2 Tips For Keeping Ants Away From Your Hummingbird Feeder
While you may enjoy hanging feeders outside of your window to watch hummingbirds fly by and feed off of the nectar, you may not particularly appreciate the ants that are drawn to the same sugary substance. Not only do the ants make the feeder less appealing, but they may also decide to make their way into your home. If you would like to try to keep the ants out of your hummingbird feeders, use the following tips for trying a couple of do-it-yourself methods.
1. Hang the Feeder from Fishing Line Instead of a String or Wire
While trying to make it more difficult for ants to access your feeders, look at how you have them hanging. If you use strings or wires to attach the feeders to your house, the surfaces on both of these allow the ants to easily walk down the line and onto the feeder.
Instead of using either of these hanging materials, consider using fishing line instead. Fishing line not only has a smaller surface area, but it is also slick enough to make it difficult for the ants to traverse down it.
However, if you decide to use fishing line, make sure you do not cut it too long. It does tend to be a bit flimsy, and your feeders will blow more easily in the wind.
2. Coat the Hanger and Feeder with Unscented Petroleum Jelly
Another popular method of keeping ants away from hummingbird feeders is to spread petroleum jelly on both the hanging line and the feeder itself. The stickiness of the jelly causes the ants to get stuck and makes it more difficult for them to walk, making it less likely that they will attempt to do so.
If you do decide to use this method, make sure you use unscented petroleum jelly, as a strong odor will deter the hummingbirds along with the ants. And, if you decide to try it, be prepared to reapply the jelly a couple of times a week or more often if it rains.
While these tips for keeping ants out of your hummingbird feeder usually work, they do have their drawbacks, such as creating an unstable feeder and making a mess that has to be redone constantly. Instead of trying to fight against the ants on a regular basis, consider finding an ant-proof hummingbird feeder online that will help keep them out while saving you both time and effort.