How to get rid of Hornets at my Hummingbird feeders?

Karen Stephens
by Karen Stephens
I have hornets taking over all of my Hummingbird feeders! I have tried swatting them, (out of desperation )! My Hummingbirds
Can't land to eat right now and they need this nectar now just before Migration, Help?

  7 answers
  • Karen Tokarse Karen Tokarse on Sep 16, 2017

    I had the same issue a few days ago. I had just put fresh nectar in the feeder and the yellow jackets showed up in droves. Around dusk they settled down, so I hosed off all around the feeder, then moved the feeder to a different spot. I hosed off the area again, then moved the feeder back. This seems to have solved the problem.

  • Etet Etet on Sep 16, 2017

    They are eating the sweet so wash the holes and guards so no sweetness on them and then fill them less full. Hummers have ability to get long tongue into liquid but no long tongue on insects. This may be all you need.

  • Sono Arima Sono Arima on Sep 16, 2017

    You might try handing a commercial Hornet trap in a different part of your yard, such as, "W.H.Y. by Rescue" found at Walmart. I used a kit successfully years ago, which was a bag that was filled with a foul smelling substance that would trap them inside the bag (place this away from and upwind from your home, very stinky!). Seems they are attracted to stuff that smells like rotting flesh. Also, you might try a more friendly approach, by saturating cotton balls or sponges with peppermint oil and hang/place them around your yard and by the roofs eves, I don't know if this will bother the hummingbirds or not. I have used a round japanese paper lantern or a brown paper ball shape that mimics hornets nests, hang that in a near by tree or from your roofs eve, being territorial, hornets/wasps will be discouraged from traspassing on another hive's turf. Good luck.

  • Jea29373494 Jea29373494 on Sep 16, 2017

    put traps with bacon in them up. Get rid of them this year and get the traps out early next year and you might get the queen. The others will leave looking for her. Also a yellow sticker thing. Hang one up and that gets a lot too.

  • Sharon Sharon on Sep 16, 2017

    I would make a recycled bottle wasp/hornet trap .... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2VOjRwJUMI when you join the top of the bottle to the bottom, you can poke 3 small holes on the sides and put twine through them to make a hanger.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ8ea3PKyOg use honey to bait hornets

    • Karen Stephens Karen Stephens on Sep 25, 2017

      Thank You Sharon, I looked at the videos and by golly it sure looks like it would work without hurting my Hummers!!

      Thank You so much!!!😁

    • Karen Stephens Karen Stephens on Sep 25, 2017

      Janet Thank You!! The last 2 answers Ive gotten will surely work!!!

      Thank You again!! 😁

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Sep 16, 2017

    Use a Spray to Kill the hornets on the wing.