Bees on the hummingbird feeder

10 years ago

Daine bought a hummingbird feeder. Several times a day about 10 to 15 bees and wasps feed. My question is will they hurt the birds?

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Comments (8)

PKponder TX Z7B
10 years ago
I have never seen both at the feeders at the same time. Actually, I haven't seen bees, just wasps so I changed the sugar solution to 20% sugar, 80% water and they quit swarming the feeder. The hummers do prefer it sweeter though, I think.
plantmaven
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for the info. She bought a premix when she bought the feeder. Perhaps that is the problem.

k
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Chances are it is yellow jackets that are around the feeder, if so, put a piece of meat a few yards away from the feeder and the yellow jackets will go for that too, and you will know that they are yellow jackets and not honey bees (which are not attracted to meat). Yellow jackets are more aggressive than honey bees and should not be messed with during daylite hours. Wait til dark and take the feeder down. If they are honey bees take the feeder down (if you are afraid of bees, again do this at night) and leave it inside for a few days. Honey bees will discover their nectar source is gone and move on. they have short memories and will forget it was ever there until a scout finds it again. I doubt it is honeybees because the feeder is not what they would consider a good source of nectar unless there is nothing else available. I have hives and feeders and the only tijme I have any problems with bees at the feeder is with yellow jackets, which sends me around the yard in search of their nest, so I can destroy it.
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Bees on hummingbird feeder..Help!
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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.
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Much as I hate to upset the natural order of things (bees, and wasps are generally beneficial), sometimes you have to find the source of the problem and eliminate it. Bees are both too valuable and hard to hive-find to kill. Most wasps kill so many pest insects (especially caterpillars) that I would be loath to kill them. There is an area in my woods where ground-burrowing blue wasps bring and bury an endless stream of pest bugs in August (for egg-laying). I take pains not to disturb them. I make an exception for yellow jackets, though. They can be a real problem in the yard and I eliminate them (sadly but mercilessly). I've been stung too often and subjected to nearly house-arrest for some swarming activities. Mainly, I've never seen a yellow jacket carrying a pest insect. So I don't think they are very beneficial. And you crush one and it releases a chemical that activates the others to attack. So, anyway, I have an idea about eliminating wasps and bees from hummer feeders. Why not epoxy a 1/4 to 3/8 inch of aquarium tubing over the hummer feeder openings? That ought to prevent any insects from getting at the nectar but not disturb the hummers. I'm not going to do that myself cause I'm not having a bee/wasp problem (so it would be no test), but maybe someone who IS havin the problem could test the idea.
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Bees on my Hummingbird Feeder~~Someone help me!
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Comments (23)
that would depend on where the nest is. if in the ground she'd have a good chance for survival & might stay put. if in an open nest or say an abandoned bird house she'd need to seek a warmer location. if you can locate the nest destroy it after spraying them or when they've gone dormant. if in the ground get a gallon of a good pesticide & mix it in a bucket with some liquid dish soap & pour it into the hole with a funnel. do this after they've gone dormant or if you have a problem nest during the warmer weather pour the mix in at night. wear long pants & sleeves, a hat, gloves, & cover your face with a bandana. pour it quickly & run like h**l. I know some will poo-poo this but gasoline or diesel fuel in a ground nest works too. if you're not up to it call a pro. yellow jackets & hornets can be quite aggressive . anyone in the St Louis area can contact me for swarm captures & bee removals from buildings & trees. this would be for honeybees only. 99.999 % of the calls I get after mid august are usually yellow jackets.
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carrie751
10 years ago
The folks on the hummingbird forum say you should never use the premix, Kathy, so perhaps that is the problem.
linda_tx8
10 years ago
Yes, it's supposed to be 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Last winter the bees got out of control on the hummingbird feeder and some would get into the feeder and drown. Guess there was a hive too close to here. But before spring, the problem went away...as soon as the Arizona Ash trees started blooming, the bees went to it, then other plants were blooming. Now my problem is that certain kinds of birds have developed a fondness for the nectar. The hummingbirds don't like that! I haven't heard of wasps or bees stinging the hummers.
avalonweddingsbcs
10 years ago
random question...

do you use clear mix or is it red? is the feeder part red at all?
linda_tx8
10 years ago
I don't put any red stuff in my mix. My feeder has plenty of red coloring. Once the hummers find the feeder, they know what it is from then on.
plantmaven
Original Author
10 years ago
The feeder is red. We are using the red premix. But once it is gone, I will fix my own.
ruthz
10 years ago
I've tried mixing my own and the hummers seem to prefer the premix.
Just in the past week I'm seeing lots of bees and wasps and the hummingbirds feeding less.
Maybe I'll try mixing my own again and see if the bees like it less.

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Bees on the hummingbird feeder

Comments (8)

PKponder TX Z7B

plantmaven
Original Author

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carrie751

linda_tx8

avalonweddingsbcs

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ruthz

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Bees on the hummingbird feeder

Comments (8)

PKponder TX Z7B

plantmavenOriginal Author

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carrie751

linda_tx8

avalonweddingsbcs

linda_tx8

plantmavenOriginal Author

ruthz

COMPANY

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plantmaven
Original Author

plantmaven
Original Author