Bees are guzzling my hummingbird feeder sugar_water!

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Permalink Reply by Bosque Bill on August 21, 2009 at 8:27pm

Yikes!!! Those are some bees! I was having trouble with wasps a few weeks ago, but they have let up, now.

Two things you can try. First, every time you refill the feeder wash off all the nectar that the hummers slop around. They are messy feeders. I have the same kind of feeder that you have and keep an old toothbrush by the sink to scrub those yellow plastic flowers clean each time I refill. If it looks like the bees don't come around until after the feeder is half empty - try filling the clean feeder only half-way.

Secondly, you might try setting out a small bowl of extra sweet sugar water just for the bees. Place it away from your hummingbird feeders. Maybe the bees will go to the bowl and leave the feeders clear.

p.s., To everyone, not just pineapple_yum: clicking the little camera icon will allow you to upload a photo and have it automatically displayed with the post or reply. If you click the "Upload Files" text link, you can upload your photo, but it won't display until someone clicks the attachment link in your post.

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Permalink Reply by pineapple_yum on August 22, 2009 at 12:22am

B_Bill, thank you for the suggestions. I do scrub the feeder every time though, to keep the ant at bay. I haven't noticed if the bees wait until it's half empty/half full - the clean it out pretty fast! I might try out a different type of feeder.

p.s., thanx for the image tip!

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Permalink Reply by Bosque Bill on August 22, 2009 at 7:33am

The "experts" claim that bees are attracted to yellow and hummers to red, so conventional wisdom is to have all red feeders. But my wasps (not bees) were just as attracted to one of my all red feeders as to my Perky Pet, like yours.

I've heard of people removing the little yellow flowers on their feeder (which also allows orioles to feed,) but I'd be afraid that would make the hole large enough for ants and bees to get inside the base. Those yellow flowers are called bee-guards, as the hole is too small for them to enter.

Have you tried luring the bees away from the feeder to a small, shallow bowl of sugar water? Guess that could become an ant problem - you could set the small bowl inside a larger bowl of water; the ants would not cross the moat.

Keep us updated as to your experiments, as I'm sure other folks have a similar problem. Maybe when they find this discussion they will post what works for them.

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Permalink Reply by pineapple_yum on August 22, 2009 at 7:55am

Ohhh, I really like the moat idea! I'll keep ya posted.

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Permalink Reply by pineapple_yum on August 28, 2009 at 8:19am

The "moat" worked great! No ants. The bees appeared within 10 minutes and inhaled the bowl of sugar-water. They also were buzzing around the last place I had hung the hummingbird feeder.

I'm going to post this over on the bee keepers page...
Thank you for your ideas & help!

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Permalink Reply by Bosque Bill on August 28, 2009 at 12:28pm

Terrific! Glad it worked out and thanks for reporting back to us.

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Permalink Reply by NM High School Sports News on December 27, 2009 at 1:46pm

You can change the style of feeder you use to a "flat saucer" style that the bees can't reach the nectar with their probasus (mispelled I know) and thus will leave your hummer feeder alone. This will also eliminate finches and sparrows from drinking your nectar as well.

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