[mioduz]

NW Pennsylvania Location
Problem: After the brutal cold temps of last week, we have some very nice mild temps today which let me check on my hive. I pulled the bottom board out and found a hole (that was not there previously). I assume a mouse is the culprit here.

What is best way to proceed:
Option 1:
I can guard the entrance and exit with some hardware cloth assuming i can find the right mesh size at the store locally.
Do so at the warmest part of the day with the assumption the mouse is out and foraging.
If it is not out then i am sealing it in and possibly even causing more damage to the hive

Option 2:
Open the hive and verify that the mouse is not in the house. This of course goes against my better judgement because disrupting the hive while they are conserving energy worries me.


Advice is appreciated.


I think while i wait for more information from you guys i will put a few snap traps out tonight and see what i cant get

 

[Treehopper]

I think I read in this forum mice hate oav...if that doesn’t work for you, sunflower seeds are deadly bait in snap traps glued onto bait pan with wood glue,

 

[vtbeeguy]

U need to get hardware cloth 1/2 is best but can make 1/4 work if that's all they have. Give them a shot of OAV and then put the mouse guards on. Make sure you clean the bottom board somewhat before you vape.

 

[mioduz]

U need to get hardware cloth 1/2 is best but can make 1/4 work if that's all they have. Give them a shot of OAV and then put the mouse guards on. Make sure you clean the bottom board somewhat before you vape.

I am just learning about OAV. I dont have any here, and there isnt a source for it local to me. So I can not treat in that manner. I am planning on getting some hardware cloth tonight at lowes.

Should I leave the hive intact and just hope the mouse is not in there tomorrow when i install the hardware cloth

 

[Treehopper]

I’d try and kill it first. Then install the mouse guard.

 

[kaizen]

thursday you should be in high 50's. put on your rain gear and go take it apart. if you have 2 boxes your mouse and her young will probably be in the bottom box and your bees in the top box. i'd staple screen over the hole, find the next, if in the bottom box toss it off and put the bees back down. just verify by looking down between the frames as best you can. mice stink horribly.

 

[JohnnyDanger]

I had a mouse in my hive earlier this winter. I could tell that the hive had been infiltrated as the bottom entrance had been chewed at a bit and there were mouse droppings and a fair amount of other detiritus that had fallen down to my sticky board below the hive. I scared it out by sticking a thin stick in the bottom entrance and moving it around a bit. After it jumped out and ran off I improved my mouseproofing and haven't seen it since.

 

[vtbeeguy]

Mouse traps next to the hive for a few days should take care of them quick. Then put the hardware cloth on. Oh and use a stick or something to sweep out the bottom board of dead bees and other debris before closing the hive up with mouse guards.