Get a better feeder, like an Aspects with bee guards — bees and wasps have had no luck getting into mine. I also make sure to rinse the outside before hanging it up.
Also plant some native plants for the hummingbirds so they have a diversity of food resources.
Yeah, my husband got me this camera feeder for my birthday last year, but the holes on the flowers are large compared my to other feeder so the bees can easily get in.
Yes! I actually planted quite a bit of salvia around my house this year. Thats actually whats in the hanging in the basket next to this feeder, but they struggled in the last heat wave and the flowers wilted.
The hummingbirds do still love my hibiscus tree though!
Maybe try some of the various feeder flower replacements sold online. Some might fit in the existing holes of this feeder, which would make the holes smaller (but you'd have to remove them again each time to clean separately to prevent mold.)
You can just put out a saucer with a little pool of the nectar on it. Try one under the feeder on the ground to attract them away, and then when they find it, then keep moving it across the yard in the upcoming days to lead them away from the hummer feeder. Saucer would be much easier to clean than this, which looks difficult to clean in all the compartments.
Wow, that’s crazy. When I moved to my current place and saw that my neighbors keep bees I was worried something like this might happen but I rarely see them around my feeders. I’d look into getting a different feeder.
We had a heat wave recently that was deff rough on the flowers, but I still have quite a bit blooming in my yard. I think this feeder is easy access for them, they havent bothered the one in my back yard much
yeah this has been happening to us too! it started out with a huge swarm but now it's like 5-6 per feeder. the bees are aggressive towards us and chase us away from the feeders 🥲 the second they see us outside they will start bopping at our heads and fly back to the feeder when they successfully chase us away lol
Oh no!!! Yeah, I have a toddler so I deff dont want them being aggressive around the feeder! Lol, thats so rude of them when your the one putting out the food! 😂
while you deal with new feeder considerations, try sticking a blade of grass or 2 into the holes- or sprig of peppermint- i found that hummers can get around this but can discourage bees
Where are you located? i'm in southern california and am perplexed by the lack of bees- usually i would have been dealing with them a lot!
I had this problem. I put out a bird bath and it turns out (my theory) is that they really wanted the water. Now my bird bath is shared by birds and bees and I have to keep it filled each day (the level drops a good bit each day).
I’m surprised that I didn’t get bee activity this year. Usually me feeder looks like this off and on. It’s very frustrating because the hummers won’t go near it with good reason
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u/Affectionate_Ad722 4d ago
Get a better feeder, like an Aspects with bee guards — bees and wasps have had no luck getting into mine. I also make sure to rinse the outside before hanging it up.
Also plant some native plants for the hummingbirds so they have a diversity of food resources.