How Do I Keep Ants Out Of My Hummingbird Feeders

So I’m sitting here in my back yard. It’s a beautiful summer day. Birds are chirping, flowers are blooming – it really is a nice day. I look over to my hummingbird feeder and notice it’s covered in ants!   I also see some ants crawling around on the ground near the feeder. . . I don’t think this is quite what Mother Nature had in mind. Ok, so it was probably the couple of slices of bread that went into the bird feeder a few days ago. But still, those ants are bugging me! The best time to prevent ants from getting in your hummingbird feeder is when you’re filling your feeders with nectar. Ants are attracted to the sweetness of the feeder and can quickly gather at your feeder if you don’t take precautions. If you find ants in your feeder, though, don’t panic! Use these techniques to keep ants out of your hummingbird feeder for good. Okay, I’ll admit it. There is a very tiny part of me that just wants to say “I told you so”, but I’ll save that for later. When setting up my hummingbird feeder this year, it has been discouraging to see the ants start to move in and take over the sugar water in just a couple of days. I’m used to seeing at least 15-20 birds fighting for the nectar at all times; but when the dreaded ants show up, we rarely get more than two or three before the rest leave in disgust.

How Do I Keep Ants Out Of My Hummingbird Feeders

How do I keep ants out of my hummingbird feeder?

We’re glad you asked! The first thing to do is make sure you’re using a quality product. If your hummingbird feeder is made of cheap plastic, it will be much easier for ants to get inside. Instead, look for one that’s made of food-grade nylon or polycarbonate—especially if you live in an area where ants are common.

Also, be sure to clean your feeders regularly (once every week or two) with a mild soap solution and water. This will help keep ants from hanging around in the first place!

Finally, consider using insect repellent sprays around the perimeter of your yard to discourage ants from coming near your bird feeders in the first place. Ants are drawn to sugar and sweet nectar, so this method may prove effective at keeping them away! Ants are a huge problem for hummingbird feeders, but there are steps you can take to keep them away.

First, clean your feeder regularly. If you have ants in the vicinity of your feeder, they will be attracted to the sugar water that you leave behind after cleaning. So make sure to thoroughly scrub all parts of your feeder with hot soapy water—especially the base where ants like to hide!

Second, try using a different type of feeder. If you’re using a glass or plastic model, switch to something made of metal or acrylic (like this one). Ants tend not to be as interested in these materials because they don’t contain any sugar and therefore aren’t as appealing to them.

Third, try adding something sweet-smelling like peppermint oil or orange peel at the bottom of your hummingbird feeder. This may deter ants from approaching it at all!

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