My girls just built a....

[BeeHopper]

Mouse Guard  :-D
Looks like they're just finishing up  ;)

[gunny]

Looks like they did a fine job of it too.

[DayValleyDahlias]

Wow, industrious lil thangs!

[tillie]

I'd love to see them working the Phillips head screw driver - guess the photographer missed it.

Linda T in Atlanta

[Jerrymac]

Is that quarter inch?

[BeeHopper]

Is that quarter inch?

No, it is 4 squares per 1 square inch, so that makes 1/2 inch. The Queen would not accept anything smaller  ;)

[BeeHopper]

I'd love to see them working the Phillips head screw driver - guess the photographer missed it.

Linda T in Atlanta

Yeah, they swarmed the camera and well, I never saw it happen  :shock:

[Jerrymac]

No, it is 4 squares per 1 square inch, so that makes 1/2 inch. The Queen would not accept anything smaller  ;)

So the openings between wires is 1/2 X 1/2? I don't think that will keep mice out if they want in.

[BeeHopper]

No, it is 4 squares per 1 square inch, so that makes 1/2 inch. The Queen would not accept anything smaller  ;)

So the openings between wires is 1/2 X 1/2? I don't think that will keep mice out if they want in.

I thought about that last year. Either I am lucky or the wire cloth kept them out. I consulted with a Pest Control Tech last year also: his words- mice ( full grown field mice ) can squeeze thru a 1/2 inch or slightly smaller opening by flattening themselves, but not in 2 dimensions like a 1/2 by 1/2 opening. I thought it made sense.

Is he wrong  :? Please advise !!!!

[Jerrymac]

Make a little "cubed" cage out of the wire mess and then go to the pet store and buy a mouse to put it there. That should tell you for sure. I am looking at my ruler here and thinking about some of the mice I have around here. It looks to me like they could just walk through there. I could be wrong.

But if it worked before then I see no need to change until proven otherwise.

[bassman1977]

You leave it on year round?  If it really does keep the mice out, I don't see why you couldn't.  The bees seem to be coming and going easily enough.

[BMAC]

Mouse Proof Your Building to Prevent Entry

Close all openings larger than 1/4 inch, to exclude rats and mice.
Repair or replace damaged vent screens.
Screen all vents, holes, and overlapping roofs with 16 or 20 gauge, ¼ inch hardware cloth.
Use sheet metal collars around pipe entrances in wooden walls.
Use cement fill around pipes in brick, stone, or stucco walls.
Use sheet metal edging along door bottoms to prevent gnawing and entry by mice.
Plug gaps left by electricians and plumbers around pipes or conduits.
Crawl space entry holes must be sealed with a tight fitting door.
Mouse proofing offers a permanent solution by keeping mice outside of your home.


directly from
http://www.napamosquito.org/Rodents/rodent.htm

[BMAC]

I have thought about using hardware cloth to keep the mice out.  Now I know for sure I will be using hardware cloth to keep the mice out.  I will just use 1/4" hardware cloth.

The bees will still be able to pass thru it.

[BeeHopper]

Thanks to all above, looks like I'll  have to make some changes  :-D

[tillie]

Now those poor girls will have to back out those phillips head screws.....dear, dear.

Linda T in Atlanta

[BMAC]

Try to get a picture of them backing the screws out...... :-D

[annette]

Where else can beekeepers be free to act as silly as they want except with other bee loving people. Thanks for this forum.

Annette

[BeeHopper]

Believe me, I had no idea it would end up this way, but I did learn a thing or two on mouse guards. The girls will always be strickly business, while we Beeks goof off, now just got to figure out how I could convince the girls to allow me to snap a couple of pictures of them using a screwdriver  :-P

[Jerrymac]

now just got to figure out how I could convince the girls to allow me to snap a couple of pictures of them using a screwdriver  :-P

Photo shop?

[KONASDAD]

I know a bunch of beeks who use the same size as Beehopper w/ success. They take the mesh wire Beehopper uses and bend it around 1/2inch pipe and insert this rounded piece of mesh into hive entrance, and staple a flat edge to the hive and leave it all year round. This is the method taught at Rutgers Bee school. Obviously wont keep out juvenile mice, but used a lot around here.