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Bees are guzzling my hummingbird feeder sugar_water!

Nothing against the bees - I luv em, but the hummingbirds can't/won't go to the feeder. I have tried moving it to different locations (front & side yards) but the bees still locate it. I tried setting out a small bowl of sugar water just for the bees and placed it away from the hummingbird feeder... hoping that maybe the bees will go to the bowl and leave the feeders clear. No luck. The bees were buzzing around the last place I had hung the hummingbird feeder.

Any suggestions?

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Permalink Reply by chantal on August 28, 2009 at 9:37am: Awww... 'lil cuties. Now is a rough time for bees, so they're probably desperate for nectar.

Not sure what other's think but my vote is to let 'em drink it ;-); ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by pineapple_yum on August 28, 2009 at 10:14am: Aww, thanks! They are cute.

I'm not opposed to feeding them (in addition to my garden/flower efforts) but they are totally bogarting the hummingbird feeder.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gene Stillman on August 28, 2009 at 9:42pm: Change the mix down to 1 part sugar to 5 parts of water. Most of the sold mixes are 1 to 4 ratio. The bees will not bother you at 1 to 5, and the hummingbirds will return.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by chantal on August 29, 2009 at 11:27am: Hey great advice. I had no idea. Thx!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by pineapple_yum on August 29, 2009 at 2:05pm: 1:5..... still bee-nip.
They drank a whole bottle in about 2 hours! I'll try barely sweet next time.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Gene Stillman on August 31, 2009 at 3:01pm: We have had such a low nectar flow this year, the bees are going for anything they can find. A feeder with the bee guard sounds like the best solution.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Bosque Bees on August 30, 2009 at 2:25pm: They make hummer feeders with a little yellow cage over the nectar ports that keeps bees and wasps out but doesn't exclude the hummingbirds. My concern with letting them continue is that who ever owns the bees might still be making "honey" from the hive which would actually be dehydrated sugar water. They are definitely going the extra mile for any nectar/ pollen sources this time of year.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by pineapple_yum on August 30, 2009 at 3:25pm: I have reduced my solution to where the bees are no longer interested... although now, neither are the hummingbirds.
I am definitely going to check out some new feeders!; ▶ Reply to This