Author Topic: Blueblood's Hive Checks Christmas Day 2014 (Read 7228 times)

blueblood · « **on:** December 25, 2014, 06:29:05 pm »

Hi all. I really busied myself up this fall with work, family, pen turning and of course my favorite metal detecting. I neglected to put reducers on my hives and boy did I think I was going to regret it. I had seen a few mice in the yard and two of them coming from one of my Langs. So, I ripped and notched some quick reducers and grabbed some 1/4" mesh for my top bar hives and headed back. It was warmer today so cracked the telescoping lid a bit to listen and look for bee life. Having vent shims is nice because it doesn't disturb the inner cover and I can place feed/pollen in there. I am happy to report that 15 of the 16 hives are doing well! The one with mice coming out of it was the dead. Keeping my fingers crossed. Hope to visit more often from here on out.

Perry · « **Reply #1 on:** December 25, 2014, 07:35:55 pm »

Funny, in all my years I have yet to put on mice guards. I've had 1 or 2 have mice in them, but no nests, mostly just grab food and run I guess.
Nice video Dave, and if 15 of 16 is what you end up with that is absolutely fantastic.

blueblood · « **Reply #2 on:** December 25, 2014, 07:41:16 pm »

Thanks Perry! I believe the reason you haven't had any nest is because it's to dang cold and snowy up there for anything to survive outside of the hives, ha!

Perry · « **Reply #3 on:** December 25, 2014, 08:24:54 pm »

Might just be. I seem to remember you finding one that got too fat to leave and got stuck!

Slowmodem · « **Reply #4 on:** December 25, 2014, 09:35:41 pm »

Quote from: blueblood on December 25, 2014, 07:41:16 pm

Thanks Perry! I believe the reason you haven't had any nest is because it's to dang cold and snowy up there for anything to survive outside of the hives, ha!

No it's because they're all out playing mice hockey, eh!

GLOCK · « **Reply #5 on:** December 25, 2014, 10:02:37 pm »

Quote from: Perry on December 25, 2014, 07:35:55 pm

Funny, in all my years I have yet to put on mice guards. I've had 1 or 2 have mice in them, but no nests, mostly just grab food and run I guess.

This is the first year i did not put on mouse guards on my hives . Guess i'll see what happens.

Ray4852 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 25, 2014, 10:36:56 pm »

I use mouse guards on all my hives. They still build their nest under the screen bottom board on top of the cinder blocks.

blueblood · « **Reply #7 on:** December 25, 2014, 10:50:34 pm »

I saw some nest there too Ray. I figured the reducer/guard will also help with air flow as we move through the next frigid months. Mice gross me out in general, especially the diseases found in their urine!

This is the second year for the top bar hives. Their survival in the northern climate has boosted my confidence with them. And, this is the third year for four of these colonies which were treatment free as are all my colonies. I attribute my losses the first year (6 hives) to mismanagement. I didn't consolidate when needed and took too much honey off too late. I left them alone after late July.

Ray4852 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 25, 2014, 11:33:01 pm »

I tried treatment free beekeeping. It didn’t work for me. I treat my bees now with oxalic acid vapor. That’s the only chemical I put in my hives every year. I make sure I have close to 100 lbs honey stores per hive to get them thru the winter. On those mouse guards I use metal ones I buy them from dadant.

Lburou · « **Reply #9 on:** December 26, 2014, 12:11:24 am »

Looking good Blueblood! Glad to see you posting.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #10 on:** December 26, 2014, 01:13:11 am »

What Lee said!
Looking forward to having you back more often Blue!

Zweefer · « **Reply #11 on:** December 26, 2014, 01:23:04 am »

Merry Christmas! glad to hear most are doing well...

barry42001 · « **Reply #12 on:** December 26, 2014, 03:14:38 am »

Merry Christmas and once on spring clean out of bottom board, found a dried down mummified propolis entombed mouse. Had chewed the entrance reducer opening larger, started chewing on the lower corners of brood frames, very minor. Started maming a nest, never finished.

Perry · « **Reply #13 on:** December 26, 2014, 07:26:48 am »

Good one Slow!

riverbee · « **Reply #14 on:** December 26, 2014, 08:14:09 am »

nice to see you back blue! have missed you and your presence on the forum! thanks for the video!

blueblood · « **Reply #15 on:** December 31, 2014, 05:32:03 pm »

It's very cold here. Anyway, checked on the hives today and saw this. Dang mice!! I need a bee yard watch cat. It looks like the mouse worked so hard it bled. I am wondering if I trapped a mouse in there. It looks like it was chewed from the inside out.

jb63 · « **Reply #16 on:** December 31, 2014, 08:16:21 pm »

I think you should set a trap Blue.That way if you catch something you can have it stuffed.

riverbee · « **Reply #17 on:** December 31, 2014, 09:52:15 pm »

wow, you have some pretty good chew marks on those!

tefer2 · « **Reply #18 on:** December 31, 2014, 10:27:47 pm »

Those mouse turds on the landing board means he lives there!

Jen · « **Reply #19 on:** December 31, 2014, 11:14:42 pm »

Hi Blue! Don't forget to take pics or vid of when you get into this hive, that would be a great learn