Mice eat bees, but their behavior is primarily opportunistic and driven by necessity during colder months. Rodents like the common house mouse are omnivorous scavengers seeking warmth and readily available food stores. While they consume bees, especially those that are dead or lethargic, the greater attraction is the sheltered environment and the hive’s stored resources. This interaction becomes a significant problem for beekeepers when the colony’s natural defense mechanisms are weakened.
Mice as Opportunistic Predators
Mice are motivated to seek protein and energy, and an inactive bee colony provides both in a concentrated form. Bees represent a high-protein food source, particularly when other forage is unavailable in the winter landscape. The mouse’s ability to overcome the bees’ defense is rooted in the insect’s temperature-dependent activity.
A mouse safely navigates a hive during cold weather because the bees are clustered tightly to maintain warmth for their queen and brood. This clustering leaves the outer areas unguarded, allowing the mouse to establish a nest. While mice may eat individual bees they encounter, their main focus is often on the honey, pollen, and wax comb. The mouse uses the hive as a pantry and a warm shelter.
When and Where Mice Encounter Bees
The most destructive interaction between mice and bees occurs within beehives during the late fall and throughout the winter. As temperatures drop below approximately 50 degrees Fahrenheit, the honey bee colony forms a compact winter cluster. This leaves the perimeter of the hive unprotected, creating an opportunity for rodents to enter through the entrance.
Once inside, a mouse will chew through the delicate wax comb to create a cozy nesting cavity near the bottom board. The resulting damage is substantial, as the mouse consumes stored honey and pollen intended to sustain the bees until spring. Furthermore, the mouse’s presence and waste introduce odors and pathogens that stress the colony, forcing the bees to consume more honey as they work harder to maintain cluster temperature. The structural damage to the comb and frames can compromise the colony’s survival by disrupting its thermal balance and depleting its winter food reserves.
Protecting Beehives from Mouse Infestation
Preventing mouse infestation requires installing physical barriers before the onset of cold weather when bees begin to cluster. The most effective tool is a mouse guard or entrance reducer, which must be installed before the first hard frost. These barriers reduce the hive’s entrance opening to a size that allows worker bees to pass through but is too small for a mouse.
An effective mouse guard requires an opening that is less than one-half inch, or about 1 centimeter, in height. Metal guards are preferable to wooden entrance reducers, as mice can easily gnaw through wood to enlarge the opening. Beekeepers should also ensure the apiary is clean, removing any discarded wax or debris that might attract rodents. Additionally, elevating the hive off the ground reduces the likelihood of a mouse wandering into the entrance.