Do you notice a situation when your hummingbirds stop using their feeder? If yes, it mostly happens because of the appearance of ants in the vicinity of the feeder. Ants love the sweet foods as Hummingbirds, and they prefer to stay inside or outside of the feeder to taste the sweet stuff of the feeder.
It is a frustrating situation for hummingbirds. So the question is that can you keep ants off the hummingbird feeder?
Yes, you can do it because, in this article, we will provide you the top eight tips to keep ants off the hummingbird feeder.
Let us get started.
Contents
Integration of an ant moat
Installation of an ant moat is the best solution to get rid of ants. There are three types of an ant moat; an ant moat feeder, a simple ant moat, and a DIY ant moat.
An ant Moat hinders the ants from reaching near the hummingbird feeder. It contains water. So when they want to get to their destination nectar point, they have to cross the water barrier through walking, known as an ant moat. During to pass the water, they drowned in the water because they cannot fly. Therefore, the feeder of hummingbird is safe from ants by applying this technique.
During the summer season, the water of an ant moat soaks very quickly. Therefore, make sure to refill the water of an ant moat to keep them away.
Use a leakage-free feeder.
A feeder which is leaked from any point, there are many chances that it will grab the attention of the ants toward itself. Because an ant can feel the smell of sweet food within seconds, make sure to stop the leakage point instantly and tightly close each part of a hummingbird feeder.
Another point is that leakage of feeder can happen due to the water condition. In summer, feeders expand due to heat strokes and start to leak a sweet fluid. During the windy season, it also tends to leak. The older feeders have mostly faced leakage problems. So try to change the hummingbird feeder after some time.
Hang feeders on a fishing line
This technique is helpful for an environment where an ant moat does not work. For example, if we hang the hummingbird feeder on a fishing line, the ants cannot arrive. Because they cannot walk on the slippery texture and thinness of a fishing line that unbalances ants on it, and they fall.
You have to keep in mind that do not use petroleum jelly, vegetable oil, or any sticky substance on the fishing line because these substances can create problems for hummingbirds in flying instead of ants.
Keep a feeder on a water surface.
Some hummingbird lovers do not give importance to this tip. However, it proves a game-changing point for keeping away ants from a hummingbird feeder. Even you have super powerful ants; we guarantee you that this method will work.
The best suggestion is to place a feeder in a yard or in the center of a large fountain where water is present. Ants cannot crawl on the water’s surface because they cannot cover a considerable distance over water. This tricky tip saves the feeder from ants.
Use Adhesive Tape
Wrap the adhesive tape on a wire or cable, or rope that leads towards the hummingbird feeder. It is a cruel way to keep aunts off, but you have to apply it.
Buy an adhesive tape from a recognized brand and apply the gum side of this adhesive tape on the upper side of a rope or wire. When the aunts try to reach the feeder, they will stick on the cord because of its gum.
It is a little bit good but has drawbacks. For example, in the summer season, the adhesive material of a tape does not work due to hotness, and you have to use a new tape after some time.
Make hummingbird feeder slippery.
To eschew the arrival of ants to a hummingbird feeder, apply Vaseline, Vicks VapoRub on the outer surface of a feeder. It will make the feeder slippery and repel them.
According to the research, aunts do not bear the smell of Vicks and quickly leave the place where they feel its smell.
The negative aspect of this method is that if the Vaseline touches the hummingbird’s wings, they can face many difficulties in flying. So it is not a recommended method.
Cleansing of the feeder daily
It is a fact that ants are attracted to dirty objects. So try to clean the hummingbird feeder regularly. It would be best if you cleaned its inner side and outer side. Remove any residue in the feeder. You can perform this task within 30 seconds.
It not only provides excellent protection against ants but also plays an indispensable role in the health of a hummingbird. Cleanliness will not attract the ants, and your feeder will be protected.
Apply mint or bay leaves
The smell of the mint or bay leaves keep ants off the hummingbird feeder. If you have hung the hummingbird feeder with the help of a wire or pole, tie the leaves of mint and bay plants around the wire or rope or feeder. The pungent smell of these leaves will repent the ants.
This vital method works even you have a hummingbird feeder that is leaked. By wrapping the mint or bay leaves around the leaking point, ants will never try to go near it because they leave a detrimental impact on the ants. This method is excellent and recommended.
Wrapping up
In this article, we have discussed the top eight tips that can help you to keep the ants off the hummingbird feeder. By applying these techniques or methods, you can come over this arduous problem. Therefore, we hope you will try these methods to keep away the ants from the feeder of the hummingbird.
