How to Use Mouse Guards and Entrance Reducers

The entrance to a hive is where the warm, dry, safe, family and food-filled interior meets the wild and dangerous world of outside. We can help our bees by reducing the size of the entrance, helping them guard against robbing bees during the active season, and marauding mice sneaking in before winter starts.
Products featured in this video:
Hardware Cloth Mouse Guard: www.betterbee....
Combination Mouse Guard Closure: www.betterbee....
Stainless Entrance Reducer: www.betterbee....
B.J. Sherriff Honey Rustler Jacket: www.betterbee....

[@eveninggardener]

Mice can’t get through a 1/2 inch cloth? Can the bees move in and out freely?

[@betterbee1979]

Hi Yukita, in our experience, mice cannot get through the 1/2 inch cloth, but the bees can go in and out freely. Let us know if you have other questions!

[@bad-robot]

Small mice and shrews can get through 1/2 inch hardware cloth with difficulty. Bee space is only 3/8 inch so 1/2 inch openings give bees more than enough room to pass freely.

[@BrooklandsHoneyBees]

Nice video thanks for sharing :)

[@zawwin5572]

Do you ever use the entrance reducer and the mouse guard at the same time?

[@betterbee1979]

Hi Zaw! We have used the wooden entrance reducer with the hardware cloth mouse guard behind it before, yes. That limits the area that the guard bees have to defend while also keeping mice out of the hive. This is particularly useful in the fall.

[@zawwin5572]

@@betterbee1979 thanks!!