9 ways to keep ants out of hummingbird feeders
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It is so frustrating to put out a hummingbird feeders only to find it overrun by ants.It encourages more ants because it keeps the hummingbirds and other birds away.
I came up with an easy and free way to keep ants away from my feeders after looking on the internet and being discouraged with the results.You will likely be able to do this with items in your house.
I didn't find any ideas on the internet for the hook or chain.I have only limited success with all of these.Let's look at their weaknesses.
hummingbirds visit my feedersI would need to rethink hanging my feeders out if it costs me a lot of time and money.
A plastic lid sprayed with household cleaner can keep ants at bay.
After a lot of trial and error, I found a quick, long- lasting, and inexpensive setup that is perfect for preventing ants on hummingbird feeders.
I like the plastic lid that comes on a carton of ice cream or margarine.
To make a loop in the wire, you need to wrap it around a couple of times.Use pliers if you cannot do it with your fingers.The weight of the feeder is supported by this.
All of my feeders are made of glass, so they are heavy when full of water.This loop is the part that will hang from your hook or something similar.
The plastic lid has been sprayed and left to dry.The sprayed side should be facing up.The bend in the wire is about 1.5 inches.The lid is supported by this.An example of this can be seen in the photo.
I left this method for weeks without spraying it.I am not sure if this is because the spray penetrated the plastic or if the ants remember that.
As long as the lid is supported by the wire, you won't have a problem.
Don't be afraid to use this spray near the feeders.I've never seen many of the birds attempt to land on it.I think it's partly due to its wobbly surface.They want to get to the sugar water.
Not only do we get the hummingbirds visiting our feeders, but we also have them nest in our garden.It is fun to see the small eggcup-size nest being constructed and then filled with eggs the size of Tic Tacs.The pointed beaks sticking out of the nest are what we can see once they hatch.
Your birds may be confused by the new contraption.They will know there is no danger when they sample the liquid.
Do you think it's the prettiest thing on your patio or porch?No, but it works.I only remove the bottle when I change the sugar water.
You can encourage hummingbirds to visit your garden by selecting certain flowering plants.Not only will you get to see these beautiful little birds, but you will have beautiful flowers as well.They like red flowers.They are interested in anything red.There is a video of a person flying to a camera strap with a red Canon logo.They are curious.
At my home, we see tubular flowers on the bougainvillea as well as the cashews and mango trees.Pick varieties in red for the best results.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
I have been using vegetable oil above the hummingbird feeders to prevent ants for the last four years.Is it working for anyone else?
Thanks for sharing that, that is a great idea.It won't evaporate like water or be a breeding ground for mosquitoes, so I can see the benefits of that.If not changed regularly, it may go rancid.
My ant moat does a good job of keeping out crawling ants, but I find my feeders plagued with flying ants.How do I stop them?
There is a problem with flying ants and wasp.I have found that moving my feeders will keep them away.When they find a new location, I move it again.The hummingbird knows to look at two places.It isn't a permanent solution, but it is workable.
The hummingbird feeders have domes, but the ants still get to the nectar.I came up with my own idea after reading yours.
I used electrical tape.First, one rotation, sticky side down, followed by a half twist and wrapped with a wire hanger.The ants don't like it because it's cheap.
As the sticky part gets coated in dust from the air, you will need to keep using more tape.It sounds brilliant, other than that.Thanks for the idea.
Are they leaking because of the strong wind?Can you return the unit to the place you paid for it?
I have glass bottles, and they have never leaked.I used to have plastic ones that were brittle and cracked in the sun.
Do you paint the hummingbird feeders before spraying the cleaning solution?I think this may help with the visual appeal.
I have never done it but I see no reason not to.It would be more appealing to look at.
I am following your directions but the spray on the lid stinks.Does the smell go away when I let it dry?I have had an ant problem for the first time in 10 years.
You have misinterpreted what was written.I said 409, the kitchen cleaner.Use a kitchen cleaning spray if you want to start with a new lid.It could be a muscle or an insect.
I can not see that it would happen.You don't have to try another size if you use one about the size shown in the photo.Let us know your results if you go for it.
I would try it.It should have the same effect outside if it keeps ants out of your home.
Thanks Linda, this gives the readers even more options.There are ants and wasp on our feeders.
It is likely that you have everything you need at home if you are still under a shelter.By the end of the day, your hummingbirds won't have to worry about ants in their feeding bottle.
Thanks for adding that.It is helpful to know that the problem has been successful for you.
I was told to put cooking oil around the necter holes on the hummingbird feeders to keep the flying ants away.The oil prevents the ants from putting their feet on the feeders.I have been doing this for 2 years and it has worked for me.I just get a qtip and rub oil on the flower in my feeders.
I am sure your hummingbirds will find your feeders, they cover a lot of ground in a day.
The wasp can be a problem, but mine seem to be sporadic as we have many flowering trees and plants that keep them occupied.
Thanks for the solution to the ant problem.I will try the plastic lid next time I refill the feeders.I hope the little guys find it in the new location.I see through the comments that I have to address the wasp issues.I will be looking for plants on your list that will attract these birds.
Thank you for that.It is one of the ways we can keep the ants away from our feeders.Thanks.
I had ants in the hummingbird feeders.I rapped the shoe string around the cable.I sprayed the string.I did this two months ago and no ants have reappeared.It didn't affect the bird's feeding habits.That's correct.
I had a lot of problems with the wasp on my feeders last year.I used to have problems with the wasp, but this year I had no problems at all.
Like the author, I don't have the time to fill it several times a day.If the moat is dry, the ants will take over quickly.The ants just walked over the Vaseline I tried.The Vicks have worked well.The ants do not mind the smell, but my hummingbirds do.Finally, success!
That is a new one I have not heard before.Unusual things work the best.Thanks for putting your idea in a basket of things to get the ants out of the hummingbird feeders.
It's easy to remove ants from a bird feeders.Wrap old shoe laces around the cable.There is a spray on shoe string.There are no ants in the feeders.
You have to apply baby powder to the wooden deck top every couple of days, but it works if you put it on the hanger.
Thanks for sharing your method for keeping ants away from your hummingbird feeders.
On May 24, 2018, I put corn startch in the moat instead of water.
The only feeders I have seen here are plastic and not attractive.
We do not have a lot of flowers.I know what you mean, natural nectar is better.
I made my own hummingbird feeders and had the prettiest one.It became an ant feeding area.Hummingbirds rarely visit my feeders.I let the flowers do their job.They like my balm.
That is great news.You can jazz it up so it doesn't look like a plastic lid but keep in mind you need to have a surface that you can wash and apply bug spray on.
You have provided the answer that I have been looking for.Thank you!
Like the hummingbirds, bees pose a different type of problem.The plight of the bees is frightening and we should all be doing more to encourage bees into our gardens.
I like to plant flowers and leave areas wild for insects.Leaving an area uncut for me is not a problem.
I had a small wasp that hounded my hummingbird feeders, preventing the birds from getting to a feeding station.It is annoying.I found that moving it to a new place helped the birds find it.It is not an ideal solution, but it may have long-term benefits.We haven't had a problem with wasp on the feeders in a couple of years.
Mary, this is wonderful.Many people are plagued by ants, and this will be a blessing to those who want to keep their feeders, but not because of the pests.I will put this on my website, which will give you some exposure.
If you know someone who has a problem with ants on their feeders, please let them know.
We don't bother with hummingbird feeders because we have a lot of flowering plants in our yard.For those with feeders for these tiny and cute creatures, this is good news.Sharing!
Need necessitates change, never a truer word was said.We seem to make a solution to a problem on our farm.
A brilliant idea and a creative contraption.Is the mother of invention needed?Sharing this with others.Thank you.
Sometimes I am like a dog with a bone and will not give up.I like to keep trying until I get to a conclusion.
An interesting article.Your creative idea solved the problem after you shared the suggestions which didn't work.It was thoughtful of you to share it.
Although we have monkeys, we do not have Squirrels.They haven't found my feeders.Our temperature is always 88-90 (F) south of the equator and we live there.I need to find out if it will grow here.
This is a well written and assembled article.Your solution is innovative.You have a lot of birds.I am not sure why our location attracted only three to five regulars, but we found that the squirrels were raiding the feeders.We stopped putting them out when we started having failing health.I keep a large pot of pineapple sage in the summertime because I love it.A couple of our hummingbirds are back.I hope they are former regulars.Pineapple sage is one of the largest herbs I have ever grown and sometimes it makes it through the winter.I recommend you try it if you are in a hot climate.It is a bright red bloomer.
I think the ants are trying to get their time.You have a plan of action in case.
It's great to know that this system has worked well for you.We had ants on our hummingbird feeders last year.I think we will need to try your solution as the weather warms up.Thanks for sharing!
I thought there were two types of ants, red and black.We have our fair share of different types in Brazil.Black ants bite too.
I came up with a solution to the problem because I refuse to let my hummingbird feeders get overrun.