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mealworm feeder placement

orchid_ladycats

15 years ago

My DH reluctantly put up a new mealworm feeder for me today. For the past few years, I've used two feeders: a little wooden house type with holes at both ends and a Lucite piece on one side (thank you Kathy G!) and also one of those little Lucite feeders that sticks to a window via a suction cup. We had 10 BBs winter over, and now there's a Mom and Dad feeding two juveniles and five more eggs in the nest. (Sadly, one fledgling out of a brood of three disappeared.) With the small feeders, it gets to be pretty crowded, lots of squabbling, and that's not even counting the Titmice and Carolina Wrens!

So I treated myself to the Bluebird Nut Deluxe mealworm feeder a few months ago, and, as I wrote, it just got put up. We don't have a deck, so it's hanging from one of those very long arms at the top of a WBU pole system, and it's the only feeder I plan to have on that pole. For two selfish reasons, I asked my DH to mount the pole right outside a window: first, I really want to be able to see them, and maybe get some good photos; second, I want to be able to fill it easily no matter the weather. (I ended up in the ER one winter trying to navigate the stone patio that had become an ice skating rink to get to the feeders.) The BBs are used to coming right up to the house because if the placement of the existing feeders.

IÂd love to hear about others experiences with this feeder Â where and how youÂve mounted it, how itÂs working out. Thanks so much!

Joan

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Comments (3)

bluebars
15 years ago
Although I have a different feeder, ours is clamped to the deck rail, just outside the patio door. Even in the deepest snow, I can open the door and reach around to fill the feeder without even getting my feet wet. And I can see right through the window whether it is empty or not.
The most important thing, though, is the safety of the birds. The deck is high enough off the ground, and cannot be climbed by predators. We do not offer seed feeders which are known to attract opportunistic hawks, etc. And we only offer a handful of mealworms 2 or 3 times a day to minimize "traffic". The bluebirds come and eat the mealworms and then move on, and no other birds are even aware of the offerings (no competition).
I've given up on the photography though. Some of the folks here have posted such beautiful pics! They have more time, talent, and equipment than I could ever hope for. And I enjoy them so much!
Now you be careful on that ice! It can be treacherous, and it can even be deadly.
BlueBars

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orchid_ladycats
Original Author
15 years ago
Hi BlueBars -- Thanks for responding. I'm very aware of safety concerns for the birds. Everything is baffled, no seed feeder is anywhere near the mealworm feeders. I love watching all the other birds that do enjoy the seeds and suets -- I've had 34 different kinds of birds visit!
I was really hoping that someone who has the Bluebird Nut Deluxe Mealworm Feeder could tell me about their experience, especially if they have it hanging from a pole rather than mounted on a deck. DH is worried about the weight of the thing, although the WBU pole is very sturdily planted in the ground with the cross braces. Any other info about it would be great! thanks, Joan
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Keith, when you feed the mealies you should leave them out of the fridge to feed, the apple peals need to have some apple on them too, not just the peals as they need the moisture from the apple. Mine eat the apple and leave the peals. I have kept mine in the fridge from October to April and they have stayed alive. You just need to take them out like once every three weeks or so and feed them or they will die. When you feed them you leave them out of the fridge for several hours so they can wake up enough to eat, I usually leave them out a whole day but not overnight. They also eat the wheatbran or oatmeal that they are in but they need apple/carrots/lettuc etc for moisture. Do not leave the moisture source in them when you put them back in the fridge though or they could mold and kill the mealies. Donna
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donnalovesblue
15 years ago
Joan...I think I have the mealworm feeder you are describing...mine is the Bluebird Nut Deluxe feeder...I first attempted to hang it from a sheperd's hook but it was much to heavy, and kept swinging, so I placed it on top of my wooden privacy fence...the blues couldn't seem to figure it out at first, since prior to the feeder, I had put the worms in a small cup....anyway, someone advised leaving the top off for awhile, until the blues adjusted to the new feeder, and then place the top back on...it worked! Mine is the wire jailhouse style, with the blue glass cup in the middle...my only concern about this feeder is that it is metal and really gets hot in our southern heat...

If there is a better mealworm feeder, I'd like to know about it....

Donna

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