How to Keep Ants Out of Hummingbird Feeders (9 Easy Ways)

Hummingbird feeders are great for hummingbirds but ants enjoy them too. Here are a few ways to keep the pests away from your beautiful flowers without harming the birds at all.

The “keep ants out of a hummingbird feeder” is a topic that has been discussed in many different ways.

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Hummingbirds are fascinating and beautiful creatures. Because of how cool hummingbirds are, you could like seeing them in your yard.

To attract more hummingbirds, many individuals prefer to put hummingbird feeders in their yards. Hummingbirds will return to your feeders for food as long as you maintain them loaded with nectar.

You should be concerned if you tried to replace one of your feeders and noticed that ants had gotten inside. Ants shouldn’t be able to access to the nectar provided for hummingbirds.

You also don’t want to contaminate the hummingbird feeders in any manner. What can you do to avoid this being a problem?

To understand how to prevent ants out of hummingbird feeders, keep reading. This should assist you in achieving the best outcomes possible, allowing you to continue to enjoy viewing hummingbirds on your property.

1 – Using fishing line, suspend the hummingbird feeders

You may consider suspending the hummingbird feeders so that the ants cannot get them. This is a fantastic concept, however ants are excellent climbers and might possibly get access to the hummingbird feeders nonetheless.

This is why the feeders must be suspended from something too thin for even ants to pass through. To do this task, fishing line will be really effective.

If you hang ants in the air with a fishing line, they won’t be able to crawl to the hummingbird feeders. The fishing line will be exceedingly slippery in addition to being overly thin.

It will be straightforward to get fishing line in order to do this task. It’s available online or at a hardware shop.

It will be important to use a very strong fishing line to make this function correctly. If you use a weak fishing line, the feeder may not have the necessary support.

Ideally, you should get fishing line that can withstand a weight of up to two pounds. You can proceed once you’re certain that your fishing line can support the feeder as well as the weight of a resting hummingbird.

2 – Construct a Moat for Ants

Another frequent and practical approach to protect feeders from ants is to build an ant moat. The goal, as you would assume, is to build a moat that prevents ants from accessing the feeder.

Ant moats are usually little cups of water positioned directly above the nectar. Water may be put underneath the nectar in certain designs.

If you look hard enough, you may even locate some more sophisticated ant moat designs. However, many designs may be very complicated, and it’s probably best to keep things simple.

Some people choose to construct their own ant moats for their feeders. If you want to take the effort to create your own, you may do it using a plastic soda pop bottle.

Essentially, you just cut the top off the bottle, leaving a bowl-shaped piece of the bottle with the cap still attached. After that, you’ll use a coat hanger to poke a hole in the bottle cap.

To achieve this, you’ll need to drill a small hole in the bottle cap. To avoid leaks in the moat, fill the bottle top with hot glue. Allow the adhesive to cure before filling your new moat with water and hanging it.

This is a very simplistic tutorial on how to make a DIY hummingbird feeder moat. If you want a more in-depth video tutorial, watch this one.

You don’t have to make your own ant moat for the feeder, of course. It’s simple to just go to the shop and get one that you can also install.

There are even hummingbird feeders with built-in ant moats on the market. This may make things simpler for you since you won’t have to find out how to create or install one.

3 – Ant Guards Might Be Necessary On Occasion

There have been instances when ants have figured out how to go around ant moats. Ants are more resourceful than many people believe.

Ants, for example, built a bridge with their bodies to allow other ants to move over and reach the nectar in the hummingbird feeder. Even as bizarre as this may seem, it is still feasible to halt such clever ants.

You may purchase an ant guard to place in the hummingbird feeder as a last layer of defense. It includes a mild pesticide that is safe for both hummingbirds and humans.

This won’t truly kill the ants, but it will stop them from getting too near. An ant guard combined with an ant moat should be sufficient to keep ants away from the feeders.

Normally, you should avoid utilizing any form of chemical. This is OK since it will not hurt the hummingbirds and is also safe for your plants.

4 – Suspend the Feeders Over a Body of Water

Ants can’t swim, so they’ll have a hard time getting about in the water. This is why creating an ant moat to keep the ants safe is such a smart idea.

If you want to make it even more difficult for ants to have access to your bird feeders, put them immediately over a body of water. You may utilize the same strategy as with the fishing line suspension concept.

The only difference is that you’re looking for a location that isn’t submerged. If the feeder is hung above the water, the ants will be unable to reach it.

They won’t be able to cross if they attempt to climb the fishing line. You also don’t need access to a natural body of water to achieve this.

It’s possible that merely hanging the feeder over a birdbath will suffice. This is beneficial because it will allow hummingbirds to flock to the area since they will have access to water.

Hummingbirds like splashing about in the water. They also need to be able to obtain a drink every now and again.

5 – Consider moving the feeder on a regular basis.

Have you considered shifting the hummingbird feeder around from time to time? This may keep the ants guessing and prevent them from locating the feeder.

Ants build trails that guide other ants to where they may find more food. If you change the hummingbird feeder, this path will no longer be able to bring them to it.

It’s simply an easy approach to frighten the ants away and keep them at bay. It’s also a good idea to space your hummingbird feeders out sufficiently so they don’t become too crowded.

The distance between the hummingbird feeders should be around seven feet. If they’re too close together, you can end up with more ants than you bargained for.

Of course, not everyone will think that shifting the feeders is a good idea. You also don’t want to change the feeders if the hummingbirds have become used to their existing places.

Using the fishing line approach from previously might be more practical. If you believe it might work in your case, you may still think about it.

6 – Keep an eye on the Feeder for Leaks

If ants detect the presence of food, it’s understandable that they would flee. If your feeder springs a leak, you’ll want to take care of it as soon as possible.

A hummingbird feeder might be damaged and leak if it is not properly maintained. Some nectar may spill out as a result, and the ants will be able to scent it.

If you choose to leave things alone, inquisitive ants will come by in quest of food. They’ll see the feeder and realize that something delicious is spilling from inside.

Even a slow flow will be enough to draw ants in. It’s a good idea to have things addressed as soon as you realize that the feeder is leaking.

To ensure that your feeders are in excellent working order, you should strive to keep an eye on them. This entails inspecting the feeders many times a week to see how they’re doing.

Keep in mind that these feeders may be destroyed by a variety of factors. It’s likely that when it’s really hot outdoors during the summer, the feeder may expand and fracture a little.

A hummingbird feeder might potentially be damaged by wind if it collides with another item. As long as you keep an eye on the feeders, you should be able to make repairs before you have a major ant infestation.

7 – Don’t Forget to Clean Hummingbird Feeders

You should also make an effort to maintain the hummingbird feeders clean. This will assist you in keeping ants at bay.

This is also necessary for the benefit of the hummingbirds. You must maintain the hummingbird feeders clean in order for the hummingbirds to continue to use them.

If you don’t clean the feeders correctly, they will eventually get contaminated. This might also cause the nectar to spoil sooner than expected.

You should wipe off the feeders every day if you want to maintain them in good shape for the hummingbirds. Cleaning the interior and exterior of the feeder will aid in the smooth operation of the feeder.

This will undoubtedly improve and secure the hummingbirds’ situation. It will also shield the feeder from other insects that may attempt to annoy them.

If you allow your feeders become filthy, bees, wasps, moths, and flies may come to inspect them. They don’t become an issue if you clean them up.

It is suggested that you do not use chemical cleaners to clean the feeder. You must utilize items that will not harm the hummingbirds.

To get the job done, all you’ll need is some non-toxic dish soap and warm water. As long as you’re thorough, this will be quite useful in your ant-control efforts.

8 – Try putting some plants near the feeders.

Using plants to your advantage is one clever way to convince ants to stay away from your feeders. Ants tend to stay away from specific kinds of plants.

The aroma of mint, for example, is particularly repulsive to ants. If you grow mint plants near the feeders, the ants will be less inclined to approach them.

Bay leaves also seem to be effective in scaring away pesky ants. You may plant a small herb garden near the hummingbird feeders to keep ants away.

Mint plants are simple to cultivate, so this shouldn’t be too difficult. Mint plants may survive without much support as long as they are cultivated in good soil.

Plants are likely to be one of the more enticing solutions if you’re seeking for natural and easy methods to prevent ants. This is a low-cost and gratifying approach to keep your feeders safe.

9 – You Could Attempt Ant Extermination

Of course, trying to get rid of the ants in your yard may not be a terrible idea. Ants may be bothersome in a variety of ways, so if you have an issue with too many ants in your yard, it’s understandable that you’d want to remedy it.

If ants are getting into your feeders, there’s a fair probability that anthills are nearby. You might use natural means to exterminate the ants.

By pouring boiling water down anthills, many people have been able to get rid of ants. You’ll have to be cautious not to burn yourself while pouring the hot water, but if you’ve found the anthill, this may be a decent choice.

Another useful approach is to make an ant-killing vinegar spray. To make this spray, just combine equal parts white vinegar and water.

You’ll be able to spray places where ants have gathered. If you come across any anthills, it could be a good idea to pour white vinegar down them.

There are always professional alternatives to consider. If you’re experiencing a lot of ant problems, you might hire exterminators to come out and assist you.

They will be able to kill the ants and will be able to locate all of the anthills on your property. The only problem is that some individuals may be allergic to the chemical ant-killing sprays used by these specialists.

It’s also not cheap to hire exterminators. This isn’t to say that the typical person can’t afford it; it simply means that depending on your budget, it may not be the greatest choice.

Last Thoughts

If you follow the tips above, protecting the feeders against ants will be much easier. There are several things you may do to get excellent outcomes.

Even simple feeder care may help you keep ants away from your food. You should check your feeders every day to ensure that they are clean.

If the feeders get filthy, ants are more likely to be lured to them. Take the time to clean the feeders on a regular basis, both inside and out.

It’s also crucial to inspect the feeders for any fractures or leaks. If the feeders begin to leak nectar, the ants will quickly detect and will flock to the area in search of food.

Because ants won’t be able to crawl on fishing line, you may try hanging the feeders with it. The ants can’t handle it because it’s too thin and slippery.

If you hang the feeder over a body of water, ants will be much less inclined to enter. Consider suspending the feeder from a tree branch over a birdbath.

If ants get inside the feeder, ant moats assist restrict them from getting to the nectar. You might also use an ant guard that deters ants with a low-intensity pesticide.

Finally, you should do all possible to get rid of ants in your yard. Use natural ant control techniques to reduce the number of ants on your property looking for food.

If you have the funds, you may wish to hire exterminators to do the task. Simply weigh your alternatives to determine the best course of action.

You should be able to just enjoy watching the hummingbirds in your yard as a result of this. They’ll be free to utilize the hummingbird feeders, and you’ll be glad you were able to keep them safe.

Hummingbirds are small, but they can be a nuisance. They love to hover near feeders and drink the sweet nectar that is put out for them. To keep ants away from hummingbird feeders, you need to make sure that the feeder has red bee guards on it. Reference: red bee guards for hummingbird feeders.