman and the crew got their marching orders ....