Mouse guards

[ebee]

This is my second year keeping bees last year i was told that bees can lose pollen on mouse guards so i did not use them however this year i have used them and found no pollen loss should the hive entrance be open or reduced before fitting the guards my thought being if the entrance is reduced will there be a build up of dead bees.

[gavin]

If you have entrance reducers in (wooden blocks, mesh floor?) then you don't need mouse excluders too. I wouldn't put both on as then if the holes in the mouse guard and the slit in the entrance reducer line up the opening might be too small.

Some people put their entrance reducers in with the gap at the top. I do it the other way, gap at the bottom. That way there is no issue with bees heaving out the corpses.

G.

[ebee]

Thanks Gavin for your advice.