# How to keep mice out of swarm traps?



## Bee Havin (Mar 1, 2017)

I use I/2" hardware cloth over the hole. I too use a 1 1/2 inch or larger hole in most of my traps that I made. (6 frame, approximately 40 L ) The traps that I keep around my yard are old hives with a solid bottom screwed on. A 1" hole in the front and a nail through the center of the hole.
Not many if any wild hives in my area because of mites ect... Most are escapees from other beeks. Not many of those in my area either. Mostly some save the bees types that live in town, and create swarms for their neighbor .


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## Scott Gough (Dec 10, 2015)

I use a 1/2" tall by 4" long slot for an opening. I have not ever had a mouse problem (knock on wood).


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## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

I know the research supports larger openings, but if you are consistently getting mice in your traps, I would reduce the entrances. I have no idea, but my gut tells me that they would not choose a new home occupied by a mouse, not to mention the future problems that they cause. J


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## gww (Feb 14, 2015)

I do not catch many swarms though I have 16 traps out. I caught two this year and three last year. I leave my traps out all year. I have had traps with just a 3/8th inch opening and had the mice just make the hole bigger and they also like to chew where the frame rest is to make a hole. I have a 50 percent mouse infestation every year that I just dump out in march and bait. The mice come back and sometimes I dump them more then once. It is one of the reasons that I lowered all my traps where I can reach them from the ground. A little later in the year when it gets a little warmer, the mice usually don't come back. If it is any consulation, I did have a small swarm move into a trap that still had a mouse nest on the floor.
Cheers
gww
Ps Mice can be very destructive to the wood. I usually just put a patch of quarter inch wood on the holes they make and keep using them. I have one that way now that is part of my biggest hive.


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## Fivej (Apr 4, 2016)

Depending on your set up, you could use a metal mouse guard which prevents them from chewing the wood. Or make one to fit your needs. J


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## gww (Feb 14, 2015)

Fivej


> Depending on your set up, you could use a metal mouse guard which prevents them from chewing the wood. Or make one to fit your needs. J


I will be honest, I don't even use mouse guards on my hives. On the hives I rely on a 3/8th entrance (sometimes reduced with a piece of wood) and the hope that it will warm just enough for the bees to help keep mice out. 

Knock on wood, so far a mouse has not gotten inside a hive with bees. I guess I am a throw away kind of guy. If the extra holes don't bother the bees enough that they won't move in, I don't care. If a trap gets too beat up, it will go in the trash. I have some bigger round holes on some of the traps. One time after a rain, I saw a big snake curled up in one with his head right at the hole, I am sure waiting for the mouse to return. 

I had a differrent swarm move into a box that probly had a million ants in it. I was using a feed sack inner cover on this trap. When I hived the bees from the trap and removed the feed sack, it was compleetly covered. This year the only two swarms I caught were in traps with mice and ants. I had some traps that were not like that. It almost seems to me that if the bees like the cavity, they take over and start the clean up process. I guess it is sorta like when I used to buy fixer up houses and remodle them.
Cheers
gww


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