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.

I don't pretend to be an expert, but I'd bet familiarity is a large part of it. Also, could it be that the solution just doesn't stay fresh enough for 7 whole days? So they eat in the old familiar well-loved places, then by the time that's gone the solution in the less familiar feeders isn't any good? The pamphlet that came with my feeders says the solution will stay fresh for 6 days with temps 75 or below. At 85-88, three days. With temps above 95 right now I've been changing solution daily. Here in St Louis there wouldn't be any week in summer when the solution would stay fresh for 7 days, even in a coolish summer like the one we just had. As for being slow to return -- you need a signal for them to tell them that you and the nectar are back-- a red flag? a sprinkler going for several hours? Maybe you could put out a red flag or ribbon for a half-day or so each time you fill the feeders to condition them to the signal. Then after a vacation, when the flag goes back up it might click for them. They're supposed to have terrific memories, so they could probably learn that fairly quickly. If you do the experiment, I'd be really curious to see how it worked out.

I've tried many things and many of the suggestions,,one man that has a hundred hummingbird feeders says he has rubbed tea tree oil on the tips well that didn't help at all matter of fact it seemed like the yellow jacket start climbing into the nectar through the hole. One man said reducing the amount of sugar. So I'm going to try that but right now ,so I took my hummingbird feeder down because some have said that yellow jackets have a short memory. Some have suggested moving the hummingbird feeder to a different location I haven't tried that one yet because I want to be able to see the hummingbirds.. but mine don't start being overtaken until August. I've read it's because the yellow jackets are done with the work they have to do so then they have more time to do other things like annoy hummingbirds,,and I've also read that one Sting from a yellow jacket can kill a hummingbird. 😢so I'm definitely going to buy a hummingbird feeder that has be guards on it because my whole on my hummingbird feeder is big enough for them to climb right in and contaminate the nectar

here anyway the orioles and tanagers eat the fruit best oranges and watermelon and apples. But the woodpeckers and grosbeaks do eat some. I use the regular grape jelly from the grocery store both the store brands and welch's jelly. I had several jars of homemade apricot jam in the pantry from last year and tried it and the birds enjoyed it. My orioles and tanagers have already left for the year headed south but the grosbeaks are still here and eat raisens and jelly the hummingbirds here leave out in september when it started frosting at night. I take down my necter feeders by the last of september. I was lucky this spring to have a pair of Lewis's woodpeckers fledge 4 young woodpeckers and they loved the jelly and watermelon and really devored the homemade woodpeker blocks made with sorgum and nuts and rasens and fruit bits. They have left recently but hope to see them in the spring. Our seasons here change earlier because of the higher elevations and mountains so we are probably way ahead of you in cool weather and frosts. which starts the summer birds on their way south.