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Author Topic: I meet the &^%$*(& might mouse this year  (Read 2723 times)

Offline firetool

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I meet the &^%$*(& might mouse this year
« on: March 12, 2006, 09:25:39 pm »
:evil: I have been told that the best lessons learned are the hard ones.I learned first hand about mice.  I had a hive that was weaker and struggling going into winter.I did not put any kind of mice guard on the hives. When I did my fisrt inspection last week the weak hive was dead and had some unwelcome guest in it. They did not get out of that hive.  I could not believe the damage though. They completly eat up six out of ten frames.  I would like to know any ideas that would work to keep out the mice that is cheap but effective.


  I also had a stronger hive that a mice tried to get into but I found it dead under the hive top.

   
Brian Nall

Offline DBoire

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I meet the &^%$*(& might mouse this year
« Reply #1 on: March 12, 2006, 09:36:59 pm »
I use hardware cloth, a roll is cheap.  Cut to 4" X width of hive entrance or better make two at 3/4 entrance width and overlap.  That way you can get a tighter fit without messing about for an exact cut fit with each hive.  Fold lengthwise and staple in place.   I'm not sure of the exact size, perhaps 3/8" hardware cloth.

Offline TwT

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I meet the &^%$*(& might mouse this year
« Reply #2 on: March 12, 2006, 11:23:38 pm »
1/4 inch hardware cloth is the cheapest and easiest to come by, all I use this year was entrance reducers with the 1 inch opening and had no problems but my hives are from 12"-22" inches off the ground also.
THAT's ME TO THE LEFT JUST 5 MONTHS FROM NOW!!!!!!!!

Never be afraid to try something new.
Amateurs built the ark,
Professionals built the Titanic

Offline bassman1977

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I meet the &^%$*(& might mouse this year
« Reply #3 on: March 12, 2006, 11:49:03 pm »
This is the best you can go.  Metal mouse guards which also make great entrance reducers.  Considering the cost of a hive, this is small potatoes cost wise.

http://www.dadant.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=212
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Offline Andrew Tyzack

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I meet the &^%$*(& might mouse this year
« Reply #4 on: March 13, 2006, 05:01:45 am »
http://www.bbka.org.uk/freefiles/diy_open_mesh_floor-graham-white.pdf

You could try the above plans for an open mesh floor design, which has an 3/8" wide 'underfloor entrance'. So no need for mouse guards at all.

Andrew

Offline mat

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I meet the &^%$*(& might mouse this year
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2006, 11:16:20 am »
Andrew this underfloor entrance is great, I am swiching to it this year. You can see them the video in http://www.beemaster.com/beebbs/viewforum.php?f=45. I wondered whot were those big front openings for . Now I know.
mat

Offline firetool

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the flooring is a great idea.
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2006, 01:19:37 am »
I was looking but did not see,Is there a way to close it up during the winter to conserve heat in the hive?

Brian

 

anything