# mouse gaurds



## jbraun (Nov 13, 2013)

I used aluminum flashing. Mine were 3/4" x 3/4" bent at 90 degrees. They were the length of the reducer with a 3/4" entry. I cut the hole 3/8" from the bottom and folded it up to the top. Seeing how they were just flashing I easily placed them on top of the reducer bar and set my deeps on top of them.


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## enjambres (Jun 30, 2013)

I use a 6" high piece of half-inch hardware cloth as wide as the entrance board. I bend it into an L and secure it to both the entrance board and the front face of the hive above the entrance reducer with nine push pins (five on the entrance board and four on the face of the hive.) This is an easy on/ easy off solution, and cheap as well.

I use the wooden entrance reducer behind it, set so that the opening is just the 3/4" wide notch in the middle. I cut the hardware cloth so that I can place one wire right across the middle of of this opening, pretty much dividing it in half. Bees can use it, but mice (and shrews) can't. This sounds fidgety and every year I have look at my old ones to make sure when I cut the hardware cloth that I arrange things to cut pieces with a wire smack in the middle (I use an old one to make a pattern for the new ones I cut.) But in fact this is an easy job with aviation shears.

I am in an area with abundant shrews and field mice and I've never seen any damage when using this, even when I see lots of evidence of mice up on my platforms around my insulated stacks.

I was sitting on a bench just yesterday watching my hives and saw a white-footed mouse skibbling along the platform so I've got to get the mouse guards on ASAP. My platforms are 12 - 18" above the ground.

Since I also run top entrances, I put hardware cloth guards over those 1" holes as well, just flat pieces thumb- tacked on. 

Enj.


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## NY14804 (Feb 8, 2016)

I am using these "Grill Sheets" to make my eight frame hive mouse guards this year. Each pack has three sheets of thin aluminum measuring 9-1/4" x 12". They can be easily cut with scissors and then bent into an L shape. I made three from each sheet and will hold them in place with thumbtacks or staples.
The holes are a whisker under 7/16" diameter. If you plan where you bend it, you can have a row of holes centered in the entrance's opening height. I will block off any unwanted holes with an entrance reducer behind it. I paid $4.97 for the 3-pack at Lowes.


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## kaizen (Mar 20, 2015)

thanks. I like the idea of just putting between the body and reducer. much easier then what I was picturing. have to imagine they glue it in pretty good. I think i'll get dome of thosegrill things as I need them for nucs as well. seem cheap enough.


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## Ramona (Apr 26, 2008)

enjambres said:


> I use a 6" high piece of half-inch hardware cloth as wide as the entrance board. I bend it into an L and secure it to both the entrance board and the front face of the hive above the entrance reducer with nine push pins (five on the entrance board and four on the face of the hive.) This is an easy on/ easy off solution, and cheap as well.
> 
> Enj.


Same here except I skip all the attaching parts. Just fold lengthwise and jam it in. I admire Enjambres thoroughness with everything...for me, I feel successful getting the mouseguards on at all, lol.


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## PAHunter62 (Jan 26, 2011)

Ramona +1

PAHunter62


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Small nails driven into a standard entrance reducer; 5/16" spacing.


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## sakhoney (Apr 3, 2016)

This is why I like just making the bottoms with a 3/8 entrance to begin with. Why all the extra space just for the bees to build toadstools so they can craw up to the frames? 
Beepro tells me its for this OA wand. Other than that - why???


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## kaizen (Mar 20, 2015)

Same here. About 3/4 inch for oav wand. Prying a full colony up to squeeze it in is not fun


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## Gumpy (Mar 30, 2016)

crofter said:


> Small nails driven into a standard entrance reducer; 5/16" spacing.


That's an interesting idea. Have you ever had a mouse chew the wood on either end?


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## DavidZ (Apr 9, 2016)

mice can squeeze through any hole smaller than a dime. 1/2inch hardware cloth is to big and will let mice squeeze in easily.

#4 hardware cloth will stop the mice for sure, and allow the bees go in/out


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Gumpy said:


> That's an interesting idea. Have you ever had a mouse chew the wood on either end?


No, no sign of chewing. Mice will chew a lot of wood where they are hidden from the sky but they dont hang around in the open.


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## [email protected] (Aug 1, 2004)

Over the past 40+ years I've tried many options, and my current option may be the best of all. I am looking for (1) an easy type to install in the fall and take off in the spring, (2) one that will last for many years, (3) relatively inexpensive.

I think I have finally found the best match. For the past 3 years I have used 3/4" CDX plywood, cut into strips to fit between the bottom board rails, and 3" wide. I predrill holes in each end to attach to the hive body. I use a spacer made from 1/4" plywood and lay that in the entrance of the hive, put the CDX on top and screw it in with a small power (battery) screwdriver. Then remove the spacer and I have a 1/4" slot across the entire width of the bottom board. Takes about one minute a hive.

After 3 years, the unpainted/untreated CDX shows no sign of wear. Mice cannot get in 1/4". On those occasions where I forget to take it off in the spring the bees seem to do just fine all summer with it in place...

Most lumber yards have CDX, but around here the big box stores do not carry it.

Lloyd


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## Gumpy (Mar 30, 2016)

crofter said:


> No, no sign of chewing. Mice will chew a lot of wood where they are hidden from the sky but they dont hang around in the open.


Thank you for the idea. I just made up two inserts for my nucs, which had 3" x 3/4 openings. I used some brads I had and spaced them 3/8" across the 3/8" insert piece. They work perfectly, and will keep the entrance 3/8" above the floor of the hive to help prevent blockage from dead bees. 

I'll be making up a couple replacement entrance reducers with mouse guard incorporated for the two hives in the next day or so. Simple. Easy to install. Will simply swap them out in the spring or maybe just remove them altogether.


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

Lloyd's post above made me think of the drilling of a screw hole in each end that you can either leave screws protruding or easily thread a screw into if you want to pull the reducers out after they are propolized in place. I usually pop the reducers in early early spring while hives still wrapped, bees not flying, and rake out the majority of the dead bees from the bottom board.


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## PaulT (Sep 2, 2015)

I set the guard down and pin in place with two thumbtacks.


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## GoodyFarms (Jul 10, 2016)

I use 1/2" hardware cloth cut ~3-4" x width of entrance. I fold it over and shove the folded end into the entrance. It's easy (no tacks/screwing) and has worked out so far for me (no mice). 

I also have upper entrances (1" holes drilled into boxes) that I protect by stapling the 1/2" hardware cloth over.


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## Mr.Beeman (May 19, 2012)

DavidZ said:


> mice can squeeze through any hole smaller than a dime. 1/2inch hardware cloth is to big and will let mice squeeze in easily.
> 
> #4 hardware cloth will stop the mice for sure, and allow the bees go in/out


You MUST have real skinny mice there in AZ. lol I use the 1/2" hardware cloth (6" x 3") bent 90 degrees and stapled on the bottom board over the 4" entrance reducer opening. I have yet to get a mouse in any hive.


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## Planner (Apr 3, 2016)

When I go to purchase 1/2" hardware cloth is there a number such as #4 etc, or is it sold as 1/2 inch hardware cloth. Sorry for my ignorance.




Mr.Beeman said:


> You MUST have real skinny mice there in AZ. lol I use the 1/2" hardware cloth (6" x 3") bent 90 degrees and stapled on the bottom board over the 4" entrance reducer opening. I have yet to get a mouse in any hive.


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## Gumpy (Mar 30, 2016)

Planner said:


> When I go to purchase 1/2" hardware cloth is there a number such as #4 etc, or is it sold as 1/2 inch hardware cloth. Sorry for my ignorance.


1/2" - #2
1/4" - #4
1/8" - #8
etc...


That's the way I understand it. However, I think for the most part, it's just referred to as 1/2" or 1/4".


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## SWM (Nov 17, 2009)

"mice can squeeze through any hole *smaller* than a dime. 1/2inch hardware cloth is to big and will let mice squeeze in easily."
I think you mean mice can squeeze through any hole* larger* than a dime and that is correct. 1/2 inch hardware cloth is a little smaller than a dime. 
I've been using it successfully for a long time and have not seen a mouse pass through it yet. I have 3/4 inch entrances and don't use reducers. I cut 1/2 inch hardware cloth 3 inches wide by the length of the entrance. I fold it in a 'V' shape, wedge it in the entrance and then staple it once to the bottom board to keep the skunks from pulling it out. Easy to remove in the spring and reusable next fall.


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## crofter (May 5, 2011)

The folding of the 1/2 " squares screen and pushing the two sides into a 3/4" opening will result in a hole functionally smaller than 1/2" so will be OK. If it was presented as a flat panel a skinny teenage mouse would not even drop a gear going through it! Mice can go through an elongated opening just a bit over 1/4 inch high but probably not through a 3/8 round one. Shape matters.


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