9 Ways To Keep Wasps, Bumblebees, And Hornets Away From Hummingbird Feeders!
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Hummingbirds dash through our gardens like living jewels. Their delicate wings beat faster than the human eye can perceive, and their iridescent plumage glimmers in the sunlight. But these enchanting creatures face a formidable challenge! Their feeders attract admirers and competitive garden guests, like wasps, honey bees, and hornets.
So, in this garden guide, we’ll explore practical strategies for helping hummingbirds avoid bees. Grab your butterfly net (or perhaps just a cup of tea) and join us on this journey to protect our feathered friends. 🌿🐝🌞
We’ll also support all garden visitors along the way – bees included!
9 Ways To Keep Wasps, Bees, And Hornets Away From Hummingbirds
Keeping wasps, bees, and hornets away from your hummingbird feeders can be tricky. That said, the following nine strategies work best for us!
1. Clean Feeders Regularly
Always clean your hummingbird feeder at least once weekly to help prevent the buildup of sugary residue that can attract bees, hornets, and wasps.
Here’s how to clean your hummingbird feeder without fuss.
- Disassemble the Feeder: Take apart the feeder and remove any leftover nectar.
- Soak In Warm Water: Soak the feeder parts in warm water for 10 minutes. The warm-water soak helps break down any residue or mold.
- Scrub With A Bottle Brush: Use a soft bottle brush to gently scrub away any debris or mold, paying close attention to the flower ports where the hummingbirds feed.
- Rinse Thoroughly: Rinse the feeder thoroughly with hot water to remove all traces of remaining nectar.
- Air-Dry Completely: Allow the feeder to air-dry before you reassemble and refill it with fresh nectar.
(Don’t use soap or detergent to clean your hummingbird feeder! We don’t want to risk them getting sick. Hot and warm water is safe and will remove sugar without fuss.)
There’s also more than one reason to clean your hummingbird feeder. Old nectar might harm the birds!
Aged nectar, the sweet liquid in hummingbird feeders, might ferment or become a breeding area for yeast, mold, and harmful bacteria. These contaminants can cause digestive issues and even fatal infections in hummingbirds.
So, keep hummingbird feeders clean!
Read More – 10 Genius Ways To Keep Ants Out Of Hummingbird Feeders!
2. Use Bee Guards
Consider using feeders with bee guards or purchasing separate bee-proof feeders to keep bees and wasps out while still allowing hummingbirds to feed.
Many bee guards function by placing a screen over the feeder. This design prevents bees and wasps from accessing the sweet nectar because their proboscises (snouts) are too short to reach through the screen. However, hummingbirds have super-long tongues that can easily bypass the screen and access the nectar.
(Fascinatingly, most of the bee guards we find are yellow. Try to find one that’s a different color, as many honey bee experts posit that yellow colors attract bees! We tend to agree.)
3. Grow A Summer Pollinator Garden
One of the main reasons bees and wasps swarm your hummingbird feeders is because they’re hungry. So, give them some yummy nectar! Plant bee-friendly flowers and herbs nearby. Offering nectar-bearing and pollen-packed plants might encourage bees to visit the garden instead of the hummingbird feeder.
Our favorite pollinator garden crops:
- Lavender: Lavender has a lovely, calming scent and also offers sweet nectar that attracts pollinators.
- Borage: Borage flowers are edible and rich in nectar.
- Salvia: These colorful spikes of flowers provide abundant nectar and are a favorite among bees and hummingbirds.
- Torch Lily (Kniphofia): Also called red hot poker, torch lily produces tall spikes of nectar-rich flowers.
- Coneflower (Echinacea): A wildflower, coneflower provides both nectar and pollen for bees and butterflies.
- Yarrow: Yarrow’s flat-topped clusters of tiny flowers are a magnet for pollinators.
- Monarda (Bee Balm): Monarda has vibrant blooms that are irresistible to bees and butterflies. Its aromatic nectar draws in many beneficial insects.
- Milkweed (Asclepias spp.): Milkweed is a top choice for monarch butterflies and provides nectar for various pollinators. Its uniquely spherical umbel clusters contain dozens of tiny blossoms.
- Cosmos: These daisy-like flowers come in various colors that bees and butterflies love.
- Fuchsia: The drooping, tubular flowers of fuchsia plants are a delightful treat for pollinators.
Sunflowers are another superb choice for pollinator gardens! They are easy to grow and help satisfy native bees and pollinators.
Read More – The 5 Easiest Ways To Attract Hummingbirds To Your Yard And Balcony!
4. Provide Water For Bees And Insects
Set up several water sources away from the hummingbird feeder. These diversions can attract bees and other insects and keep them away from the nectar.
Containers or birdbaths of various sizes and depths with fresh water are perfect. Rocks, large marbles, or floating objects in the water container can provide landing spots for flying insects and allow them to drink safely.
Change the water regularly to keep it clean and prevent stagnation. Stagnant water can become a welcoming breeding ground for mosquitoes, which is the last thing we need!
5. Use A Hummingbird Feeder Without A Perch
Our hummingbird feeders often attract larger nectar-loving birds, like finches, woodpeckers, and orioles. We’ve even seen renegade squirrels try to tip and spill the feeder over while hanging wildly from the perch. We don’t mind – they’re welcome to grab a drink!
However, many bird fanciers have noticed that these heavy songbirds (and critters) can often cause the hummingbird feeder to tip, resulting in a sticky mess. All of this extra sugar sloshing around might attract even more bees. A perchless feeder can help keep a low profile.
6. Support Native Bees In Late Summer And Early Fall
I live in New England, where bumblebees and honey bees get desperate for pollen, nectar, and water at the end of summer and early fall. Fall is when most of the nectar-bearing flowers begin to wane, and little pollen is left to forage.
That’s why I advise my friends to grow late-growing flowers to help support pollinators year-round.
(My nectarine tree and forsythia bushes offer tons of nectar at the beginning of the season. And the following flowers help cover them as the season gets chillier.)
- California Poppy: These bright yellow and orange flowers are native to California and bloom in late summer. Their vibrant colors attract bees and butterflies.
- Sedums (Stonecrop): Sedums are succulent plants that produce clusters of star-shaped flowers. They come in various colors and are excellent for late-season pollinators.
- Goldenrod: Goldenrod’s golden-yellow plumes bloom in late summer and early fall. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t cause significant allergies and is a valuable nectar source for bees.
- Asters: Asters come in many varieties and colors, including pink, purple, and cream. They provide essential late-season nectar for bees and other pollinators.
- Douglas Aster: Douglas Aster is native to North America and sports daisy-like flowers in shades of purple and blue. It’s a favorite among late-season bees.
- Joe-Pye Weed: Joe-Pye weed attracts bees, butterflies, and insects with its tall, pinkish-purple flower clusters. It’s a late-season bloomer.
- New England Aster: Another native aster species, New England aster boasts purple flowers and is a reliable food source for bees in autumn.
- Russian Sage: This silvery-gray perennial produces spikes of lavender-blue flowers. Bees love its nectar-rich blooms.
- Common Yarrow: This hardy plant has feathery foliage and flat-topped clusters of tiny flowers. It supports pollinators late into the season.
- Ironweed: Ironweed’s deep purple flowers attract bees and butterflies. They add a splash of color to late-summer gardens.
- Pacific Aster: Native to the western United States, Pacific Aster has lavender-blue flowers and is an important late-season resource for pollinators. 🌼🐝
Late-season sunflowers also provide both nectar and pollen. Their large, sunny heads attract bees and birds alike. (Sow fresh sunflower seeds throughout the summer, up until the middle of July. Staggering them helps satisfy pollinators all season.)
Read More – How To Grow A Chaos Garden Your Hummingbirds And Pollinators Will Love!
7. Use A Dripless Feeder
Dripless hummingbird feeder design is another underrated way to keep bees and wasps away from your hummingbird feeder. Hummingbird feeders that drip or leak excess nectar can easily attract bees and wasps and might also introduce ants into the mix. A dripless feeder helps prevent this issue by minimizing spilled or dripping nectar.
Look for feeders with a tight seal, an ant moat, or other features that prevent drips. These drip-proofing features aren’t perfect and could be better. However, drip prevention helps ensure the nectar stays contained within the feeder, reducing the chances of bees and wasps discovering your hummingbird feeding station.
8. Choose A Non-Windy Location
Windy weather can cause your hummingbird feeder to toss left and right, quickly resulting in excess nectar spillage. Hang your feeders in non-windy areas to prevent leaks and minimize waste. Consider placing your feeder under a covered area, such as a patio, awnings, or eves, around sheltered spots or between shrubs and trees. Hummingbirds also appreciate the added cover and love operating under the radar. The shelter of shrubs, trees, or a stoop keeps them comfortable. (They’re even happier if they have a comfy roost around their nestled feeder!)
9. Adjust The Feeder
If you try the above methods and nothing works, we have one more trick: move the feeder a few feet. If you move it a tiny pittance, insects might lose track of its location, while hummingbirds will still find it easily. (Hummingbirds are way more nosy than bees and will scour the area!)
Many hummingbirds exhibit site fidelity, which means they return to the same nesting and feeding areas year after year. They might also travel ludicrously long distances, including over continents, to return to your hummingbird feeder each season. So moving it a few feet won’t throw them off. But it might throw the bees off!
Read More – 17 Gorgeous Spring Flowers For Lovely And Aromatic Blooms!
Conclusion
Thanks for reading our guide about protecting hummingbirds from bees, wasps, and hornets! I’m always somewhat nervous that a bee will sting my visiting hummingbirds, but I’m lucky to say I’ve never seen it happen.
What about you?
- Do you have hummingbird visitors in your garden?
- What color hummingbirds do you have? Are they ruby-throated?
- Thankfully, I’ve noticed that the bees never harass the hummingbirds! Do you agree?
- Have you ever seen bees swarm your hummingbird feeder?
- Do you have more tricks for keeping bees away from feeders?
We’re hummingbird fanciers and love interacting with fellow proponents worldwide.
So, we hope to hear from you!
Thanks again for reading.
Have a great day!
Thank you for this! I only ever had problems with ants. Haven’t had a feeder for a few years, but I have purchased several recently as I have an indoor only cat and want her to view….
These will help. My parents, who both have died, had a beautiful cement bird bath, but I couldn’t move it by myself. I want to replace it with another one just like it. Too heavy to tip over. I have two smaller ceramic(?) ones to use as well. Wanted to put a fountain in it to prevent mold and algae…but wondering if that would hurt the hummingbirds..?
I also have marbles to add to it to help them be able to land without drowning
Hey Carol!
I’m honored that you enjoyed our hummingbird article – we’re happy to share!
I’ve fallen in love with these little garden gems, which visit my feeders like clockwork. (Even though the squirrels continue to try me!)
Bees also pop in now and then. However, I keep the area loaded with flowers to keep the bees busy elsewhere. It works most of the time.
Your waterfall should be fine! A gentle waterfall or fountain shouldn’t harm the hummingbirds. These birds are shockingly precise flyers. Just ensure the flow isn’t too strong—it should be a gentle trickle rather than a forceful stream.
I also love the marble idea! They provide landing spots for garden visitors and allow them to rest as they sip. Plus, they’ll add a decorative touch to your bird bath.
(I forgot to mention that I bet your cat will LOVE the view.)
Thanks again for reading – and have an excellent day!
Cordially,
Mike D