Ants on my hummingbird feeders

Kathy
by Kathy
how can I stop the ants without hurting the birds?

  8 answers
  • DesertRose DesertRose on Sep 08, 2017

    Cornmeal kiils ants, find the trail where they come or even put some in the bird feeder. It won't hurt the birds. Leave plenty along an ant hill or the base of the feeder. They take it back to the queen and it kills the colony. I use Jiffy because it is sweet and they really go for it. One box is good for good heavy doses 5 times. Reapply when it is gone until you do not see ants anymore. I keep Jiffy in my storage pantry to apply every spring when we get ants or when they get in my potted plants. It is inexpensive, and safe for all animals and children besides the environment.

  • 71729639726 71729639726 on Sep 08, 2017

    Put some vasalene thick on the top of the feeder. It works. Just clean off the bugs and ants when you go to refill and reapply more vasalene.

  • Chubby58 Chubby58 on Sep 08, 2017

    Amazon has a product called Nectar Fortress. It only takes a little drop on your hanger to keep the ants off your feeders. It's not cheap and the tube is small but it works great. You can also build yourself a moat to go over top.

    Here is a link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6TsmQ965qY

  • Mop29846869 Mop29846869 on Sep 08, 2017

    my husband wrapped and glued a small rope around the pole supporting the feeder. if the ants can't climb past it because of the insect spray, too bad! we refresh yearly and haven't seen ants on the feeder in years. good luck!

  • Amanda Amanda on Sep 08, 2017

    Try using diatomaceous Earth. It is a great product and safe for wild life. It is a powder like form of crushed shells and coral. I would sprinkle it all around the area of the feeder. The ants will have to come off of it sometime. This makes cuts into there exoskeleton and causes them to dehydrate and die.

  • Connie Phillips Connie Phillips on Sep 08, 2017

    Vaseline on the hook

  • Sda29468700 Sda29468700 on Sep 09, 2017

    choose a feeder that has a 'mote' for water built in where the hook attaches.