Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => DISEASE & PEST CONTROL => Topic started by: bee-nuts on December 30, 2010, 03:55:54 am

Title: Mice/rat poison
Post by: bee-nuts on December 30, 2010, 03:55:54 am
Would it be a bad idea in your opinion to put a few pieces of rat poison inside of hive entrance it you are worried your entrance may be big enough for mice to get in.  Would bees try to eat it?  Would it contaminate the hive or honey if they did?  Answer is obvious if they ate it but I seen a guy put rat poison on top of inner cover when he wrapped his colonies so im wondering if this is or every was a common practice.  You obviously cant pull a hive apart to see if mice are in it and I dont want them chewing up comb if they got or get in.  I dont want to trap live mice inside if they are in there.
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: BjornBee on December 30, 2010, 09:49:38 am
No I would not do it.

There are many crazy things beekeepers do. Illegal chemicals, rat poison, etc. But there are also many problems in the bee industry. Some of them go hand in hand.

Invest in some mouse guards. If you have a dead-out, check to see if you have mice before storing the equipment. If the bees are still alive, let them alone. They will repair any damage come spring.

As a side comment not directed at you......I always find these kind of "observations" of other beekeepers humorous. If you even try to mention illegal chemicals or practices such as using rat poison, you are shouted down by commercial guys in particular, who don't want their image tainted or anyone to actually think they may be part of the  problem in the bee industry. I heard one commercial guy actually claim in a state conference that no commercial beekeeper has used coumophos since 2002. What a crock, and what a cover-up going on.
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: Bee-Bop on December 30, 2010, 11:05:49 am
Ever smell a dead stinking mouse ?

Not saying any thing more !

Bee-Bop
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: BjornBee on December 30, 2010, 03:50:17 pm
Ever smell a dead stinking mouse ?

Not saying any thing more !

Bee-Bop

Just had one awhile ago behind the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. I kept wondering why the toothbrushes and other stuff stank so bad. I wish I would of known about the dead mouse sooner, and before I brushed my teeth.  :shock:
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: Jim134 on December 30, 2010, 04:05:03 pm
 Rat poison need I say any thing more !!!




  BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :)


Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: AllenF on December 30, 2010, 08:26:50 pm
There is always the possibility of some of that poison making its way up into the comb, whether by the mice or on the feet of the bees.
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: JP on December 30, 2010, 08:35:05 pm
Use mouse guards please and don't ever place any rodenticide out in the open. If a child or puppy or some other animal gets a hold of it you won't be able to forgive yourself.

All rodenticides should be placed inside of child/animal proof bait stations.


...JP
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: G3farms on December 30, 2010, 10:22:47 pm
I'm with JP don't use the poison outside, even if the rats or mice get into it the cat or dog will suffer.
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: AllenF on December 31, 2010, 08:08:47 pm
Your nose will suffer if they die in the house.
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: bee-nuts on January 01, 2011, 05:33:39 am
Next season I will pay the two dollars per hive for a mouse guard.  I told myself I was going to make my own but just was one more of those things I needed a round tuit for.  I guess I could make a mouse trap outs, lol!

How many blame dead outs on mice?
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: Jim134 on January 01, 2011, 07:59:17 am
Next season I will pay the two dollars per hive for a mouse guard.  I told myself I was going to make my own but just was one more of those things I needed a round tuit for.  I guess I could make a mouse trap outs, lol!

How many blame dead outs on mice?

 Note:  AFB can be carry by mice and rats.



   BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :?
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: BjornBee on January 03, 2011, 10:28:14 am
Next season I will pay the two dollars per hive for a mouse guard.  I told myself I was going to make my own but just was one more of those things I needed a round tuit for.  I guess I could make a mouse trap outs, lol!

How many blame dead outs on mice?

 Note:  AFB can be carry by mice and rats.



   BEE HAPPY Jim 134  :?


Jim,

You got rats in your hives, you got some serious problems.  :-D

Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: greenbtree on January 03, 2011, 06:25:05 pm
I am currently setting a mouse trap up to get one out of a hive - see my post in the general section.  I will post results.  Tip from an exterminator friend - if you have to deal with rats don't use peanut butter on a rat trap - try sardines instead.

JC
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: JP on January 04, 2011, 12:51:55 am
I am currently setting a mouse trap up to get one out of a hive - see my post in the general section.  I will post results.  Tip from an exterminator friend - if you have to deal with rats don't use peanut butter on a rat trap - try sardines instead.

JC

The problem with smooth peanut butter is they lick it right off, crunchy is better but snickers bars work great.

One of the most desirable baits for just about any rodent is dates. A concoction with peanut butter and dates is hard to beat.


...JP
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: greenbtree on January 04, 2011, 01:10:44 am
Yeah, I've used Snickers Bars a lot for mice, they are nice and sticky and the mice like the peanuts AND the chocolate.  Didn't have a Snickers Bar around today though.  I will have to give the dates a try!  I've got some of those left around from the Christmas baking!

JC
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: AllenF on January 04, 2011, 01:36:26 pm
Snickers Bar in a mouse trap?  That sounds like sacrilege to me. 
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: hardwood on January 04, 2011, 01:50:35 pm
I'd be walkin' around "thalkink lik thith"

Scott
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: Scadsobees on January 04, 2011, 02:21:03 pm
I'd be walkin' around "thalkink lik thith"

Scott

:lau:
Tho yowr a thucker for the Thnickerth too, huh??
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: AllenF on January 04, 2011, 03:06:50 pm
 :lau: :lau: :lau:
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: David McLeod on January 28, 2011, 07:15:43 am
After June 1 of this year you will not be able to purchase rodenticides in loose form (blocks, place packs, meal). Federal law will require any rodenticide for consumer use to be sold in child proof tamper resistant containers such as bait stations. Only licensed PCOs will be able to obtain loose form rodenticides and even that will be limited by the industry.
I'm with the others on the mouse guards. I would treat a hive like I would a home seal it up on the exterior to prevent entry by mice. If the habitat holds high mouse numbers then a rodenticide program on the outside of the structure can reduce rodent numbers. Consider bait stations on the perimeter of your bee yard if you have high numbers of mice in the area. I would think though that would rarely be the case and mouse guards should be sufficient.
Title: Re: Mice/rat poison
Post by: bee-nuts on January 29, 2011, 06:41:13 am
I took a peak at colonies in one of my yards yesterday and when I lifted the top cover off three mice took off.  They had not made it into the hive but Im sure they had a nice warm cozy place between the felt wrapped over the top of colony and the telescoping cover.

This summer just about every time I would come to this yard and opene my battery case to unhook my battery there would be a mouse in it.  They would make a nest on top of battery and run down the side of the battery when I opened it.  I would lift battery quick and drop it on the mouse.  I probably killed seven or eight like that over the summer.  I took battery and left cover off of the battery case so they would not nest in it over winter.  With corn or soybean and woods and swamp all around there is apparently everything needed to support a very large field mouse population there.  I will have to make some kind of drowning trap for them.  I am worried about attracting other pest though with the smell of dead mice.  I do have lots of garden smakes that like to hang around hives in the summer.  I welcome them.