EEEK!!
After the snow had gone in early January whilst checking one of the hives at home Chris noticed a lot of dead bees on the hive porch. They were all in pieces and there were also small chunks of wax among them. A predator was suspected.
The entrance was opened up and on closer inspection it revealed a lot more debris inside almost blocking the entrance. This then reminded Chris of Les Thorne of Wragby who once said that “The mouse guards on WBC hives weren’t very good and should be thrown away”
As suspected the culprit was a mouse that had squeezed it's way though the narrow winter entrance and had a feast chewing large holes in several of the brood frames.
They will eat all that is available and this particular mouse must have been very hungry.
Article and photos by Chris and Margaret Edge
Wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie… Robbie Burns