How do I get rid of the bees swarming my hummingbird feeder?

Question

I don't want to use something harmful to the birds but am wondering if anybody else has had this problem and solved it? The bees have taken over, covering every feeding hole on the feeder..The poor hummingbirds fly by, take one look, and leave. I used to have at least 10-15 that fed every day, all day. Help!

Yes, I realize WHY the bees like the feeder..I also realize that it's probably NOT possible to prevent..but wanted to know if anybody did actually have any idea?

Yes-the bees are yellow jackets..Like berkut said I also like bees too, but I would like to have BOTH the birds and bees. :) Not just the bees... Thankyou everybody who actually had a helpful answer!

Answer 1

Amblina honey, this is a very good question and I appreciate very much that you are very conscientious. I actually have checked your profile and found out that you are a prolific animal-lover and is deemed by me as someone who respects all life forms, and rightly so.
Anyway, go find something from the store something like an incense or an insect repellant (it is something that emits some kind of scent that is disliked by the bees. I know it is available somewhere).
All the best to you!

Answer 2

I used to have the same problem. I put up hummingbird feeders every summer and by mid summer, it was being used mostly by bees. Unlike your situation, I had enough feeders in a row that the birds were still able to find open ports not covered in bees. I also wondered why it was that the bees were not a problem until later in the summer than when I first started feeding the hummingbirds.

The answer is cleanliness. When you fill your hummingbird feeders, don't just fill them. Take them inside, one at a time and pour boiling water on the feeding ports. This will wash away any remnants of built-up nectar. nce the feeders have been cleaned with boiling water, refill with sugar water or nectar and hang them again. Bees don't have the benefit of long bills to reach is like the birds do. They are feeding on the build up that is left after repeated use and refills.

You won't see the bees at properly cleaned hummingbird feeders. Another solution is to make a solution of sugar water and put it in a shallow, open dish several feet away from your hummingbird feeders. This will attract the bees and they will prefer it because they can actually feed from it without struggling. The birds will have thier own feeders again and the bees will have theirs.

Answer 3

Moe it to a different location when the bees are resting during the day. I think early early hours like 6 am.

2nd idea put up 3 more of those hummingbird feeders. Or buy more if needed.

Bees don't like smoke, put one up near a BBQ, roast some briquettes at certain time of the birds usual feeding time. That should clear out the bees.

Answer 4

Some humming bird feeders have what is called a bee guard - this is what you need. It is mesh, or plastic that prevents the bees from reaching the sugar water but the hummingbirds can put their little beaks right on through and past this. Bees will still initialy be attracted to the smell, but will not swarm so much once they discover they can't reach the goodies.

Answer 5

There certainly are a lot of silly answers here. Never use insecticide on your hummingbird feeder. It is toxic to the hummers!

pourin isn't completely wrong. Beer can be used to as bait in a bee trap.

The simplest thing to do is spray the feeder lightly with a cooking oil spray like Pam. Putting out a bee trap and a second feeder is a good idea, too. Try leveling or stablizing the feeder so it doesn't drip.

Answer 6

Had this problem-read that bees are attracted to yellow-hummingbirds to red -bought feeder where the feeding ports were white-No Bees--since I had many hummingbirds left 1 yellow port feeder for the bees-did not fill up but enough for the bees approx 1/3full-placed this feeder off to the side away from the hummingbird feeders-all in all had 3 up this year-the bees were satisfied with the one feeder-also if you have more than 1feeder for the hummers then place apart for hummers are territorial and will chase other hummers away from the feeder. Left the 1 feeder with yellow feeding ports-since this is he end of the hummingbird season nearly you can also paint the feeding ports red. Keep feeder up until no more hummers seen for sev weeks. In order to attract the bees to the one I wanted them to use poured some sugar water on the ground directly below and on the outside of the feeder. Good Luck

Answer 7

You can buy a feeder they are unable to use. A lot depends on the type of bee. If they are honey or bumble bees, they won't harm you. If they are wasps or yellow jackets find the source, it's probably in the ground, and eradicate it. They will move on. Just remember to do it in the early morning or late evening to assure the pests are in the hole. Otherwise you will have a cloud of them circling the opening.

Answer 8

They sell hummingbird feeders that keep bees from getting to it. I've never tried it myself but I have heard a lot of great things about them. I've also heard that the bees are attracted to yellow. I got a new feeder with out yellow and only red and it's rare if I see a bee now. You can paint any yellow on the feeder with red nailpolish, yes it's safe.

http://www.hummzinger.biz/hummzinger.htm

http://www.humming-birds.com/humfunct.html

Good luck!

Answer 9

That's really bad! We never have had that happen. I had red wasps move into the body of my car though. They crawl in and out of a tiny hole in the door where the trim is missing. I hate to imagine what they are doing in there!
I would try the trap thing. If they ever leave the feeder I would remove it till they go somewhere else. At night when they 'roost' somebody might make a 'torch' and burn the suckers.
Please BEE careful!

Answer 10

You may have to call the local pest control to see what they have to say. I would try to find their nest, watch them to see where they go, usually at dusk you can follow them to where their nest is and you can bet it is close by. I had to get rid of the bees a few times, they were yellow jackets. These are the ones that you have I bet. They are the ones that bother you when you eat, get into your beer, pop, and bother you on the beach, and they like the garbage too. So you can find their nest by following them and at dusk, Once you locate them, wait till after dark, they will all be in the nest then nearly asleep or asleep.They could even be underground or in a section of your home, gutter, etc. Then empty a can of the killer stuff, it shoots 20 feet and just empty the can in there and have eye goggles on and surgical gloves! Problem solved. You can try to lesten the sweetener in the feeder but I doubt it will do any good, got to locate the nest and eliminate those things. It is easier than it sounds, you just have to be patient and once you empty the can in the nesting area, a few will try to crawl out but they will be near death to do anything, but make sure you are ready to get the heck out of there anyway. Have someone hold the flashlight for you. You will hear them in their nest, or underground- ( where a tree was cut and the trunk rotted and a hole in the ground.) then the next day, or later at night even, if it is in the ground, let the hose flow into it. Good Luck, and be careful. Worked for me.