Hummingbirds Yet

[rwilky78]

My wife saw one at the feeder yesterday

 

[alc1985]

I saw my first on my feeder in Burns Harbor, IN

 

[gassprint1]

First sighting JUST NOW

We saw/heard one buzz past a couple weeks ago in Owen County. The feeder here in Indy has been out for a week but I think they've been stopping by, I just haven't seen them.
View attachment 351548

I got the same feeder. Do you do anything special to try and keep bugs out?

 

[indyjohn]

I got the same feeder. Do you do anything special to try and keep bugs out?

The biggest problem I have with that feeder in that location is ants climbing up the shepherds hook. I spray bug killer at the base and half way up the pole to keep them off and not affect the hummers.

I don't try to keep the bees away as they need all the help they can get.

 

[flyingsquirrel]

I smear Vaseline all up and down the pole. Ant don't seem to like it.

 

[indyjohn]

I smear Vaseline all up and down the pole. Ant don't seem to like it.

I'm going to try that, sounds better than bug poison.

 

[ppg1949]

Northern Morgan Cnty. I put ours out a week ago and have only seen three all females and one was small so I presume it was a yearling. This time last we were seeing turf wars over the feeders but not this year.

 

[dieselrealtor]

Saw the first one on Monday the 6th, we've had multiple since then.

 

[dieselrealtor]

I smear Vaseline all up and down the pole. Ant don't seem to like it.

If you can, put a traditional bird feeder on it with sunflower seeds. It is entertainment for hours watching squirrels try to climb up a Vaseline post

 

[tmschuller]

Saw the first one at my place. Northeastern grant county. Ruby throated. Putting feeder out today

 

[mike4sigs]

I smear Vaseline all up and down the pole. Ant don't seem to like it.

we use Vicks vapor rub.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I'm going to try that, sounds better than bug poison.

Here’s an idea I read about and have used quite successfully: Take a spray paint lid, turn it upside down, use a piece of wire (or something else) to run through the center circle of the lid to hang your feeder from and the lid to your hook. Put water in the outer circle of the lid. It creates a moat and the ants won’t cross it. The only problem is having to remember to refill the moat from time to time but it does work.

 

[Butch627]

Here’s an idea I read about and have used quite successfully: Take a spray paint lid, turn it upside down, use a piece of wire (or something else) to run through the center circle of the lid to hang your feeder from and the lid to your hook. Put water in the outer circle of the lid. It creates a moat and the ants won’t cross it. The only problem is having to remember to refill the moat from time to time but it does work.

Amazon sells a variety of different versions under Hummingbird Moat, or Ant Moat. Some feeders have one built into the top. I have tried a few versions and they all pretty much suck. If they have a sun cover they are almost impossible to fill. Then if they are too small they dry out in a couple of days. Id like to find one that has a small diameter and is very deep. Ive been thinking about building my own from something about the size of a soup can but have yet to find a suitable doner that won't rust or look like junk. This is the best design I have found but it needs to be twice as deep and the diameter does not need to be that wide. https://www.amazon.com/More-Birds-3...d=1715433599&sprefix=ant+moat,aps,119&sr=8-44

 

[mike trible]

I use a product called TANGLEFOOT , I spray it on the shepherds hook about half way up, spray an area about 6 inch wide around the post it will stay sticky for months, the ants try to cross it but get stuck in it and can't go past it. At the end of the season I will have hundreds of ants stuck in it .

 

[bigretic]

Wife saw first one on a purple iris last night. Lake County.