How to Keep Bees Away From Hummingbird Feeders Without Harming Them

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There ’s an teemingness of selective information uncommitted about how to draw hummingbirds to your yard and feeders , but selective information about how to keep bee away from hummingbird tributary tends to be scarce .

The XII or so specie of hummingbirds found in North America gravitate to a variety of colorful garden flowers , such as lantana , bee balm , foxglove , salvias , lupin , blossoming tobacco , petunias , and zinnias , as well as the high - caloriesugary nectarin hummingbird feeders . Unfortunately , these also attract bees and other insects .

how to keep bees away from hummingbird feeders

Photo: istockphoto.com

While bee are pollinators like hummingbirds , bees are undesirable client at hummingbird feeder . So , too , are WASP and pismire . Too many unwelcome guests at the feeder can pollute the sugar pee , which deters hummingbird from returning . A swarm of bees on a hummingbird feeder can lead to overcrowding , leaving little room for those hummingbird still concerned in the ambrosia .

1. Hang a saucer-style feeder.

Whether you make your own or buy apremade hummingbird nectar , the same food for thought source that attracts hummingbird also attracts bees and wasps . The hummingbird may feed in next to a few bees , but large numbers of bees can be prejudicial to the hummingbirds — and WASP can become fast-growing , chasing off the tiny birds who leave in search of another intellectual nourishment source .

If bee and other insects are rampant in your yard , choose a feeder that is less “ insect - favorable , ” such asJuegoal ’s highly denounce discus - style feeder , which is accessible to foresightful hummingbird tongues but harder for insects to access . Bonus : dish antenna - type feedersdrip less than the typical inverted hummingbird eater , making less mint and attracting few ant .

2. Install bee guards in your hummingbird feeder.

There are approximately 4,000 varieties of bee in North America , many of which like nectar and are attracted tohummingbird feeder . To discourage them from wassail up all the sweet ambrosia in your hummingbird tributary , add bee guards to your hummingbird feeders . Bee sentry go , like thesebee guards from Perky - Pet , create enough space between the solid food reservoir and the access port to keep bees from reaching the “ juice ” while allow the hummingbirds to drink at will . Many of these guards fitted onto existing feeders and are easily replaceable when they wear out .

3. Buy red feeders, but forgo the red nectar.

If you need awasp - proof hummingbird feeder , check that it ’s red . Red is the color that mostattracts hummingbird . Wasps ( and bees ) are n’t as attracted to redness as hummingbirds , are ; the insects actually favor yellow-bellied .

There is no need to colour in the wampum water red , however . crimson dye is not necessary to hummingbirds ’ diets — the linear can actually harm the birdie — so there ’s no understanding to add it .

4. Move the feeder to a new location.

Moving a hummingbird eater around can fuddle bees , who might struggle to notice it in its novel smear . insect choose gadget and are less probable to seek out the young location .

If there ’s no good place for you to move your feeder , another option deserving trying is to take the self-feeder down for a couple days and desire that the bee will forget about it . Do n’t move the feedertoooften , though — you might also confuse the hummingbirds .

5. Look for leaks.

Leaks and drip attract bee , ants , and other insects to clump to hummingbird feeders . verify that the seal between the reservoir and alimentation ports is right aligned and tight to keep leak . Take care , too , not to overfill a hummingbird birdfeeder to the point that it leak .

6. Divert the bees’ attention.

Plant apollinator gardento attract bee . If they have a mixture of floral selections , they are more likely to abide away from the hummingbird feeder . For season - long alimentation , implant a mixtureof perennials and yearly with staggered prime time .

7. Dial down the sweetness.

Bees love sugar and will prefer the sweetest flower and ambrosia useable . Reducing the sweetness of the ambrosia in your tributary might encourage the insects to move on and recover sweeter solid food elsewhere .

Bees and wasps prefer a water system - to - pelf proportion of 3:1 or 4:1 . thin out the ratio of the nectar in the hummingbird feeder to 5:1 will still appeal the little birds , but might send bees and wasps in hunting of other odorous source .

8. Deploy decoy feeders.

If you may’tplant lots of heyday , add together a bee - specific self-feeder — or just a shallow bowl — with a higher piss - to - sugar proportion to lure bee and white Anglo-Saxon Protestant aside from the hummingbird feeder . Remember to make the sugary solution stronger than the 5:1 ratio satisfactory to hummingbirds .

Start by locating the decoy feeder near the hummingbird tributary , and gradually move it 5 to 6 feet away . Place the distracting bird feeder in full sun , which bee prefer more than hummingbird do , and make it easily approachable .

9. Clean hummingbird feeders frequently.

Regularlycleaning hummingbird feedersminimizes spilled ambrosia that attracts bees , wasps , ants , and other insects . It also boil down the likeliness of the ambrosia cross and harm the hummingbird .

To keep ambrosia from spoiling quickly , move the feeder to a partially shaded area . A shady spot will slow fermentation and leak . It will also make the feeder less enticing to bees , who prefer to feed in sunlight .

10. Never use harmful substances on or near the feeders.

support in mind the delicate nature of hummingbirds and the fact that bees are also important pollinator that really should n’t be killed , it ’s best toavoid the manipulation of pesticidesnear hummingbird feeders .

likewise , do n’t use any kind of oil , sprayer , orpetroleum jellyon the feeder . If any of these substances adhere to the hummingbirds ’ wing , they could have trouble take flight . If a gummy marrow catch lodge on a hummingbird ’s beak , the bird may not be able-bodied to open its mouth .

Whatever you do , do n’t use any kind of mag tape on a birdfeeder , as a hummingbird could get stick to to the adhesive material and not be able to flee away .

how to keep bees away from hummingbird feeders

Photo: istockphoto.com

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how to keep bees away from hummingbird feeders