Are you looking for safe tricks on How to Keep Bees Away From Hummingbird Feeders? Then, check the simple tips in this post.
The sweet nectar in a hummingbird feeder can attract not only hummingbirds but also unwanted insects like bees and wasps. To Keep Bees Away From Hummingbird Feeders, there are several things you can do to make sure only hummingbirds visit. This guide will help you understand the insects to look out for at feeders and offers effective ways to reduce their presence.
Read: What Do Hummingbirds Love to Eat?
Why Bees Are Attracted to Hummingbird Feeders
Nectar flowers are important for many bee species and hummingbirds as their main food source. These pollinators rely on the nectar-filled flowers, moving from one to another for food. If you place a hummingbird feeder in your yard, it’s probable that bees and wasps will be attracted to the sweet liquid.
However, it’s important to note that a hummingbird feeder isn’t the main source of food for hummingbirds. “The sugary syrup in the feeders is meant to supplement the hummingbird’s regular diet of nectar from flowers,”
Since sugar offers a rapid energy boost, numerous animals have evolved to exploit flower nectars, which flowers produce to attract pollinators. Most adult bees and wasps primarily rely on nectar for sustenance, even though they may also collect pollen or prey on other invertebrates to nurture their offspring.
How to Keep Bees Away From Hummingbird Feeders Naturally
1. Clean the feeder regularly
After putting up the feeder, remember it’s not just about filling it with enough hummingbird food. You also have to clean it regularly. Change the feeders every other day and clean them each time to stop harmful mold from growing. If you don’t clean the feeder often, it could hurt the hummingbirds. If the sugary solution ferments and mold grows, it can harm them. Keeping the inside and outside of the hummingbird feeder clean is also important to keep insects away.
2. Use a bee guard or bee moat
Get a hummingbird feeder with a bee guard, or put one on your feeder to ensure only hummingbirds can access the sweet nectar. Bee guards are like nets that stop bees and yellow jackets from reaching the sugar water. However, long-tongued hummingbirds and hummingbird moths can still reach the nectar through the bee guard.
You can also try putting water between the feeder and the bees. This is called a bee moat. It’s a tray of water that creates some space between the nectar and any flying insects. Bees can’t swim, which might help keep them away from the nectar.
3. Start a Pollinator Garden
Bees are attracted to flowers filled with nectar. Planting flowers that appeal to bees is a method to deter them from the hummingbird feeder. Try growing different types of mints, lavender, coneflower, and sunflowers.
Read: Bad Plants For Bees, Butterflies, and Pollinators
4. Avoid sugary solution on the outside of the feeder
The way you fill the hummingbird feeder can also bring in unwanted visitors. Make sure excess sugar doesn’t gather outside the feeder when filling it, and check for leaks carefully. Keeping your feeder clean of any sugary leftovers will reduce other insects. Every time you refill the feeder, ensure the outside of the feeder and your hands are clean from the sugar solution.
5. Supply water for bees and insects
Bees, wasps, and other insects require water to live, so giving them a water source can discourage them from the hummingbird feeder. Muddy puddles or birdbaths can also draw them in, and positioning these features strategically in your garden might serve as a good diversion for the bees.
6. Relocate the feeder
If you follow all the other advice and still find too many bees and wasps around the hummingbird feeder, it’s time to move it to a new location. Various factors could be causing these insects to linger. “Perhaps there was a heatwave or some other event that decreased the availability of other food sources. In such situations, the stinging insects might be ‘thirsty’—bad-tempered or irritable due to hunger—and this could be keeping the hummingbirds away.”
When you move the feeder, bees require some time to locate a new food source. “While both bees and hummingbirds rely heavily on visual cues to find food, bees need time to readjust to new nectar sources, and they have to communicate with their hive mates about their whereabouts,” explains the expert. “This slower adjustment means they might not take advantage of the feeder’s new location immediately, unlike hummingbirds who should find it quickly.”
Typically, relocating the hummingbird feeder is effective if you have a spacious yard. For this strategy to work, feeders need to be moved at least 10 feet, preferably 25 feet, and positioned on the opposite side of a tree.
7. Provide Substitute Meal for Honey Bees
You didn’t put up hummingbird feeders to bring in bees. But instead of being concerned about bees taking the hummingbirds’ food, you could think about giving bees another food option.
We suggest planting flowers that have lots of nectar, like sunflowers, lavender, and marigolds. To make these plants even more appealing to honey bees, you could put a small dish of sugar water or syrup near the flowers or in a different spot. Wherever you place it, this can help guide bees away so your hummingbirds can eat without any trouble.
8. Avoid Feeders with Yellow Inserts
Stay away from nectar feeders with yellow parts. Hummingbird feeders with yellow inserts attract bees and other bugs because they’re naturally drawn to the color yellow. Just like many bright colors, yellow usually means there are flowering plants with nectar. So when a bee or another bug that likes nectar sees that yellow, they might come over to check it out. And when they do, they’ll probably have some free food.
9. Repel Bees with Vinegar
A safe alternative is to use a water and vinegar mixture in a spray bottle. The scent of vinegar is unappealing to bees, which may help deter them from your current feeders.
10. Choose a Saucer with an Inverted Design
If you’re still in the market for a hummingbird feeder, you can prevent bee hives before they become an issue by choosing the appropriate type of feeder. Some feeders are designed to be more bee-friendly than others. When shopping, opt for feeders with long, narrow tubes. This style makes it difficult for most bees to access the nectar.
Another suggestion is to select a feeder equipped with bee guards or ports that close automatically when weight is applied. These features should also keep bees from reaching the nectar intended solely for your feathered friends.
11. Keep the Feeder in a Shaded Area
Move the hummingbird feeder to a shadier spot. Some gardeners hang their feeders under trees, far from flowers, where they get natural shade. We suggest this because bees like bright colors, and putting the feeder in a shadier area can make it less attractive to them. To keep bees and wasps away even more, put the feeder away from flowering plants where bees are already hanging out.
Avoid Trying Things To Keep Bees Away From Hummingbird Feeders
Never Use Petroleum Jelly
Avoid using petroleum jelly or any other sticky substance. While some may suggest spreading these products on a feeding port to repel insects from hummingbird nectar, it can actually harm hummingbirds. Petroleum jelly and similar sticky substances can get trapped in hummingbird feathers, making it difficult for them to groom themselves or fly away from danger.
Do not Spray Pesticides and Insecticides
It’s important to avoid using any sprays or solutions that are meant to harm or kill bees. These insecticides and pesticides can be harmful to both bees and hummingbirds.