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Ants in your Feeder You will find that ants love sugar water and will surely find your feeder, especially if it is prone to dripping. The best way we've found to thwart these critters is to use a simple water-filled ant cup hung between the hanger hook and the feeder. These are available at your local bird store or garden center. They work much better than oiling the wire or any other such nonsense. Learn how to make an ant cup below. Other critters You may find that bees, hornets, and wasps will also drink from the feeders. They do this, so we are told by experts, when it is hot and dry and there isn't enough water available. We have a birdbath in our patio near our main feeders and that seems to help keep them off the feeders most of the time. Of course, sugar water is always more preferable, so if your feeder drips, as many are prone to do, then you may find these critters to be a problem. Bee guards are available for some types of feeders but the critters still hang around to catch the drippings. We were told that these critters will actually chase and try to sting a hummingbird that it feels is threatening. In our experience, the birds are pretty able to avoid them and we often see birds and bees sharing a feeder, in a tentative coexistence. Wasps/hornets are not as threatening to the birds and will also share the feeder. Humans, however, need to watch out for all of these, as they may attack you--the hand that feeds them! TIP: Wear WHITE or light colored clothing, dark clothing attracts them (this is also true for mosquitoes). |
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