Ugh…Yellow jackets on Hummingbird Feeder..

amyb · ‎04-05-2010

I know this is a random topic but today, but, I refilled and refreshed my hummingbird feeder, as I do every two weeks. I think even the birds know when it stops being fresh as they don't come as much.

Well it did bring them back...but it also attracted about 6 yellow jackets...I see the hb's fighting to get to it while the bees swarm around. I swatted them off a few times...didn't want to spray, as that will pollute the feeder for the birds... I sort of sprayed around it...but didn't deter the bees.

Maybe I just have to let nature fight it out...but if anyone has any suggestions I'd love to know.

catter70 · ‎10-11-2017

I just looked online and it said you should put a plate about 6 feet away from the feeder with jelly or sugar water on it to draw the jackets away from the feeder. Bees can get aggressive with the hummingbirds and could kill them if they are stung. Wortha a try.

amyb · ‎04-05-2010

@catter70 wrote:
I just looked online and it said you should put a plate about 6 feet away from the feeder with jelly or sugar water on it to draw the jackets away from the feeder. Bees can get aggressive with the hummingbirds and could kill them if they are stung. Wortha a try.

Thank you!! I'm going to give it a try. Of course...I really want them to go away, not entice the bees to come where I want to also sit, so I wish I could put it out on the lawn, but I'm on a 2nd floor condo deck. That said...I don't want the hummingbirds getting hurt...I'll give it a try.

gtx · ‎08-15-2010

Humingbird feeders should be refreshed every two DAYS. Mold sets up inside the feeder in this heat and will kill the little birds.

If you have yellow jackets, you need to go around your house and eliminate any nests.

piperbay · ‎04-03-2013

Yes, it's that time of late summer for those pesky yellow jackets to hound the hummingbird feeder, hate it.

I do not use any sprays, I will just nature take it's course.

I bought Nectar Guard Tips from my bird store which is a huge

help in not having the wasps go into the hummingbird feeder whole and stay inside the feeder.

It looks like @catter70 had a good idea to keep them away. When it is hot here. I change daily.

amyb · ‎04-05-2010

@gtx Well ok. I know about mold and I've been watching it closely. Also, when I took it apart no sign of mold, but I can certainly do it more often.

As for spraying, we live in a condo. Association is in charge of that and actually just sprayed and went around taking down nests, just last week. But...these buggers will find new places to go.

Caffeina · ‎03-09-2010

Get a feeder with smaller holes. That solved the yellow jacket problem for me. Some feeders have things called bee guards.

Jk9 · ‎07-18-2013

@amyb we live in the country and always have lots of hummers each year. Yellow jackets show up every year and will continue to do so. In addition to getting the "bee free" feeders, there are "traps" available to trap and (yes kill) the insects. I think one is called the Fatal Funnel and each funnel comes with a recipe for wasps and yellow jackets. You use a soft drink bottle (like Mountain Dew, Coke, Etc) into which you insert the funnel and then add the liquid recipe. I buy mine at Mast General Store or where ever I see them. We hang a bottle between feeders or beside a feeder that has a lot of yellow jackets around it. You empty the contents when needed and refill to do again. Works extremely well. We don't attract honey bees (or I would not do it) but catch lots of yellow jackets, wasps and even hornets. They enter the bottle but can't find the way out. You rinse the funnels and store with the feeders for the next year. No pesticides involved. We are running five feeders this year and using 4 fatal funnels based on positioning. We find that there are always plenty of wasps, yellow jackets and hornets who survive our efforts.

If my dog doesn't like you, neither do I.

amyb · ‎04-05-2010

@Caffeina wrote:
Get a feeder with smaller holes. That solved the yellow jacket problem for me. Some feeders have things called bee guards.

This has tiny holes. They are not getting inside. Just swarming around the outside, not letting the birds get near.

All good feedback~tks everyone.

amyb · ‎04-05-2010

Updates: Well tried the suggestion to put another bowl of sweet stuff over away from the feeder...I decided on honey vs. jelly or sweet water...big mistake!

Came home from an appt.

TWICE the amount of bees. Hummingbirds have completely surrendered and are staying away. AND...the separate bowl...covered in ants.

SO...I sprayed those darned bees, enough to be able to get to and take down the feeder, which I will wash thoroughly and probably put away for now.

As soon as the few angry and dumb bees that are still out there looking for the feeder go, I will go get the ant covered bowl. sigh. Oh well. I had these two adorable little HB's that have been coming for a few weeks, several times a day, starting early in the morning. D&&m bees.

And as a child I got an allergic reaction to a sting, so not taking any chances out there.

I will double check for any hives that might have been missed anywhere, they may have to come back and spray again at our condos. Or it may just be I attracted them with this.