Mouse Guards: Our Critical Tool for Keeping Mice Out of Your Hive This Winter

Mickey and Minnie, Stuart Little, Mighty Mouse, Speedy Gonzalez, and more. There are plenty of mice we all know and love. But the mice who decide your beehive is their winter oasis? Not so much. You might even despise them.

We know one of the biggest headaches beekeepers like you encounter in the winter is when mice break into your hive and destroy it. That’s why Beepods include Mouse Guards in the Beepods System Winterizing Kit. They keep mice out so your bees can get through the winter undisturbed. Follow these steps to install our Mouse Guards and protect your hive from little critters. 

What Are Mouse Guards

Winter can be a worrisome time for beekeepers. You spend all spring, summer, and fall supporting your bees as they work every day to make food and build a thriving hive. It would be devastating for you and them if, after all of that diligent work, some hungry, heat-seeking mice squandered it all!

That’s why our Winterizing Kit includes four Mouse Guards. They protect the hive and give you peace of mind that your ladies and their hard-earned food and comb are safe. Mouse Guards let bees travel in and out of the hive as they please while blocking mice and other small creatures from getting inside. We make them from wire mesh (hardware cloth) trapezoids, for you to place at each of the four entrances to your Beepod. 

Installing Your Mouse Guards

October is the best time of year to install your Mouse Guards. There are still warm days in the forecast for you to open up the hive and start checking off your Honey Do Beekeeping Checklist for October. Plus, by installing your Mouse Guards now, you’ll get a jump on the mice who will be out searching for new, comfy digs when it gets cold outside.

Mouse Guards should be stapled inside the hive vs. outside.

Mouse Guards go inside your hive versus outside so that when you remove them in the spring, your hive’s exterior won’t show any unsightly marks. Starting with the unused end entrance, position one of your Mouse Guards with the shorter length facing down to line up with the cradle. It’s okay if you find you need to bend or cut your Mouse Guard if the mesh is too long. 

We recommend using at least four staples to secure the Mouse Guard in place, but you can use more if you need to. Just keep in mind that you’ll remove the staples come spring. The more staples, the more wear-and-tear your hive will undergo. Moving onto the side entrances, continue installing the Mouse Guards with your staple gun, except position the Mouse Guard with the longer sides facing down. 

Front Door Installation 

Now that you’ve gotten the hang of placing your Mouse Guards, it’s time to install one at the Front Door. There are two ways you can go about installing the Mouse Guard at this entrance. 

Option One

Option one is to open up your hive and expose the inside of your front door, similarly to how you went about installing the side and rear entrance Mouse Guards.

Option Two

Option 2 for installing the front door Mouse Guard is to remove the front panel of your Beepod.

Option two might sound more complicated, but, trust us, it makes it easier for you to install the Mouse Guards! With this approach, you will remove your Beepod’s front panel. This gives you access to the front door without bothering your bees – who wants that? Elevate your hive with a five-gallon bucket, or something like it. Remove the bolts that attach the front panel to the Beepod. Important Tip: Just don’t remove the bolts that hold the legs onto the front panel! 

Using a Beepods Hive Tool, pop off the front panel and staple your Mouse Guard into place. When you’re done, reattach the front panel with its bolts, hand screwing them in as you go. Then, tighten them up after all six bolts are in place. 

And there you have it! With all four Mouse Guards in place, your bees can focus on clustering and staying warm this winter without any uninvited rodent guests. And, you can breathe easy knowing they’re safe.

Conclusion

Mice are a common concern for beekeepers as they get their bees ready for winter months. Beepods Mouse Guards are the perfect, bee-friendly solution. They keep rodents and other small animals out of the hive while allowing the bees to travel in-and-out as needed. You can rest assured your bees are hunkering down for the cold in peace. And the mice, well, they’ll find accommodations elsewhere!

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Kanoe Riedel

Kanoe Riedel is a freelance writer who enjoys learning about new and interesting topics. A Guam native, she loves traveling, trying new things, and spending time with her husband and their adventurous toddler.

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