Protecting Hummingbirds

Protecting Hummingbirds from Insects

There are a number of dangers to hummingbirds as they go through life. Extreme weather in the form of cold, heat, drought, winds and heavy downpours can threaten or kill hummingbirds. Predators impose grave dangers too, and these include blue jays, crows, squirrels, chipmunks and domestic cats as well.

Even frogs, fish, snakes and lizards can snag a low-flying hummingbird. The use of pesticides in your yard is dangerous to hummingbirds. Ingesting pesticide-tainted insects or flower nectar can inadvertently poison them. Hummingbirds can also be threatened by members of their own species as they compete for food resources or mates. Equally important are the hummingbird feeder pests that come in the form of insects who invade hummingbird feeders.

There is nothing more frustrating than having insects occupy your hummingbird feeders. Here are some solutions to the dilemma of ants and bees invading your hummingbird feeder, and specific ways to protect your birds from this annoyance.

Deterring Insects

Ants, bees and wasps are attracted to the same sugar nectar that hummingbirds like. And where do they find it? Right in the hummingbird feeder you put up in your yard. This makes it difficult for your hummingbirds to feed safely. Not only do these insects steal the nectar, but they can also contaminate it – which discourages hummingbirds from using that feeder.

Perky-Pet® has several excellent and well thought out solutions to resolve your hummingbird feeder ant problems. One of our products, called AntGuard®, is placed above your Hummingbird feeder. The Perky-Pet® AntGuard® uses Permethrin, a chemical that repels ants, but has been proven safe to use around birds, pets and people.

Another great solution is feeders with ant moats. These feeders have a unique way of keeping these pests away. Some feeders are designed with built-in ant moats, which is simply an area on the top of feeder that can be easily filled with a small amount of water to keep the ants at bay. Try as they might, ants are unable to get around this barrier, thereby keeping the nectar in your feeders uncontaminated and pest-free for the hummingbirds.

If bees, hornets or wasps are invading your feeder, your best bet is to purchase a Perky-Pet® hummingbird feeder that has built-in bee guards. Made of mesh or simply just a raised port, the guards make sure that bees and wasps do not gain access to the feeding ports.

Perkypet.com is the top destination to find quality Wild Bird Feeders and Accessories. Perky-Pet® and K-Feeders wild bird products are trusted brands to bird lovers everywhere. Interact with nature, relax and build memories that last a lifetime by conveniently ordering from perkypet.com. Happy Bird Feeding!