Bees and Hummingbirds

[KodysGrandma]

Anyone have a solution for keeping bees away from humminbird feeders. Suddenly we have so many bees the birds can't get to the feeder. With the single tube ones the birds couldn't get close, clogged with bees. Back to the multiple port types and when I changed the feed today there were 8 bees INSIDE the feeder, one still alive.

HELP- for me and the birds, don't want to get stung trying to change nectar

 

[Garden_girl]

Emmie Lou, you can purchase special feeders that don't support bees at the feeders, but I also read that you can move them and bees (not terribly bright-not MY words, lol) think their food supply is gone. Do you know if they are honey bees or wasps? I really am getting concerned about the decline of honey bees.

 

[Melissakins]

Our feeders are attracting wasps. We keep honey bees now and the honey bees don't go anywhere near the hummingbird feeders. They go to the bird bath for water to drink, but don't get into the feeders. I have two hanging in front of my kitchen window and watch the hummers chase the wasps away. Wasps move faster than honey bees and have a more vibrant yellow than a honey bee.

 

[2newfs4now]

Our problem is hornets. They are aggressive little buggars!!!! They've chased the hummingbirds away from both feeders.

 

[new_2_newf]

I planted some bee-friendly flowers near an under ground nest I have in the back (It's in an old tree stump). They went totally bananas for the flowers and haven't bothered my feeders or anything else all summer. I don't mind the bees, they really don't bother me or the dog, not even when I run the lawn mower up over their nest (stump is in the ground, i built up the earth around it so I can cut the grass easier). So, assuming you don't mind the company, see what local bee-friendly plants you can grow and see if that helps. It sure did for both my neighbor and I, and I like to think the bees were happy.

 

[NinaA]

We get wasps, but I've never seen a honey bee at the feeders. I keep a water baffle to keep the ants out of the feeder, and the hummingbirds themselves chase away the wasps, so I'm afraid I have no idea what to do about bees, except I always hang my feeder on a double shepherds crook with a hanging basket of flowers next to it.