Are you worried about mice getting into your beehive, damaging your bees, and making a big mess? Then this blog post is just for you!
It’s an unfortunate reality– as beekeepers, our greatest competitors are mice. Mice can wreak havoc on a bee colony, eating the bee larvae and destroying combs throughout the hive. Like most beekeepers, I also have had numerous run-ins with mice.
They’re pesky, destructive little rodents you don’t want anywhere near your beehives. And when you discover a mouse infestation in one of your beehives, it immediately throws the elephant in the room. Since then, I’ve learned that mouse guards forbeehives can be the secret to preventing mice from destroying that new colony of yours!
Therefore, with my years of experience as a beekeeper using mouse guards, I created this blog post to discuss what you can do to help prevent mice from entering your hive, rodent-proofing your hive, and the various types of mouse guards available.
Mice and their fascination with beehives
Mice and beehives go together like peanut butter and jelly. Mice love to eat bees, but they also love honey. They are attracted to beehives because of their smell and warmth during the winter seasons.
Mice can fit through holes as small as a half-inch long, so they can get inside beehives. When they do so, they can contaminate the honey with urine and feces. The odor of this contamination ruins all of the honey and has a significant impact on the bees living in that colony.
They also eat bees’ eggs and larvae, which is bad for colony growth. Mice sometimes eat adult bees as well. If you notice that mice have been chewing on your beehive, you may want to consider using some mouse guards for beehives to keep them away from your hives.
Why are mice bad for your bees?
To understand why mice are bad for your bees, it’s important to know how they can cause damage. The key to this is more than just their teeth. Mice can chew through almost any material, including beekeeping equipment such as hives, frames, and boxes. They can also gnaw on the wax of your beehives and consume larvae as they are developing.
Mice aren’t just bad for the bees — they’re bad for you too. Mice can carry diseases like salmonella, which people can contract from eating tainted food or from touching their fur or feces without washing their hands afterward. Besides that, If you consume honey from a mouse-infested beehive, you may contract diseases such as mousepox and parvovirus infection.
Types of rodents that can cause harm to your beehive
There are many types of rodents that can be found in beehives. And because they are all nearly the same size and nature, all of these rodents can be stopped or controlled with a strong and good mouse guard. The most common rodents are:
Rats
Rats are not commonly found in beehives, but they can be a problem if they build a nest near the hive. Rats eat honey and wax, causing damage to the hives. They also chew on the beeswax combs and use them as nesting material for their young.
Mice
Mice love beehives and bees, making them a major issue for beekeepers. Also, mice may carry diseases that can harm or kill your bees.
Squirrels
Squirrels love honey and will chew through any thin material that gets in their way. They have good jaws that allow them to easily bite down through timber, metal, and plastic.
Rodent proofing your hive
If you have mice or any other type of rodent (as described in the preceding section), you should get rid of them before they get into your beehives. Below are some steps you can follow to make your hive rodent proof
Identify the source of the problem
If you have a mice infestation in your home, they may be coming from under the house or from a nearby barn or shed where they can nest undisturbed. Look for evidence of their presence such as droppings or gnawed holes. You should also note if there are any dead animals in your yard or on the property where you keep your hives.
Use newspaper
Put newspaper around the bottom of your hive boxes so that when mice try to climb up into them, they fall back down onto the paper and don’t make it inside the hives themselves.
Clear the surroundings
Pull out any weeds around your hive boxes so that mice cannot burrow under them and get inside from below.
Use mouse guards or traps
Place rat traps near any entrances into your hive boxes and check them every morning to see if there are any rodents inside them waiting for you to arrive at work
What are mouse guards?
A mouse guard is a device that fits over the top of a hive and prevents mice from entering the hive. It consists of wire mesh or plastic mesh with holes large enough for bees to pass through but too small for mice to fit through. The mesh portion is mounted on top of a wooden frame, so it sits above the top bars of your frame (the bars that hold together each frame). The mesh portion should be large enough, so it doesn’t interfere with inspections, but small enough so it doesn’t let in any rain or snow during winter months.
Benefits of using mouse guard for beehives
There are numerous advantages to using mouse guards for your beehives. Some of them are listed below.
It’s Humane
The only way to permanently eliminate mice is by trapping them and releasing them far away from your property. However, this can be difficult with large populations of mice and can even be illegal in some places. Mouse guard does not kill the mice but instead creates an unpleasant environment for them near the hive so they will leave on their own accord.
It’s Safe
Mouse guard uses a patented design that prevents any contact between humans and rodents. This means you won’t have to worry about getting bitten or infected with diseases like fleas or ticks while installing a mouse guard around your beehive.
It Works
Because the mouse guard makes your beehive unattractive to mice it works better than any other method available today! In fact, even better than killing them with poison!
Types of mouse guards for beehives
There are several different kinds of mouse guards available for sale online and at local beekeeping supply stores.
Metal mouse guards for beehives
Metal mouse guards are the most effective and long-lasting option for keeping mice out of your hives. They’re also durable, but they come with a hefty price tag. If you’re willing to pay extra, metal mouse guards are a great choice because they can be used in all seasons and designs.
A rubber or plastic guard will not last as long as a metal one—and if it breaks, it’ll need to be replaced more often.
Plus, if you live in an area where temperatures drop below freezing in winter months (like I do), plastic might not hold up well enough against the cold weather; though if you live somewhere warmer than mine then this isn’t really much of an issue!
Plastic mouse guards for beehives
If you’re looking for something lightweight that can block off your beehives from mice, plastic mouse guards might be the ideal choice. They’re lightweight and easy to install, and they can be found at most home improvement stores.
However, plastic guards are not as durable as metal guards (although they do come in different thicknesses). Also, they can be a bit fiddly to install if you want them facing the right way—it’s important that mice can’t squeeze through any gaps between your guard and the hive entrance.
Wooden mouse guards for beehives
Wooden mouse guards are, by far, the most expensive option. But they have some distinct advantages over plastic and metal guards. First of all, they’re easy to install. You just place a wooden guard on top of each hive entrance and lock it in place with an included screw. In addition to being easy to install, these guards are also far more durable than their plastic or metal counterparts.
The wood is thick enough that mice can’t chew through it very easily—and if they do manage to get through one hole, there will be another layer of protection waiting for them inside the hive!
Finally—and this is probably the best part about wooden guards—they can be painted or stained (or left natural) according to your preferences and tastes. If you’re thinking about going with this type of guard but are worried about cost or aesthetics: don’t worry! Wooden mouse guards are still worth considering even if you want something less expensive in terms of material outlay.
How to install a mouse guard on a beehive
Installing mouse guards is fairly simple; even inexperienced beekeepers can easily install mouse guards on their beehives!
Step 1 – Selecting Your Mouse Guard
There are different types of mouse guards available in the market today. They come in various sizes, shapes, and colors, so you need to select one that will not only fit your beehive but also blend with its surroundings. You should also check if the mouse guard has any sharp edges that may hurt the bees or their keeper when they try to enter or leave the hive.
Step 2 – Installing Your Mouse Guard
Once you have bought your mouse guard, you can install it on your beehive using these steps:
1) Take off any existing frames from inside your hive so that there is only one empty frame remaining inside it; this will allow room for your new mouse guard to be placed inside without touching any other frame or comb in the hive itself.
2) Remove all frames except one from around your entrance hole; this will ensure that no bees get hurt while installing
3) Clean the outside of your hive and the inside of your mouse guard with soap and water.
4) Place the bottom of the mouse guard (the part with holes) over the top of your hive so that it is sitting on top of your frames.
5) Slide the mouse guard down until it rests against the bottom of your hive.
6) Use a hammer to attach each corner of the mouse guard to your hive with nails or screws, depending on what type of material you are using for your hive and mouse guard.
DIY mouse guard for beehives
If you have time on your hand and don’t want to spend money on commercial pre-made mouse guards then you can make your own! For that reason, I came up with this simple mouse guard/beehive deterrent:
Take a short piece of PVC pipe about 12″ long (you’ll need at least 2″ of vertical space above the entrance). Drill holes in each end (5-6), about 1/2″ from each end. You’ll want them close enough to discourage the mice, but not so close that they can squeeze through without getting stuck or injured.
Attach a small piece on top using zip ties or screws (I used zip ties because they’re easier to remove later) – this will keep the guard from falling off when you lift it up. Make sure you leave enough room so you can open and close it easily!
Put some peanut butter inside… then put it back together again!
Our verdict
To sum it up, Mouse guards are a good way to prevent mice from getting in and harming your precious bees. It’s an inexpensive alternative to traps and other methods of dealing with mice. It may take some time before you see any noticeable results, but it’s worth the extra effort. I hope this blog post on mouse guards for beehives provided you with all of the information you were looking for, and that it made your beekeeping life a little easier!
