too many yellow jackets at hummingbird feeders
sdk822
17 years ago
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Comments (8)
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
17 years agonohandle
17 years agoRelated Discussions
Bees on hummingbird feeder..Help!
Comments (30)It's interesting to me that those who design feeders to be sold don't take into consideration what design(s) work(s). They keep making junk because we keep buying it. In my opinion, there are three big no-no's in hummingbird feeders. 1) The holes through which the juice is accessed must be small: just big enough for the hummers and no more. 2) The distance from the top of the juice to the feeder hole needs to be too long for wasps and bees, but short enough for hummers to get access. 3) The feeder MUST NOT leak. Over the years I have fed thousands upon thousands of hummers....See MoreAnts all over hummingbird feeder
Comments (89)I live in Texas, and we do have a huge ant problem. Moats have not worked for me because I can't keep them full. Between wind shake and evaporation, they are usually empty even with close attention. I simply put a tiny bit of wheel bearing grease at the very top of the hanger, and they will not cross it. I have fire ants, carpenter ants, and other smaller types that I can't identify. They all stay off. My grease is not down where a hummer is likely to get into it, and I have never seen any evidence of it getting on any hummers. Texas gets pretty hot, but I have never seen the grease melted or running. On one feeder several years ago, I continued to have problems even with the spot of grease, so I soaked a piece of coarse cotton string in grease and wrapped it a few turns around the very top of the hanger. They never crossed it. I suggest one other thing. Put up more hangers than you have feeders and move each feeder that gets invaded. After a day or so, they will appear to have abandoned that spot, but they keep checking it occasionally for several days. Just leave that spot idle for as long as needed. Regardless what solution you use, somebody will call you an idiot. Be sensible, but know that most things we do can POSSIBLY harm something SOMETIME. I have seen just about every kind of aerial combat these birds engage in, and I have seen some predicaments they get themselves into while fighting, but we can't make the world entirely safe for them. I have seen them run into door screen, windows, feeders, and each other. Let's just be sensible and feed the birds....See MoreYellow jackets
Comments (3)this is why.. i stopped using the feeders.. especially when the kids were young.. two neighbors have feeders.. and complain all summer long.. but the hummers come and nest in my conifers ... get rid of your feeder.. and plant some plants that attract the birds.. and your problem will go away ... in trying to outdo mother nature.. you are creating an attractive nuisance.. and then complaining the YJ's are attracted.. soooo.. try something else ... or just go hang the feeder across the yard .. further away from you.. and get some binoculars ... my local hummers.. [and BTW.. you might want to do another post specifically titled for plants that attract such... ] mine are attracted to ... hosta ... especially the late bloomers that are fragrant.. honeysuckle vine .... my old redbud.. but i think they just liked the tree.. as it bloomed long before they were in town ..... it seems.. or i just see think .. in later summer.. they are attracted to fragrant stuff ... 4 o'clocks ... i am thinking.. but am not sure of autumn clematis ..... ken...See MoreWhat is the proper nectar recipe for hummingbird feeders?
Comments (0)Four parts water to one part white sugar. (For instance, one quarter cup of sugar stirred into one cup of water.) Tap or well water is preferred; do not use distilled as it takes out too many naturally occurring minerals. If you use a water softener, you may want to use partial or totally filtered water; softeners may add too many minerals and salts to the water. Room Temperature Method: Use very warm water (not hot) right out of the tap. Some brisk stirring is all that is required to dissolve the sugar. Let it cool a bit before setting out a feeder if the sugar water is hot to the touch. Boiling Method I Some people prefer to boil their sugar solution to retard the growth of bacteria and mold. Use boiling water to mix up the above-mentioned sugar solution; allow it to cool before placing outside. Boiling Method II Sometimes you may still have problems even if you have been boiling your water; the trouble could be contamination in your sugar. This method should take care of the problem. Mix up the 4:1 water-to-sugar solution in your normal preparation amount. Bring this to a boil on the stove and allow it to boil for a minute or two. Bring more (plain) water to the boil in another container at the same time. Pour the boiled sugar solution into a clean and sanitized measuring container (you don't want to undo your efforts!). If some water boiled off, add plain boiled water to the boiled sugar solution to bring it back up to the original amount it was before boiling. It's a bit more work, but the boiling method tends to extend the 'shelf life' of the sugar solution. Sugar solution can be made ahead and kept up to a week in the refrigerator. Discard any sugar solution that has turned cloudy or contains black mold, no matter how 'fresh' the solution is. Tip: Only fill your feeders with enough sugar solution to last, at the most, two or three days. There is no sense in throwing most of the sugar water away when it goes bad before the hummingbirds drink all or most of it. If you feed hummingbirds during below-freezing temperatures (yes, you can do this without preventing their migration: see the Winter Feeding FAQ), raising the concentration of the sugar solution to 3 parts water: one part sugar can usually prevent the feeder from freezing up at temperatures around and below 25 degrees F. For more information about hummingbirds, check out the Hummingbird Garden forum....See Morelh_midtn
17 years agosharpshin
17 years ago
Connie Finley
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoConnie Finley
3 years agolast modified: 3 years ago
bellarosa
3 years ago
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