Ants on Hummingbird feeder

[Boss Hogg]

Now that spring is here, I am getting anxious to get my feeders out. Can anyone tell me how to keep ants out of the hummingbird feeder. I hung it from a string that was tied to a rope, suspened between two trees. They had to travel up the tree, along 10 feet of rope, and then down the string to the feeder. Thanks for any advise.

[Steve Foss]

You can't keep ants out of a hummingbird feeder. It's like trying to keep mice out of a corncrib.

[buzzsaw]

Not to contradict my dear friend Steve, BUUUUUT, I have Hummingbird feeders everywhere in my backyard and some are ant proofed.... you get one that hangs from a coated cable that will hand off of a feeder that has a holding area for water attached and a cord that dangles below and holds the feeder, just keep that water holding area filled with water and you will have no ants, just bees.

[Steve Foss]

Oh buzz, contradict away. No one knows everything, me least of all. As you say, you'll have no ants under the system you described . . . until flying ant season. I personally don't care if there are ants on the humminbird feeders. They don't deter the hummingbirds one bit. If you know a way to keep flying ants off the feeders, however, that would be a good deal for those who don't like them there.

[AQUAJOE]

I have something for the bees.

Almond extract

Just wipe it on the Humming bird feeder around the plates and holes. The bees will stay away. You may have to every so often reapply.

This also works on apples and oranges. Just cut them open and wipe them down with the almond extract and the bees will say

Thanks but no thanks!!

[Steve Foss]

Thanks for the tip, aquajoe. I hadn't heard that one before. Excellent!

[AQUAJOE]

My grandmother told me about years ago.

[Steve Foss]

Grandmothers are beyond the price of rubies.

[Dotch]

There is a little plastic commercial device one can buy that mounts above the feeder that contains a small disc impregnated with permethrin I believe. It is self contained and stays dry so the birds are not exposed to the pesticide. You hang the feeder from it and the ants crawl in there and don't crawl out. I got one last year at Fleet Farm and it worked well. Only problem we had was living out in the 4 winds as we do, eventually the wind broke the thing in two! Am curious to see what buzz has for a deterrent. Like most guys, I like pictures (hint, hint)

Don't have a lot of problem with bees but flies are an issue. Does that almond extract work on the flies too aquajoe?

[buzzsaw]

I'll post a picture of my set up, it's sweet (no pun intended) and works great if you keep it filled up with water.

P.S. No flying ant problems in my neck of the woods...

[AQUAJOE]

It does work for flies.