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sweetscent
Joined: 16 Mar 2003
Posts: 46
Location: Fort Worth, Zone 8
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| Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2003 3:11 pm Post subject: Ants in Hummingbird feeder |
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| I have a hanging HB feeder, the kind that you turn upside down & unscrew the bottom to fill. For the last 3 wks, I've suddenly had BIG ants that have taken up residence inside the feeder bottom, where I don't see them until I take off the bottom & start to clean the feeder. I've tried double-sided tape on the hanger & vaseline--no luck. It's in the same place it's always been, too. Maybe later in the yr the HB eat the ants, but right now it's a real pain to clean. Any help? Thanks. |
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Tony M
Joined: 31 Mar 2003
Posts: 1088
Location: McKinney,TEXAS
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| Posted: Fri May 09, 2003 8:39 am Post subject: |
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sweetscent-
A Hummingbird feeder should rarely be bothered by ants. This is either a design problem with the feeder you have or it is cracked and leaking a small amount of fluid that you might not be able to see. There are feeders on the market that are made of hard plastic that have a water well between the nectar openings and the hanging arm that prevents ants from crossing over. I've had 5 feeders going for the past 4 years and have never had a problem with ants.
Please change your nectar (4 parts water, 1 part sugar) every 3-4 days and scrub the feeders with hot soapy water during water changes to prevent mold and fungus from transferring to the birds. These are tiny creatures and it doesn't take much to infect them. This work is a small amount to pay for the enjoyment these birds give us.
Tony |
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sweetscent
Joined: 16 Mar 2003
Posts: 46
Location: Fort Worth, Zone 8
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| Posted: Wed May 14, 2003 2:41 pm Post subject: Ants in HB feeder |
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| Thanx for the input. Turns out sometimes it's a really low-tech solution. I just moved the feeder to the other side of the porch! |
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