Pests

Hummingbird Feeders -- 
Getting Rid Of The Uninvited Guests

How To Keep Ants Out Of Your Feeder:

Ant Moats keep ants
out with a water barrier.

An ant mote will keep ants out of your hummingbird feeders. Filling the mote with water makes a barrier between the place the feeder is hanging from and the hummingbird feeder. The mote is like a mini umbrella that is upside down. Ants can not cross over the water in the mote to get into the hummingbird feeder.

Some hummingbird feeders have built in motes. Look for this in the product description before you buy. If the feeders you already have does not have a built in mote, they can be purchased separately at a low cost. You can also make a homemade ant mote by drilling a hole in a small bottle cap or similar object. Then insert a hook that can be attached to the feeder. You will need to use non-toxic glue or paste to fill in spaces around the whole so that water will not leak out.

Homemade DIY Ant Moat

How To Keep Bees Out Of Your Feeder:

Just as some hummingbird feeders have built in ant deterrents, some also have built in guards to prevent bees from getting into hummingbird feeders.

If your hummingbird feeder does not have bee guards, you can deter bees in a natural, non-toxic way by using an ant mote but add a tiny drop of essential oil in with the water. Or you can dab some diluted essential oil on or near the hummingbird feeder making sure not to get it into the nectar. Bees and ants can't stand the scent of lavender, mint, or citronella essential oils. Essential oils are not oily as one would think. They are concentrated, natural plant oils. Remember, they should be diluted with clean water before use.