Nest of plant material that might result in destroyed comb or frames of lower box, especially late fall and overwinter. Plant debris on bottom board or at entrance. Gnawing of wooden entrance reducer or wood of lower boxes.
Field mice are small rodent mammals that enter bee colonies in the fall seeking shelter and warmth to construct a nest to rear young. They will eat some honey and stored bee bread, plus fresh dead bees. They may disturb a colony during construction of their nest. They repeatedly exit and enter the hive (after dark and when cold or when there is little bee activity), carrying in nesting materials and foraging for food for developing young. Nests are at the edge of the winter clusterwinter cluster:
a closely packed colony of bees forming in winter to conserve heat
, often in the lowest brood box. Nesting mice will chew comb and wooden frames and urinate on comb and hive parts.
Beekeeping Resources n.d. Non-infectious Diseases and Pests. University of Georgia Bee Program. Accessed 2023. https://bees.caes.uga.edu/bees-beekeeping-pollination/honey-bee-disorders/honey-bee-disorders-non-infectious-diseases-and-pests.html
Dadant. n.d. How to Protect Beehives from Animals. Dadant. Accessed 2023. https://www.dadant.com/learn/how-to-protect-beehives-from-animals/
Mangum W. 2017. Hot Mice! In the Hive. American Bee Journal 157(10): 1089-1092. https://bluetoad.com/publication/?i=437224&p=77&view=issueViewer and https://bluetoad.com/publication/?m=5417&i=437224&view=articleBrowser&article_id=2878826&ver=html5
Mangum W. 2022. Mice in Winter. American Bee Journal. 162(2): 179-184. https://bluetoad.com/publication/?i=733879&p=67&view=issueViewer and https://bluetoad.com/publication/?m=5417&i=733879&view=articleBrowser&article_id=4189446&ver=html5
