3 Ways To Keep Ants Away From Hummingbird Feeders

When hummingbirds are on their way to the north, all the nature fans out there start to put feeders out so these mini helicopters can feed themselves. But unfortunately, due to the feed being one of the most favourite treats for many other pests, ants, wasps, and other types of bugs make it hard for the hummingbirds to feed. 

And now you may be wondering what some ways to keep ants away from hummingbirds feeders are? So let us guide you with these three easy ways. 

Ways To Keep Ants Other Pest Away From The Feeders

Another thing that you need to make sure that you don’t want to use any kind of insecticide to repel any pest from the hummingbird’s feeder. Any tiny amount of it would keel the hummingbirds as they are very tiny and sensitive creatures. 

Use Ant Moats And Bee Guards

There are some feeders available with built-in safeguards for ants and bees. These feeders have ant moats in which you have to fill water, and these moats work very well because they drown the ants that gain access to the feeders. No ant will reach the water when you use these handy feeders. The bee guards are just plastic cup that goes over the feeder’s portholes. These guards have very tiny holes that are only accessible to hummingbirds. It will keep the bees out and let your hummingbirds drink in peace. 

Fishing Line To Hang Feeders

Another simple way to keep ants far away from your hummingbird feeder is to use a fish line to hang the feeders. Fishline is too thin for ants to climb, and the fish line is so strong that you can easily hang any feeder size without worrying that it will fall. Also, consider the place for your feeder. A tree branch above the gutter, areas with shade and dappled sunlight are some areas perfect for feeders. This way, the ant won’t climb the tree. The same thing happens if the feeder is located at the gutter, porch or shed. Flying pests will also remain far away as they avoid shed. 

Use Essential Oils

The essential oil can be a good repellent for ants and other small pests that may threaten the presence of hummingbirds. But keep in mind that there is a certain way to use essential oil in this situation. A study suggested that essential oils show very promising results at keeping yellow jackets and paper wasp. Use the essential oil and try to keep it around the feeder, not on the feeder. This will make the activity of hummingbirds hard as we previously mentioned that they are very sensitive creatures. Some essential oil that you can use are:

• clove
• pennyroyal
• lemongrass
• spearmint
• wintergreen
• sage
• rosemary
• lavender
• geranium
• Patchouli

Final Words

Make sure you follow all the ways mentioned above. They will help you keep ants and other smaller pests away from your hummingbirds feeder.

If you want to know more about pests, feel free to contact us we would be happy to assist you.