Hummingbirds use nectar for energy, not nutrition. They gain nutrients from eating tiny insects. When you see hummingbirds hovering and facing different directions or aimlessly zipping short distances, they're probably snatching flying insects. Their bills open and snap shut on the insects faster than the human eye can see, but it can be filmed. Amazingly, the lower bill actually bends quite substantially while they're doing this. Hummingbird feeders bring the birds into view, which many people enjoy. Feeders are entertainment for us. If you have sufficient flowers to attract the birds you want to see, nobody will quarrel with it. Flower nectar contains traces of things other than sugar, but it's not necessary to attempt to exactly duplicate flower nectar to make an effective feeder, and neither do feeders interfere with the birds' willingness or ability to use other sources. Some people have mistakenly added other things to feeder nectar in an attempt to make it more attractive, but hummingbird experts and banders -- to a man or woman -- recommend plain sugar and water. Anecdotal evidence suggests the birds can tell the difference between cane sugar and beet sugar, and they prefer cane. Most experts recommend a ratio of 1:4 or 1:3 sugar to water, measured by volume. Anything in this area will work. I know a famous bander and author in Louisiana who has standardized on 1:3, and tests show that birds are attracted to higher concentrations. Most hummfeeders use 1:4 -- a balance of attractiveness to the birds with economy for you. Feeder nectar does not lead to diabetes in hummingbirds. They naturally seek sources of concentrated sugar, and they regulate their behavior to get the amount they need. Their physiology is different from humans, and concepts gained from promoters of healthy living are not appropriately applied to hummingbirds.

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.

1-3 times a week or so we get a bully at the feeder. He will perch on the tree branch right between the two feeders and chase all the other hummies away for hours. I'll sit down with the garden hose 10 feet away from the feeders and spray near (not directly at) the bully. This chases him away for only a few seconds. He will fly behind the fence and hide from my site, then immediately come after any hummingbird that comes near. I'll spray at the fence to make him relocate. He will persist and I keep on spraying till after 7-10 minutes he will give up. You would think 4-5 sprays would deter him, but it takes 20-25 times. Persistent little things! Please, Never spray directly at the bird because they are very fragile. Bully or not, we don't want to injur the little brat. He's got his reasons to guard the feeder, we just don't agree haha. Just spraying in his general direction is enough to shoo him away, and eventually make him give up.

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.