Hummingbird Feeder has been taken down!

[Wdodd]

I have had very, very few hummingbirds this year.  However for the past 4 days, I have had to refill the feeder each evening when I get home (no leaks).  Yesterday I discovered why ….. totally covered with honey bees, sweat bees, gnats, and wasps!  Same thing today so I just took it down.

Never seen this happen before.  Have any of y’all?

[Shorty]

I haven't had bees empty one, but I did catch a squirrel draining mine faster than  Augustus Gloop.

[DasVidaniya]

Squirrel got ours here.

 

[Omega]

I don't think the insects can get to mine as long as I keep up with the water trap in the middle.  Squirrels haven't messed with them, too many black walnuts around me for them to notice them I guess.

[monkeylizard]

I have paper wasps on mine sometimes (the red ones) but they don't drink THAT much. Lately the wasps have been more interested in the water in the ant moat than the nectar in the "flowers". The hummingbirds definitely don't like the wasps.

We've had some birds this year, but not as many as last year. Ours tend to arrive later than most. I never see any before June and they tend to hang around until the first cold snap. They get pretty scarce from late June through early July. I've heard it's because that's when the babies hatch and they're busy feeding them bugs instead of slurping down the nectar.

They've gotten more active over the past week, esp. early morning and the last 2 to 3 hours before sunset. Hopefully we'll get a bunch more. We usually get a lot in September.

Edited July 13, 2022 by monkeylizard

[bersaguy]

I have been feeding about 8-10 birds since mid May which is about 1/2 half the number of Birds I had last year. Last year I fought Piss Ants all summer and this year it's large black ants that can swim so the ant moats slow them down but don't stop them. They don't seem to bother the Birds on the feeders like the wasps do. I will keep feeding them till 1st frost and then I will leave 1 feeder up for birds during Fall migration until it freezes and then I will take it down, I have seen a few birds on that 1 feeder as late as Halloween a few times.

[jpx2rk]

Wife was late putting one out this year, she waited until we saw a hummer for some reason.  Today the pair we have around the house were already practicing their "dog fight" routine for when the young ones leave the nest.  LOL

[billmeek]

22 hours ago, bersaguy said:

this year it's large black ants that can swim so the ant moats slow them down but don't stop them.

Try putting some lemon in the ant moats.  Ants usually avoid lemon and orange.

[TennesseeCamper]

Had ants before but not lots of them. 

Downy woodpeckers like the feeder a lot.

I skipped this year. Maybe I will try when it cools down some. 
 

Have a hummingbird that comes by in the evening to hit the flame vine and day lilies. 

[monkeylizard]

On 7/17/2022 at 9:32 AM, billmeek said:

Try putting some lemon in the ant moats.  Ants usually avoid lemon and orange.

Or a drop of peppermint oil. They HATE peppermint.

[Nikiski Dave]

Our birds are late this year. Juveniles.  They are having fun. About 6 of them. Last year there were about 20.

[Jeb48]

[RED333]

11 hours ago, Jeb48 said:

Whoever built the deck railing knew what they were doing!

[Tuffus]

Main thing is to keep praying mantis off the feeder. They will kill the birds, no joke.

[bersaguy]

I went from about 8 birds in May to about 25 birds today and had to add 3 feeders so all the birds could feed. I sat on the deck and watched them for about an hour today and I noticed 2 things I had not been paying much attention too till today. I have about 10 adult birds and about that many or more birds 1/2 the size of the adults. I also noticed that there might be 3 or more birds on the same feeder without fighting. I called a buddy of mine at TWRA and told him what I was seeing and he said that the smaller birds were this years hatch and the adults on the feeders with the smaller birds where most likely the parents and that is why they we not fighting. He said next year I should prepare to have a lot of birds next year as most of these will return next year and have young again. I guess I will have to put all 15 feeders up next year. I probably better buy a bunch of sugar this year before there is none to get.

[derf]

[bersaguy]

Well I got my sugar supply for next year. Sam's just put their supply of 30 lb bags out and my Son-in-law got me 3 bags of it.