The Best Way To Keep Bees

Off Hummingbird Feeders

Bees and hummingbirds generally exist in the same ecosystem. Which means that when you have hummingbirds that you just put food out for, chances are that bees could possibly be feeding a greater portion of that food as compared to your precious hummingbirds. Other flying insects like wasps will likely find their way there and hummingbirds will find it hard to feed since the feeder gets contaminated and they will start moving. There are some tips and tricks that you could employ to help keep these insects like bees at bay as well as your hummers fed.

According to colorgardening.com

Your Useful Guide On How To Keep Bees Off Hummingbird Feeders

Step 1: Choose The Right Feeder Design

Step 2: Avoid Yellow-colored Feeders

Step 3: Relocate Your Hummingbird Feeder

Step 4: Keep The Hummingbird Feeder Clean

Step 5: Use Insect Traps Sparingly

Choose the right feeder design – You should get feeder designs whose saucer positions place the nectar away from the feeding port. Long-tongued hummingbirds will easily reach and simultaneously restricting access from bees. Bees will not hang around once they cannot get to the nectar to feed.

Avoid yellow colored feeders – Most bright colors like yellow attract bees. Bright colors to a bee have the same effect as a flower. Using dull colors will keep bees away from hummingbird feeders. Your birds have no problem with the colors and will continue feeding as usual.  

Relocate your hummingbird feeder – Bees like feeding in sunny areas. Keep bees off hummingbird feeders by moving the feeder in a place without sun access will have you dealt with the problem as the birds will have no problem moving to the new location to feed. You could also place a saucer of nectar where you previously had the feeder, and this will keep the bees in that location. Placing the feeder in a shady location also serves to help the nectar cool and slows the fermentation process.

Keep the hummingbird feeder clean – Once you have filled the feeder with fresh nectar, you should clean off the sugar drips on the sides. These drips have a scent that attracts the bees towards the feeder. You must also ensure that your feeder is not leaking as this could attract bees.

Use insect traps sparingly – You can also get insect traps to keep bees off hummingbird feeders. This will prevent most insects from gaining access from the feeder. For yellow jacket bees, there are actually yellow jacket traps that are locally available and they could guarantee this bee will not disrupt the feeding of your hummers.

All these insects have a role to play in the ecosystem and it would not be advisable to kill them. You could provide them their own personal feeder to ensure they are fed and do not try to get into the hummingbird’s feeders.

There are several tricks you could try, but never use insect-killing chemicals since they could end up affecting your hummingbirds.