skip to main content

Texas Gardening

Bees on Hummingbird feeders

16 years ago

Is anyone else having this? The bees come daily and slurp down the feeders. No, I'm not angry at the bees, but I've never seen the feeders go down so quickly. There doesn't appear to be a swarm, but I'd say about 20 or more bees at any time haning onto a feeder. They are also around the flowers, but I suspect those are just waiting for a turn on the feeder!

smiles

c

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

kossetx
16 years ago
I'm glad it's bees. Red wasp are usually on mine and they fight the hummers for it. Like with anyone, a free easy meal is always desirable.
unautre
16 years ago
have bees and wasps on and falling into my hb feeder every year, but haven't noted any signficant loss of liquid.

saw a hb this week on my feeder, VERY late, normally all gone by mid-September
Related Discussions
Bees & Hummingbirds
Q
Comments (1)
I don't mean to sidetrack your request but 'why' would you want to keep bees off your hummingbird feeder? We put out our feeder before the hummers arrive to attract bees. The various species of bees have never bothered the hummers.
...See More
Bees on hummingbird feeder..Help!
Q
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 More
What should I look for when purchasing a hummingbird feeder?
Q
Comments (0)
Features to Consider When Choosing a Hummingbird Feeder: (in no particular order) Red Color The most attractive color to hummingbirds is red. Look for red in the feeder itself rather than relying on dye to color the sugar solution. Hummingbirds are very inquisitive and even just a little bit of red on the feeder itself is quite sufficient. (See below for more on red dye.) Ant Protection Built in ant moats (check the feeder's packaging) or add-on ant moats solve most of the ants-at/in-the-feeder problem. Bee Guards The most attractive color to bees and wasps is yellow. Newer model feeders from most manufacturers no longer have yellow parts. Look for hummingbird feeders that claim on their packaging that their shape discourages bees from reaching the nectar (usually found with saucer-shaped styles). Built-in Perches Hummingbirds prefer to sit when they feed if they are able to do so. Size of Feeder The smaller the better, until you determine how heavy the hummingbird usage is. Ease of Cleaning There should be no little nooks and crannies in the feeder for mold to lurk. A dishrag, a small bottle brush (an old, clean toothbrush is wonderful!), and a clean pipe cleaner should be sufficient tools for cleaning. Also very helpful are the tiny brushes specifically marketed for cleaning hummingbird feeder ports. Ease and Cleanliness of Use Look for feeders that do not require excessive twisting or snapping to be put together; this reduces the chance of sloshing sticky sugar water all over the feeder. (And your countertop, your shoes, your kitchen floor, your patio...) Rain Guard Some hummingbird feeders with their feeding ports located on top of the solution reservoir may allow rainwater to get into the feeder and dilute (and possibly contaminate) the sugar solution. Check the feeder packaging to see if a particular model is designed to limit this problem. There are also "rain guards" available, metal or plastic disks meant to hang above a feeder, marketed specifically for hummingbird feeders. Wind Resistance Feeders hung in very windy locations may spill and make quite a mess doing so; at least one manufacturer is making a saucer style feeder that can be pole-mounted. Instructions Some feeders have the nectar recipe permanently imprinted onto the feeder itself.
...See More
How do you BEE proof a hummingbird feeder?
Q
Comments (10)
I always assumed Colorado's Front Range, where we received a scant 15" of rain a year amd any time the relative humidity got above single digits was what I called a "muggy day," was an arid climate. It seems every bit as wet as when I lived in the middle of the rainforest on Oahu compared to south-central Arizona. No, I'm not complaining, I hate humidity with a burning passion and rain and clouds are my arch nemesis. But, you're righr. The critters here are water desperate, though, maybe not as much here on the western edge of suburban Phoenix. Plus there is a lot of agriculture here in Buckeye so irrigation canals are still more common than stop lights. I do have a bird bath that I keep filled, so there is water present for them. I assume the insects use it every bit as much as much as the birds, but they don't get trapped in it, so I don't find their corpses floating in the tray like I do the hummer feeder. No, I haven't been to the Sonoran desert museum yet, Tucson is a solid 2-2 1/2 hour drive yet from where I'm at, so I haven't made it that way really (I did visit Tombstone when my wife was here for interviews back in October and drove through). Right now though, the hummer species list is pretty limited. I get Anna's here at the house and have seen Costa's around, but most others, from my understanding, are as transient as I am and wont be around until spring. As far as I know, the European honeybee and its Africanized counterpart are wholly indistinguishable outside of a laboratory setting. That is why it is "presumed" that all Apis mellifera in this corner of the world are of the subspecies/hybrid "scutellera" (Africanzied/killer bee). That being said, I do NOT wamt to spread fear, but awareness is a great tool. Just like all animals, and I have worked in close proximity to everything from bison to rattlesnakes, they operate on DEFENSE rather than offense. A healthy respect goes a long way and like my boss at USFWS used to say "it's a herd, not a gang."
...See More
carrie751
16 years ago
I have a few hummers still feeding on my flowers here in North Texas. It is very late for them, so these are probably just passing through.
justintx
16 years ago
I haven't had a hummer in a week - maybe more. Guess I'll pick them up. (sigh)
J.D.
PKponder TX Z7B
16 years ago
I'm sad too JD, I saw only one last week and none since. I may leave just 2 out for the stragglers.

Pam
justintx
16 years ago
Pam,
There is one consolation - maybe my whooper will show up again.
; -)
J.D.
PKponder TX Z7B
16 years ago
Yep JD, we all know how much hummingbirds scare those whoopers ;-)

Pam
marlingardener
16 years ago
We still have four hummingbirds appearing daily at our feeders (2) in central Texas. For those who have a wasp problem, our neighbor has several feeders out, and he puts a dab of mineral oil on the access hole, which discourages the wasps without bothering the hummers. All we have had "stealing" nectar are butterflies, and they are most welcome to all they can drink!
cynthianovak
Original Author
16 years ago
The bees have developed a system here. The smaller HB feeder is one of those light, plastic jobs with 4 little yellow plastic flowers marking the drinking holes.

The bees get on one hole and hang there on top of each other. This tips the feeder to that side and the drink and drink. Several of them hope off, there are also a group on the ground beneath the feeder snarfing the nectar.

I put about 1 3/4 cup of the sugar water into the feeder Wed. afternoon. It was gone Thursday afternoon.

They are onto the glass feeder now, but this one is harder to tip, so they are working all 4 openings. It's been fascinating!

I don't recall seeing a hummer in a few days. I might refill the feeders just to Feed the Bees

c
black-chinned
15 years ago
Bees can be a big problem in some parts of the country. Please do NOT use any type of oil because if the hummingbirds brush against it the oil will get on their feathers and can cause health issues. You must start with a feeder that is specifically designed and advertised to be bee-proof. Then take care when making nectar to not make it too sweet. For hummingbirds a 4-1 ratio is good, too sweet will attract more bees than birds. Then after hanging clean off drips or spills, I like to spray them off with water from a spray bottle. Any little drip or spill will attract some bees. That should do it, but if not, hang another feeder nearby (not too close) containing a much sweeter mixture and the bees will move to that feeder leaving yours to the birds. For more information check out our website at The Hummingbird Store.

Enjoy the Flying Jewels!

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Attract Hummingbirds and Bees With These Beautiful Summer Flowers

By Annie Thornton

Roll out a welcome mat for pollinators to keep your landscape in balance and thriving

GARDENING GUIDES 8 Flowers That Hummingbirds Adore

To draw those mesmerizing little birds to your garden or doorstep, plant these flowers that are attractive in more ways than one

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Agastache Rupestris, a Heat-Loving Hummingbird Magnet

By Susan J Tweit

Threadleaf giant hyssop adds color and fragrance to late-summer and fall xeric gardens

GARDENING GUIDES Backyard Birds: Invite Entertaining Hummingbirds Into Your Garden

By Habitat Network

Hummingbirds — unique to the Americas — zip through open landscapes seasonally or year-round. Here’s how to attract them

EARTH DAY Create a Container Wildlife Habitat for Hummingbirds and Butterflies

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Don’t let limited space prevent you from welcoming wildlife into your garden

GARDENING GUIDES Hummingbird or Moth? See Why You Want Clearwings Around

By Pollination Press LLC

These fascinating moths may be helpful pollinators for your garden. Here’s how to coax them your way

PRODUCT PICKS Guest Picks: 20 Ways to Play Garden Host to Birds and Bees

By Dear Designer's Blog

Perch some of these houses and feeders around your garden, and watch pollinators and feathered friends flock in

EARTH DAY 12 Entertaining ‘Bee-haviors’ of Native Bees

By Debbie Ballentine

The parade of pollinator antics is another reason to create a garden that nurtures native bees

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Roll Out the Welcome Mat for Hummingbirds With Red Columbine

By Pollination Press LLC

Grow Aquilegia canadensis in eastern perennial gardens or informal woodland plantings for its delicate foliage and uncommon red flowers

FLOWERS Great Design Plants: Penstemon Rostriflorus

By Susan J Tweit

Plant bridge penstemon, also called mountain fountains, for its long-blooming scarlet spikes that act like a living hummingbird feeder

Sponsored

Structural Remodeling

Franklin County's Heavy Timber Specialists | Best of Houzz 2020!

More Discussions

How cold is too cold for bare root bagged roses?...

12

Costco bareroots in TX -- 2 plants $16

2

Weed Treatment For Bermuda Grass

6

Crossvine oddness

4

iris not blooming well

8