Viewing post #2805912 by pod

BullysMamma said: first i learned they don't like to share so I bought a handful of small feeders and placed the out of sight lines of each other.

then I learned that like civilized people, prefer to have a seat al the table, rather than eat on the wing, so I made perches out of bent wire.

then the ants came, so I made ant moats out of the tops of water holes corks and cup hooks.

then came yellow jackets licking at the section when the bottle screws into the feeder cap. none of my feeders leak, but some of the sugar solution must be infiltrating the treads. so I wrapped that section in screen with a rubber band that I can slide down over that section and keep them off.

this week I noticed huge black and white bald face wasps that will actively chase away the birds and can drink right out of the nozzles.
come on mother nature! gimme a break!
it's already looking like some hinky DIY junk with the wires and rubber bands and ant moats... now what?

anyone have feeders that deal with these problems out of the box? any solutions for the bald faces hornets? they're huge and mean...

A few years ago I had a similar problem. It was suggested here that I move the feeders to shady locations and change the type of feeder to the Hummzinger. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FJTXRC/
Incidentally these feeders have perches and a built in moat. I use water in it and it doesn't evaporate before it is time to refill the feeders. Otherwise you could use oil in the moat.

I did both and have no more problems with yellow jackets on the feeders at all. The feeders are now in a location near a birdbath and although I see wasps and hornets at the birdbath, they do not bother the hummer feeders at all. (Or me) I think the wasps and hornets were simply looking for moisture. The yellow jackets were mean and I am glad they don't like the feeders or the location. Good luck next season!