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Author Topic: Mouse in the "house"  (Read 3832 times)

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Offline tedh

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Mouse in the "house"
« on: March 29, 2018, 08:47:43 am »
Hi Everyone,
We took a quick peek at hives yesterday to find the dead-outs.  The nuc that croaked had a mouse nest and all the trimmings in it.  They chewed up 3 or 4 frames and have been there quite a while.  The mess is nasty and stinks to high heaven!  The nuc consisted of a bottom board, 2 five frame deeps, an inner cover and a tele cover.  Even the entrance reducer stinks mightily.  There are 6 or 7 frames that haven't been chewed, many containing honey.  Is there enything that can be done to salvage any of this?  Right now I don't even want it in the shed.  Thanks, Ted
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Offline Perry

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Re: Mouse in the "house"
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2018, 12:19:18 pm »
I would take everything apart, blast it with a hose, let the sun hit it and then store it for future use.
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Offline tedh

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Re: Mouse in the "house"
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2018, 01:58:18 pm »
Thanks Perry!  I'll plan to hose the equipment down and let it dry in the sun, then maybe hit it with a bleach solution and let it air out a good long while.  If it smells acceptable after that I'll store it for future use.  Any thoughts on the frames of honey?  Ted
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Offline Some Day

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Re: Mouse in the "house"
« Reply #3 on: March 29, 2018, 02:52:02 pm »
Ted,

I would put the frames of honey into my stronger brood boxes and let them clean it up.  Unless you have a specialty market for mouse flavored honey, I don't know of any.
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Offline Barbarian

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Re: Mouse in the "house"
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2018, 04:02:20 pm »
Ted

An alternative for inside hive, frames with and without honey is to get some Commercial (80%) Acetic Acid.
Put half a cupful in a shallow container on top of the frames. Seal up the hive and leave for a few days. The vapour is heavier than air and will disperse to the bottom of the hive. After treatment, air well then reuse.

Caution .... Acetic acid will burn skin and corrode any exposed metal or concrete.
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Mouse in the "house"
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2018, 05:19:59 pm »
ted, what perry said.

mice are the nastiest critters to deal with when they nest in hives and outdoor equipment. makes ya nearly fall over from the smell.
they urinate everywhere they go. i have yet to have a problem like yours with hives but plenty of chewed entrance reducers.  our 4 wheeler has been a target and plenty of dollars to get it fixed. we finally wound up having to move the wheeler somewhere else in the winter. we use aggressive measures to keep them from proliferating but...........

the honey frames? the honey, as long as it is capped ought to be alright. do these frames stink at all? if so, maybe try a warm rag with an extremely light solution of bleach and water, and wipe the face of the frames down. air dry. i have used a light bleach solution on capped frames of honey when the bees had some dysentery.

keep us posted ted.
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Offline tedh

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Re: Mouse in the "house"
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2018, 06:58:54 pm »
It's the stink on the frames and the cause of the stink that concerns me.  I'd be worried about the bees that tried to clean that mess up.  I'm still waffling back and forth but right now I'm leaning towards tossing the honey and foundation while keeping and trying to clean the frames.  Their sitting outside the shed right now, maybe a coon or skunk will tear them up and I won't have to worry about it.  8)   Ted
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Mouse in the "house"
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2018, 08:03:01 pm »
Could you put those frames in an empty box on top of a colony and let the bees carry the honey down? If they won't touch it, you were right about the stench.


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Offline tedh

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Re: Mouse in the "house"
« Reply #8 on: March 30, 2018, 10:43:26 am »
I've been pondering the suggestions to place the frames of honey above a colony.  The questions and concerns: are there pathogens associated with mice excrement that would be harmful to the bees - would the stench/pathogens cause the colony to abscound?

Barbarian, what will the Acetic acid do?  Sterilize?   Thanks, Ted
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Offline Bakersdozen

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Re: Mouse in the "house"
« Reply #9 on: March 30, 2018, 11:13:29 am »
Then how about placing a frame out in the sun and letting the foragers have had it.  Mice are such dirty critters.  Bleh!
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Offline riverbee

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Re: Mouse in the "house"
« Reply #10 on: March 30, 2018, 11:16:53 am »
"would the stench/pathogens cause the colony to abscond?"


good point ted. i have wanted to abscond finding a mouse mess anywhere! the stench is incredible.
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Offline tedh

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Re: Mouse in the "house"
« Reply #11 on: March 30, 2018, 11:31:10 am »
I have the frames and equipment outside now but it's been gloomy and cool in temperature so no bees are scavenging it yet.  I'll keep an eye on it and see what happens.  That may tell me something.  I'm obviously concerned about starting a robbing event as there may not be much nectar available.  As in most things time will tell all and I'll share what I find with you.  Ted
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Offline Barbarian

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Re: Mouse in the "house"
« Reply #12 on: March 30, 2018, 02:24:33 pm »
The Acetic Acid vapour will sterilize the inside of the hive, the frames and the comb.
Any disease will be reduced and the comb can be re-used.
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