If you want to keep bees away from your hummingbird feeder, it’s important to understand the biology of both species. Bees and hummingbirds each have their own unique needs, but they also share some commonalities. For example, both species are attracted to nectar and pollen — which is why you should avoid using artificial sweeteners if you want to attract birds or butterflies.
In this article we will discuss how hummingbirds feed and what kinds of food might attract them. Then we’ll talk about how bees can get into feeders as well as what steps gardeners can take to retain their hummingbird populations safe from these pests.
We’ll also provide some tips for keeping bees at bay from other types of backyard bird feeders as well as tips for attracting more birds with a variety of seeds that may appeal more than just hummers.
Why do Hummingbird Feeders Attract Bees?
Hummingbird feeders attract bees because they are looking for a source of nectar. Bees know that hummingbird feeders are a good source of food, so they will sometimes fly around your yard looking for one. They can also see the sweet smell of the nectar and will fly toward it quickly.
Once they find your hummingbird feeder, they may buzz around it or attempt to land on it. This is why many people choose not to use their hummingbird feeder at all during certain times of year when there are more bees in the area than usual (such as summer).
If you want to keep bees away from your hummingbird feeder but still enjoy its benefits, consider moving it from where you originally placed it or covering up nearby flowers so that there is less competition between birds and insects for food sources near where you live.
Install a saucer-type feeder
You can install a saucer-type feeder, which is easy to clean and much more stable than other types of feeders. You’ll find that bees have a hard time getting nectar out of these large and wide-mouthed plastic vessels. In fact, it’s nearly impossible for them to get their mandibles into the liquid due to its size and shape!
Saucer feeders also have a much larger surface area compared with most other styles of hummingbird feeders, meaning that more hummingbirds can enjoy this type of hummingbird food at once—without having to fight over territory or resources (which is especially important during breeding season).
Change the place of feeder frequent
The best way to keep bees away from your hummingbird feeder is to change the place of feeder frequently. This will prevent bees from getting used to the location of your feeder and avoid being attracted by the scent left by the birds.
You can also try hanging different types of flowers around your garden. In this way, naturally bees will be attracted to those flowers instead of coming into contact with hummingbird feeders.
Use a clean hummingbird feeder red in colour
- Hummingbirds are attracted to red. If you use a red feeder, hummingbirds will be less likely to eat from it.
- Don’t let bees know there’s food at the feeder. Don’t hang it near where bees congregate or on an outdoor tree branch where they can easily find it.
You must maintain a clean feeder
Washing the feeder thoroughly with hot soapy water will remove any dead bees. Make sure to remove any bee parts that may have been left behind, as this attracts more bees.
Use a bottle brush to clean the bottle and use a paper towel or dish cloth to clean the outside of the feeder. You can also use a toothbrush if you’re really thorough! Rinse with hot water after washing your hummingbird feeder.
Use bee guard
To avoid this problem, use a bee guard. It is a latched device that fits over the feeder with an opening to allow birds to access food while keeping bees and other insects out of the way. It’s made of strong plastic and has a tiny hole where bees can enter, but it prevents them from going further into the feeder.
The best time to install your bee guards is in early spring when you first set up your hummingbird feeders for the year. You should replace them once or twice during the summer—once when each new batch of flower nectar goes bad (typically after two weeks) and again just before fall migration begins (the last week in September).
Avoid yellow color
If you’re looking for a way to retain bees away from your hummingbird feeder, you might be tempted to paint the outside of it yellow. After all, bees are attracted to that color. However, if you do this, be prepared for some unhappy hummingbirds.
If you have a bee problem with your hummingbird feeder and need help figuring out how to solve it, we can help! Our expert consultants will work with you one-on-one until they find an effective solution for keeping bees away from your hummingbird feeder.
Keep feeder in a shade
You don’t want to keep the feeder in direct sunlight, as it will heat up and become uncomfortable for hummingbirds. Hummingbirds love high temperatures because they require a lot of energy to fly, so you should also avoid placing your feeder too close to an air conditioner or other device that can make the area excessively cool.
Prevent leaks in feeder
If you have a leak in your hummingbird feeder, it can be frustrating to replace and clean out the solution. The solution that leaks out of the hummingbird feeder is often a little stronger than what you would want for your birds, so be sure to clean up any spills as soon as possible.
Here are some tips on how to prevent leaks in your hummingbird feeder:
- Clean all parts of the feeder with hot water after each use and allow them to air dry completely before storing them away from each other; this helps prevent mold growth on both sides of the parts. Be sure there are no cracks or holes when cleaning off dirt or debris that may have collected there during storage time between uses; if so, replace them immediately before continuing further with cleaning procedure steps below (some manufacturers sell replacement parts).
Make a pollinator garden
A pollinator garden is a great way to attract bees and other pollinators without having them invade your hummingbird feeder. Your hummingbird feeder is made to attract hummingbirds, not bees.
- Plant flowers that are at least one to two feet away from the base of your hummingbird feeder. This will make it easier for bees to get between the flowers and the feeder without accidentally landing on either one.
- Make sure the blooms are in an area with little wind where they won’t be easily knocked over by insects such as bumblebees or butterflies that might get drawn into conflict with bees whose pollen stores have been depleted due to competition for nectar sources (e.g., when there’s too much pollen available).
- Choose plants that have small petals so they don’t block any views from underneath them when looking up at birds flying overhead—this also makes it less likely someone might accidentally brush their face against one while refilling water levels on either end where they’re most likely going through motions repeatedly throughout day long periods depending upon how many times per day someone has refilled something needlessly just because they thought there wasn’t enough before making some sort silly excuse such as “but I’m thirsty” or “I couldn’t find any cups around here anywhere else.”
Lack of nectar
One of the reasons that bees are attracted to hummingbird feeders is that they lack nectar. If a bee finds a hummingbird feeder without nectar, it will fly around and around it in an attempt to find some. This can cause problems for both the bee and hummingbirds. The bees will become disoriented and lose their way back to their hive, thus failing in their job of providing food for themselves or other bees. In addition, when bees get too close to your hummingbird feeder, they may try and land on it, causing damage to the fragile glass structure of your device.
Decoy feeders
If you’d like to keep bees away from your hummingbird feeder, one of the most effective options is to use a decoy feeder. Decoy feeders are simply fake hummingbird feeders that look like the real thing, but they contain no food. The idea is that when bees see another species’ food source in the area (i.e., your real hummingbird feeder), they will go there instead of bothering your real hummingbird feeder.
Decoy feeders can be made at home or purchased online or at local birding stores. They are inexpensive and easy to assemble—you simply need a jar and some glittery water or paint dots on top of it, depending on what type you want to make (the former being easiest). If you’re making one from scratch, just remember not to use any toxic materials such as pesticides on its surface because these chemicals could harm birds that land there.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is important to know that bees are not going to chase hummingbirds away from their feeders. The hummingbird is one of the few birds that can defend itself against a bee attack and they usually win the battle. If you want to keep bees away from your hummingbird feeder there are several things that you can do such as using a bee guard or hanging it in an area where there aren’t many bees flying around like near trees or bushes.
Also Read : – How to Keep Flies out of the House
