I have the cheap-o plastic kind of hummingbird feeders, the ants get inside no matter where I hang them, and then the hummingbirds do not drink from them. Should I get some of the glass kind?
2006-07-10 18:48:57 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Birds
They sell baffles at Lowe's and Home Depot... they look like bells and you smear Vaseline on the inside and the ants can't get through it... I've been using a couple for about a month now and they really work.
2006-07-10 18:54:02 · answer #1 · answered by eggman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A glass feeder won't be different.
Try a non-toxic insect repellent applied to the wire from which the feeder hangs, and applied to the tree or structure from which the feeder hangs.
Other substances that discourage ants are petroleum jelly, applied as suggested above; vinegar or powdered cloves applied to ant trails; and adhesive tape applied sticky-side-out to the hanging wire.
Moving the feeder doesn't work because the ants eventually find it.
Do not use toxic repellents or insectisides or other sprays that kill ants. The birds will injest it and die.
2006-07-10 18:54:23 · answer #2 · answered by FCabanski 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
while hanging the feeder on a wire, there has to be a type of cup where the wire can go right in the middle and suspend the cup in between the branch and the feeder for example.
why? well the cup needs to be filled with a liquid.. i recommend a type of edible oil like corn oil so that when the go down the wire, they will hit the oil and they will either go back up, or they will die in the oil. my dad used to keep bees and this was a way to keep the ants away from the beehive... having the legs of the beehives in oil cups... it works great. any other questions about it, just write me.
2006-07-10 18:55:48 · answer #3 · answered by digital321 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
try tying a strong line like twine rope or something like that, that's not to thick around the top hanging bracket if it has one. and let it hang down from a tree branch or a post etc. where ants cant get to it as easily. and if they do you can spray ant spray killer at the base of a post that will stop them, a tree branch you would have to spray it far enough away not to get the spray or smell around the feeder, the hummingbirds wont eat from it if they smell any kind of chemicals around it.
2006-07-10 19:08:45 · answer #4 · answered by ronald r 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
use Terro ant killer. It works great. Lace the hanger or whatever the feeder is on with it. Will kill ants like nothing else.
2006-07-10 18:54:26 · answer #5 · answered by sexxymexxy926 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
try hanging the feeder on a wire
2006-07-10 18:51:18 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Put flypaper or something sticky onto the wire. Then the ants won't be able to make it down.
Unless they make tiny parachutes.
2006-07-10 18:53:29 · answer #7 · answered by Hillbillies are... 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hang it from a wire and smear Vaseline on the wire. They won't walk on that. or wrap the wire in two sided tape.
2006-07-10 20:41:34 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try baking Soda
2006-07-10 18:51:36 · answer #9 · answered by newjersey2112 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
put a dryer sheet by it...that should work
2006-07-10 18:53:23 · answer #10 · answered by xsuga38x 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋