Homemade hummingbird feeder mason jar how to#

Move your feeder to a new location occasionally.

When the hummingbirds drink they may be slopping sugar water outside of and down the side of the feeder which will attract ants. When cleaning the feeder make sure you wipe down the outside of the feeder. It is small enough in diameter so that ants can't easily travel across it. These cup shaped devices are designed to hold water and hang between your shepherds hook and your feeder preventing your ant friends from having an easy walk to your feeder. Here are some tips to keep the ants away:

Homemade hummingbird feeder mason jar how to#

How To Keep Ants Out Of A Hummingbird FeederĪnts and other small insects are attracted to sugar, just like the rest of us, so they can become a huge nuisance for your hummingbird feeder. Am I the only person who can't get within 2 feet of a bleach bottle without random bleach spots popping up on my t-shirt? Alternately you can use a mixture of 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar as a soak if you don't want to deal with bleach.Rinse thoroughly with water, air dry and refill your feeders. Then use a bottle brush to get into any nooks.

Soak your feeders for one hour in a mixture of ¼ cup bleach in a gallon water. Take your feeders apart as much as possibly (I love the kind where even the feeding ports and bee guards can be detached).

Once a month do a deep cleaning of your feeders.Avoid using soap as hummingbirds are sensitive to the taste of soap residue (and can supposedly taste it even if the feeders are meticulously rinsed afterwards). Thoroughly clean your feeder between fillings by flushing it with hot water.In cooler months once a week should be fine. In hot summer months you want to change out the sugar water every other day. Keep FRESH sugar water in the feeders.There's a few things you can do to keep your hummingbird feeders safe for the birds. If you're interested in more in-depth thoughts on red dye, Journey North, an online migration tracking site, goes into more detail on the dangers of red dye for our bird friends.įollow On Pinterest Maintaining A Hummingbird Feeder Additionally, the red dye coloring is not necessary to attract hummingbirds as most feeders will incorporate the color red either into the feeding ports or some other portion of the feeder. Red dye and food coloring may be harmful to hummingbirds. The cost to make your own ½ gallons of nectar will be roughly, give or take a few cents, $1.45. The cost of a ½ gallon bottle of dye-free nectar on Amazon is $7.99-ish. How To Make Hummingbird Foodīoil your water, add the sugar to your water and stir until dissolved.Īllow the sugar water mixture to cool to room temperature and then fill your feeders.Īny left-over sugar solution can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. This recipe is not the least bit complicated, just regular table sugar and tap water, and takes less than 5 minutes to make. OK, get out your legal pad now to write all these ingredients down: How To Keep Ants Out Of A Hummingbird Feeder.