ants on feeders

[lyas]

I know this is common, but somewhere I read someone say there is an ant trap you can attache to your feeder. I don't remember where I saw this, but does anyone know of such a thing? and where to get it?

[bobky]

Hi,

Wild Bird Unlimited has the ant trap. Also, see this link. Cheers,bob

http://www.wildbirdhouse.com/hummingbird2.htm

[lyas]

Hi,

Wild Bird Unlimited has the ant trap. Also, see this link. Cheers,bob

http://www.wildbirdhouse.com/hummingbird2.htm


thanks soooo much. ordered them today!!!

[annarufus]

Lyas,
How about double sided sticky tape either at the top of the hanger (where a hummer can't land) or at the bottom of where the feeder starts it it is a pole feeder. The ants won't crawl over it. Works for me and it is inexpensive.

[shelley810]

I've heard of the double-sided tape.
Sounds great. I've go carnuba wax on my bluebird box poles and tried it on the poles where my hummingbird feeders are because we have carpenter ants...and this seems to work, too.
I think Duncraft also sells ant traps, too.
Shelley

[twcoffey]

I use a product called "Tree Barrier" from local farm supply store. It is a sticky paste used to keep insects from climbing fruit trees. Applied as a small ring around the supporting post will stop ants from climbing the post. Withstands rain but needs to be refreshed about once per season because it gets dirty over time. I remove old with some mineral spirits and paper towels and apply new with a small stick(to keep it off my fingers).
Ted

[Pitter]

A simple solution I use is a little axel grease, maybe an inch long on the support string or wire. The ants walk down look it over and give up. They absolutely won't walk through it. One application lasts for at least six months.

[annarufus]

A simple solution I use is a little axel grease, maybe an inch long on the support string or wire. The ants walk down look it over and give up. They absolutely won't walk through it. One application lasts for at least six months.
Pitter...good idea and very inexpensive!

[jimmydean]

We have heard of and have tried putting glass clippings around the base of the pole. This seems to work.

jimmydean
Everything is possible...
http://www.birdsanctum.com

[Judybird]

I use a product called "Tree Barrier" from local farm supply store. It is a sticky paste used to keep insects from climbing fruit trees. Applied as a small ring around the supporting post will stop ants from climbing the post. Withstands rain but needs to be refreshed about once per season because it gets dirty over time. I remove old with some mineral spirits and paper towels and apply new with a small stick(to keep it off my fingers).
Ted

Would this deter a snake from climing a tree to gain access to a bird's nest?

[Judybird]

My husband refers to my hummingbird feeder as the "Ant Feeder". I've grown to expect them. Any idea how to eliminate the wasps on the feeder? Do they avoid the sticky stuff? We have so many wasps...and to make it worse, they eat all the butterfly eggs from my butterfly garden.

[humminbird]

Why not use the simple and safe solution - ant motes or ant traps. They work, they are inexpensive and they are safe for the birds. Axle grease is a petroleum product. Birds and oil do not mix. Birds are learning to use the wires and hangers as perches (I have even seen photos of nests on the hangers!) Double sided tape will trap these birds if they use that portion of the hanger as a perch.

I can't believe we are trying to find an alternative for a product I have found at Walmart for $.99!

[J Huff]

Hi All,

Judybird makes a great point here:

"Axle grease is a petroleum product. Birds and oil do not mix. Birds are learning to use the wires and hangers as perches (I have even seen photos of nests on the hangers!) Double sided tape will trap these birds if they use that portion of the hanger as a perch."

I would stay away from ANYTHING STICKY!

The ant cups are great for stopping ants.

I have found the wasps are not as attracted to dish style feeders. Maybe since the feeding ports are on top. I also remove anything yellow as wasps are attracted to the color yellow.

John

[Robert / Seattle]

All you need is a water barrier. Parasol makes an "upsidedown umbrella" fixture, which you fill with water, and from which you hang the hummingbird feeder.

Available at BestNest.com

http://www.bestnest.com/bestnest/RTProduct.asp?SKU=PAR-AM12

The solution is simple and elegant. It works! Good luck.
Robert / Seattle

[Jobird]

build your own ant moat out of a fish can. It is easy and pretty inexpensive:

http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/for/for97/tuna.gif



http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/for/for97/for97.htm


Here is one I made:

http://i10.tinypic.com/2nleiyu.jpg

[Tz'unun]

...and you can hang either a store-bought or homemade ant cup upside down and smear the inside with a thin layer of something sticky/greasy - much safer for the birds than having the barrier goo exposed where contact and contamination of their feathers is possible.

[Miamiflash]

All you need is a water barrier. Parasol makes an "upsidedown umbrella" fixture, which you fill with water, and from which you hang the hummingbird feeder.


Nice idea, but down here, we would call that a "mosquito nursery." Usually they leave us alone in the winter, when the hummers visit, but not this year. As it is, I have to dump and refill the bird baths everyday.

[humminbird]

Nice idea, but down here, we would call that a "mosquito nursery." Usually they leave us alone in the winter, when the hummers visit, but not this year. As it is, I have to dump and refill the bird baths everyday.

Every couple of days? Should be refilling the ant moat more often and checking the feeder, but if that is too much you could always try Sheri's note above.

[JMomOhio]

I make my own ant moat too. I take a small plastic cup, poke a hole in the bottom, slide it over the wire and put bathroom caulking around the inside and outside of the hole. Then I spray olive oil lightly in the inside of the cup. Works great and it's cheap. Also, wasps are attracted to the color yellow so if your feeding ports are yellow you can just spray paint them red.

[humminbird]

I make my own ant moat too. I take a small plastic cup, poke a hole in the bottom, slide it over the wire and put bathroom caulking around the inside and outside of the hole. Then I spray olive oil lightly in the inside of the cup. Works great and it's cheap. Also, wasps are attracted to the color yellow so if your feeding ports are yellow you can just spray paint them red.

I have no yellow on my feeders at all and still have bee and wasp problems at times.

[JMomOhio]

Well, I use to put olive oil on the ports until I read that it could be harmful to the hummingbirds. I never saw any signs of that, but I stopped anyway. I've also read that sticky things on the feeder are a "no no" as well because the hummers can get stuck to them, so that's not an option either. My hummers don't seem to mind the wasps. They'll fight them for the feeder and always win!

[Abbygirl]

What I used is Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. The product that we had in our restroom, that makes our hands nice and smooth when we rub it in our hands. That is what I used and it works to keeps the ants away!

[humminbird]

What I used is Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. The product that we had in our restroom, that makes our hands nice and smooth when we rub it in our hands. That is what I used and it works to keeps the ants away!

Petroleum = oil. What happens to birds in an oil slick?

[Harley Babe]

Alot of useful information once again. WOW!!

[Bird_Photographer2007]

My husband refers to my hummingbird feeder as the "Ant Feeder". I've grown to expect them. Any idea how to eliminate the wasps on the feeder? Do they avoid the sticky stuff? We have so many wasps...and to make it worse, they eat all the butterfly eggs from my butterfly garden.

I can relate, wasps , bees and ants. I have one feeder that is suppose to trap ants but I find ants manage to get past it and into the sugar water.

[JMomOhio]

I bought one of those feeders also that has the moat built in at the top. It didn't work at all and to top it off it was the leakiest feeder I've ever had. I really love my First Nature feeders. The ports are red so they don't attract the bees.

[Derry]

bought 1 1/2" PVC end caps for .75 cents each,, any local hardware supply should have them,, drill hole through the bottom the same diameter of the wire and then run wire and glue with waterproof glue,,

I also placed a small u bend directly under the cup so it cannot move downward on the wire once glued,,

low cost solution that works,, did all four of my feeders for uner $5,,

have attached a photo,,