My solution was to set up a bee feeding station using a hanging birdbath and a 3:1 solution. I floated a few small sticks in it to give them feeding locations other than just around the edges. I had so many bees that they would drink it dry a couple of times a day. When I would refill it, some of the bees would get stuck swimming in the sugar water so I would stick my fingers in to give them an escape. They would crawl onto the back of my hand and clean their wings off before going back to feeding. I would sometimes be covered in bees as I was refilling the birdbath. I never got stung. They knew me. Once, three bees came and found me on my patio. They landed on my forearm about three inches apart facing me. They were letting me know they were out of sugar water. Feeding the bees ended up being more fun than feeding the humming birds. My neighbors call me the Bee whisperer.
@@MarksBackyardBirds It's interesting. Even the red wasps new who I was. They fed along with the bees and would sometimes perch on the back of my hand.
Bees also need water - my next door neighbor has hives & the bees came over to pollinate our fruit trees & veggies & flowers so I put out upside down yellow frisbees filled with water initially for the birds but noticed a lot of bees came over to get a drink as well - got busy helping my mom move & did not put frisbees out this spring - dismal fruit production as a result - lesson learned!😊
We made a bee feeder out of supplies from the Dollar Tree and some other kitchen items. We put it out before the other sugar feeders, it is about five feet away and another in another area of the yard. They prefer it and butterflies also use it. Once side sweet and one in water.
@@MarksBackyardBirds Tea Tree Oil works I am in Central California I have 8 feeders in backyard and 3 in the front yard so far did get the big group of 30-40 of hummers this year but I have around 10-12 regulars
I have tried many birdfeeders. The bees are still here. I have to take them down during the day but them up first thing in the morning take them down day almost and then put them back up in the evening when the sun is not shining on them.
The bottle neck feeders leak like crazy with no encouragement. I bought several and sat watching them as they continually dripped. Took them all back. The saucers work great and do not leak in the AZ heat.
Ants are easy to deal with but wasps and yellowjackets are another matter. I usually just ignore them and the hummers are aggressive enough to brush these pests aside and continue with their feeding. Haven't had problems with bees, like you say, they are beneficial and probably only stop by for a quick drink during their pollen gathering activities. There are ways to make yellowjacket traps out of plastic milk jugs, look online, they're easy to make and are very effective.
So many of us have this problem. We made the mistake of using home-made nectar with sugar water in our hummingbird feeder. For every single hummingbird we attracted, there were probably 1,000 bees that showed up at the feeder, making it impossible for the hummers to drink. The peppermint oil works for wasps, but definitely NOT for bees. In fact, the smell of peppermint attracts bees almost as strongly as sugar does.
Last summer I got new feeders and it turns out the holes were too big and it had tons of bees. I am deathly allergic to bees so I went at night to change them and of course there were still about six bees on the feeders at 1 AM. I had to cover up in a heavy plastic raincoat and gloves and cap and change them outside so I didn’t bring any bees inside the house. Luckily the new feeders haven’t had that problem. Right now we’re having 106° weather so I changed the feeders with cold sugar water. I hope it helped because I felt sorry for the poor hummingbirds in this hot weather.
What works best for me is a comfortable chair cold drink and my trusty “Bug A Salt” works great sending the yellow jackets in a tumbling spin to the ground.
@@krazedvintagemodel depends how close you are but even just knocking them down I’ve never had one come at me…I’m guessing with salt grains that do penetrate them and their body fluids dissolving the salt properly isn’t pleasant for them.
The newer hummer feeders are ridiculous. The neck is so narrow, it is impossible to get my rags inside and clean them. I put a dishrag inside and use a fork to rub the inside. Tried vinegar water but since it stunk, wasnt sure if it was safe. What else can you do?
Allowing vinegar water to air out well should be fine. The narrow necks on feeders is one of the primary reasons that I prefer the saucer type hummingbird feeders: tinyurl.com/4ded6rv3 They are top shelf dishwasher safe.
I'm worried they are yellow jackets....I don't know if I can tell the difference. I waited til they were asleep & removed the feeders just in case....😣
I got a small bottle of it today and put some on a ball of cotton and rubbed it on the “petal” part of my feeders, when I got within ten feet of the feeders the bumble bees started leaving, they do not like that tea tree stuff. It’s working great so far. A small bit of vegetable oil on the hanging wire works great to keep the ants away also.
@@2010bigfathen I started using that a couple of months ago, and it seems to work quite well -- unless there's "too much" sugar/nectar spillage, in which case the more persistent of them will just ignore the tea tree oil. (But making sure the outside of the feeder was wiped down with a damp cloth every day or two dealt with that, too. Since it was more of a problem in hot weather, I was wanting to clean and refill/replace the stale sugar solution more often, anyhow.) Also, it was surprisingly fun to be watching when a wasp would approach, and then decide they didn't want to hang around after all.
With the amount of birds I have I currently fill 3 qt size feeders per day if I used the little pancake size I would be filling at least 6 per day. Several years ago I used bee traps . Where I lived then I caught mostly yellow jackets, wasps and every now and then a honey bee.
Wonderful video..I have a yellow jacket and wasps problem.. I am gonna try the vinegar water method 1st.. if that doesn't work I will try the yellow jacket/ wasps trap with the Vaseline and 2 liter bottle..thanks again..Ray
I only have issues with yellow jackets unfortunately. All of the bees go to all the flowers I have around instead. Luckily I have multiple flowers for the hummingbirds as well so if the yellow jackets are covering my feeders they tend to just go to those.
Ive never had an issue down here in the southwest with bees, but wasps will stop by feeders in early summer. The traps work phenomenally. I surround the top of the trap with yellow tissue or construction paper to confuse the wasps. The hole in the trap is small enough that a hummer cant get stuck and the liquid (usually very sweet magarita mix) is low enough that it cant be drank
your video was a revelation. we have been feeding a veritable cloud of hummers every summer for many years using the large, plain Perky Pet glass feeders. but we have a major yellow jacket problem. so I'm about to order a bunch of saucer shaped feeders from Amazon where I discovered that the Aspects feeders were about 3 times as expensive as the competition. I'll pay the extra if there is a good reason. Why do you recommend the Aspects brand? what makes them worth the considerable extra expense?
I find the fact that they are made in the USA and have a lifetime warranty coupled with their easiness to clean make them a perfect feeder. Have you looked at our online store? I don't think we are 3 times the cost of other brands: tinyurl.com/5jfh42ep Thanks for watching.
In past years, I have had a major problem with bees which has been very frustrating. This year, I saw zero bees at my hummingbird feeders. That might be the sad part of the story.
I used the Aspect feeders and have no problem with bees. I do have lots of bees in my small yard, but they can't get at the nectar in the saucer style, so they give up.
Ant moats are easy to make, using a 6-8 ounce clear plastic cup, a wine cork (or grom hardware store) and 2 cup hooks. Screw one hook into the top/center of the cork. Poke a hole through the bottom of the cup using a push pin or safety pin and then screw hook #2 through the bottom of the cup and into the bottom of the cork. The cork and screw will hold water without leaking. The cup holds several oz of water. Some people top with veg oil, or use straight oil, to prevent evaporation. Hang using thin wire, or fishing line which is supposed to be hard for ants to navigate. These look downright elegant compared to the water bottle/glue gun/caulked up detergent lid versions I have seen.
just a question. Your slide is honey bees? I guess I've been wrong...I thought that any "bee" that has a segmented body is a type of yellow jacket. Honey bees just have their cute fat little body, no "waist" per se? 🤪Thank you for showing those different feeders that bees can't get their "straw" down in it if you just fill it half way! I'll be looking for them! 👍
Peppermint oil apparently deters wasps, but it actually attracts bees (in fact, beekeepers even use peppermint oil to attract bees to move into a new boxes -- you can even find TH-cam videos where beekeepers do this.) I've had good results with tea tree oil. Using a bit of cotton or tissue to wipe a little tea tree oil on feeding ports, to deter both wasps and bees. (Use sparingly, and just on the feeding ports, as *any* oil can be bad for birds if it gets on their feathers.) It doesn't bother the hummingbirds at all. You might have to reapply fresh tea tree oil every two or three days, depending how hot the weather is, and whether your feeder is a little leaky (more than just a little leaky and some wasps will ignore the tea tree oil, because they can still reach nectar, which makes it worth their while). But then, you should be cleaning and refilling more often in hot weather anyhow. I haven't tried the vinegar trick, but I'm pretty sure that works against bees, rather than wasps. I do know that some beekeepers like to use apple cider vinegar to deter bees from wasp traps (again, you can find TH-cam beekeeping videos about this).
I put a few slices of cucumber wedged in behind each flower on those cheap plastic feeders with the big flowers, and that seems to keep a lot of the bees away. Not all, but it cut it down from 6 to 1-2 bees. I had read that bees don't like cukes for some reason. The hummingbirds don't even notice the cukes.
I have bees getting INTO the saucer type feeder - despite the twist and locking of the base to the lid. Don’t ask me how they manage this but it happens if they’re hanging or placed on a tabletop. Yesterday I rescued 4 bees.
Some of the native bees are small enough to squeeze into small holes. The nectar tips that fit on the inside of the openings that are available for some saucer types are the next level of prevention there.
@@MarksBackyardBirds I think they’re getting in from the underside, not through the ports. I’ve placed in a good-fit flower pot so they can’t access the perimeter. Hope this works. Will spray with water periodically to get rid of any nectar deposited via hummingbirds. Thank you for reply. Someone needs to make the definitive feeder.
I can state that Tee Tree Oil does NOT work!! I rubbed it on, and within an hour I had over a dozen bees, crawling all over the feeder, chasing my hummers away.
Fly traps work well with trapping yellow jackets or any other type of wasp or hornets. Fill up with apple cider vinegar and water. 1/4 apple cider vinegar to water.
Every time I search for ideas to keep wasps and yellow jackets away from my feeder, I get info on ants and bees. Ants are easy, and I have no problem with bees, yet, but what do you do about wasps? I've tried bait stations and periodically moving the feeder, but the stingers soon find it again. Any ideas for wasps and yellow jackets?
The same methods apply to wasps as do bees really. Wasp do tend to be worse for taking advantage of the sugar water that drips on the flowers when the hummer's tongues retract from the feeder. Have tried the sacrificial lamb feeder I talk about in the video?
I have beehives and hummingbird feeders within 50 feet of each other. Bee's will not touch regular sugar water unless it is winter or a Dirth is on and nothing else is available. I have sugar water out right now in a bee feeder and they're not even touching that. I just don't see bees at the HB feeders. I do see other insects. The bees may be needing the water and putting up with the sugar if no source of water is nearby or there is no natural nectar available to them. What I have seen bees like best is a little muddy spot a couple feet in circumference like a constant slow hose drip for their water source, but they will make do with your swimming pool, bird baths, etc.
I am glad that you don't have problems at your feeders. I think the shear number of people who view this video and others on the same topic certainly suggest that bees do visit hummingbird feeders quite regularly.
@@MarksBackyardBirds Indeed and the Dirth just hit my bee's day after I commented, and they now partake of my bee feeders. I truly do have reason to wonder when my bees have no interest at all in HB feeders.
Lol.Great information. To play devil’s advocate …I have a gardening friend who goes to great lengths to keep bees away from his hummingbird feeder and then brags about planting “pollinator attractor” plants all over his garden including just under his feeders.
How sure can you be that the hummers don't get the SKIN SO SOFT or the TEA TREE OIL or Peppermint OIL on their feet or feathers and then ingest it? That would be instant death to the birds......I would read more about prevention of bees/vs hummers. I tied a small empty water bottle with a small amount of honey inside about 4 inches away from the hummer feeder..it caught several bees....the hummers were attracted to it but went away rather quickly.
My hummingbird feeder just recently got raided by bees😮 they keep drinking the sugar water I put in the hummingbird feeder. My hummingbird feeder is NOT LEAKING either. I don’t understand 🤷🏻♀️ The bees are drinking up the sugar water and don’t allow the hummingbirds to drink 😞 and there are a few bees flying around in my patio! Can’t really go out there now 😬 What can I do ????? And I don’t want to kill the bees 🐝 I think they are honey bees but I’m not sure. They don’t seem aggressive. Oh gosh this sucks…..thanks for this video 🙏♥️😇
Depending on where you are, the bee season should be about over. A combination of a saucer-type feeder and a sacrificial bottle-type feeder with a sweeter mix like 3:1 has always been very effective for me
What is that small 2nd type of feeder you displayed? What brand. I already found a sacrificial feeder to be beneficial, only have one saucer style so may switch to those completely next season. First time experiencing this issue, such great numbers of bees - interesting problem 😅
That feeder is handmade by a hummingbird expert at the Sonoran Desert Museum in Tucson Arizona. Here is a link: tinyurl.com/yjwb5fan She is currently out of town but will be shipping us more in the next week or so.
I put a plate with sugar water in it away from my feeders, with a rock in the center for landing, and my bees (or wasps?) go to that, so I have a lot less at the feeders. It helps anyway! Love your video. Question..I can't tell for sure if my bees are actually bees or wasps? There's usually at least 15 to 20 around, but they don't look furry to me. Any ideas on how I can tell?
With that number of them, I would guess bees. Wasps and hornets have skinny connections between body segments while bees look "full bodied". Thanks for tuning in!
I've had excellent luck with a hanger I bought from farm and fleet. It's a red bell shape plastic thing. It has a hook on top and a hook on the bottom. There's a "cake" of ant poison" up inside the bell. The birds and beneficial bugs aren't harmed since it's up inside. I'm sorry, I can't remember the name of it.
I am wondering if you are talking about built in ant moats. They are small and the water evaporates quickly. Have you ever tried an external ant moat like these? shopbackyardbirdcenter.com/collections/ant-moats If water is added regularly, I have never seen them fail.
I got them. I don’t know where they’re coming from. They’re brown and there’s big black ones with white faces. They won’t go away. I’ve tried everything everything. God bless you amen.
I have sprayed Avon's Skin So Soft oil on the red parts of my feeder. The wasps don't like it, but still try. And they chase the birds. I'm going to make a Wasp trap tonight. Thanks for the advice!
@@MarksBackyardBirds I cleaned and refilled it. I put it on the actual feeder not on the flowers where the hummers drink. A wasp came over right away crawled for a few seconds then lift off! Haven’t seen the wasp since. Thank you 😊
An alternative that works for me: instead of 4:1 water:sugar, dilute the mix. Somewhere between 4.5:1 and 5:1, the bees stop coming, but the hummers still show up.
I have had two feeders prior, but have so many hummers here I now have 4. 3 are that flat type and I love your tips. I've now filled them by half and moved them away from where I have the only feeder with yellow on it and glass gravity fed type. I also have a yellow bee trough. Most of the bees stay at the trough, which I have to refill, and leave the feeders alone. But the new feeders came with the bee guards that fit underneath on the ports. I'm not so sure the hummers are completely able to access the nectar. Should I remove them since the bees don't seem to be able to reach any nectar on those?
You must have the smaller native bees. Most hummingbird holes are not large enough for most bees to get inside. Some saucer feeders have bee guards that fit on the inside of the ports so that even the smaller bees cannot get in: tinyurl.com/4wx8xv8y These only work with certain feeders.
Don’t use upside down feeders. Water oozes out on those. I use standard feeders with the container under the lid. Never got the bees ever on those feeders.
i watched very aggressive wasps this year actually chasing, at their speed, my hummingbirds across the whole front yard! never seen that. I bought feeders with red but no yellow (attracts insects) and used several in which the sugar water doesn't actually touch the 🌺 feed holes. not one wasp or bee or ant comes. they feed in peace tho it takes a little longer to feed (a good thing - not going through the feed so fast) but no one comes to scare them away. very good solution. took just 2 days to get used to their new feeder.
we used large mouth gallon jars with meat ansd water in it, and a 303 can on top of the jug. the Yellow Jackets really like juice from Fish as well. we did not hang them, just left them on top of the Rabbit Cages. Worked great for the BLO Flies as well, but sure did stink!
I am allergic to bees but never had an issue with bees, because I only use feeders that bees can't get into, it's those terrible ants that I can' get rid of, so for the first time I am trying moats and cayenne at the base.
No point in a hummingbird feeder when bears are your main problem. I encourage wildflowers - means I grow a lot of weeds, means I don't cut much grass or irrigate
...or grow certain foods. I was leaving for work one day and could smell my strawberries, told myself I was picking them as soon as I got home. Too late. They don't bother with root crops, but don't try growing pumpkins. @@MarksBackyardBirds
I was at the beach and used baby oil to get a tan. Seventeen yellow jackets landed on my legs. Not one stung me. In fact I have never noticed them stinging anyone or myself if the people do not swing their arms and body around in panic. Yellow jackets can only sting one their barbs get stuck and they pull their guts out trying to fly away. It is not a survival benefit for them to sting. If you accidentally step on them or hit them with your hand arm or close your blended knee/leg on them they will sting. I am 74 years old and this is my experience. I think of them as my brothers and sisters. If you injure one they send off a pheromone that calls other yellow jackets to come. Humans need to stop being asses regarding all wild things and respect nature be it a place the weather or a creature or the ocean bay or lake. People who think it is their right to kill or control all things for their own comfort are going to learn the hard way we are not outside nature and what we do one way or another will return to affect us.
I respect your point of view and I try hard to give ways for us to live with all wildlife. I also have to respect those who have differing perspectives. Serious bee allergies are very dangerous and my personal experience with yellowjackets include my mother being stung over 20 times while working in her yard and myself several times in my youth. I have a healthy respect for them but acknowledge they can be troublesome.
Not everyone has that ability or living space to do that. Properly maintained feeders provide an important reliable source of nectar for them, while the feed on flowers and small insects as well.
@@MarksBackyardBirds no I’m sorry, I definitely find them educational, and I ultimately appreciate you doing the video. 😞 and after thinking more about it, it’s my patience that’s the problem; not you or anyone else’s videos.
@@MarksBackyardBirds You may be correct. I’ve just never seen a yellow jacket with black markings. Usually black markings are on hornets. I apologize if I’m wrong.
@@MarksBackyardBirds maybe it depends on how many bees are out there when you’re getting a lot. I don’t think they care if they smelt it or not. Thanks for your reply.
Hi Dave, I just filmed and "Ant Wars" video and should have it up by later today. They are amazing. The key is water, more specifically Ant Moats. Keep watching.
@@rogerbivins9144 My only issue with those are they are the cup shape is generally very shallow and the water evaporates quickly. That is why I recommend a higher capacity separate ant moat.
@@MarksBackyardBirds no argument here whatsoever. I don't have too much of an issue there tho because of how frequently I have to refill the feeders. Also, after hearing the tea tree oil tip for bees this morning, I tried it around the feeding openings as well as the wire hangers that I'd made and so far it seems to be working incredibly well. The bees have all but disappeared and the few ants that were still looking for a route down seem to want nothing to do with that stink either. But ant control water cups are also super easy to make and work without fail. I can't thank you enough for that tip! It's not like the bees starved the birds, just an aggrevation, but every day the numbers were climbing enough to be really bothersome. Cheers
My solution was to set up a bee feeding station using a hanging birdbath and a 3:1 solution. I floated a few small sticks in it to give them feeding locations other than just around the edges. I had so many bees that they would drink it dry a couple of times a day. When I would refill it, some of the bees would get stuck swimming in the sugar water so I would stick my fingers in to give them an escape. They would crawl onto the back of my hand and clean their wings off before going back to feeding. I would sometimes be covered in bees as I was refilling the birdbath. I never got stung. They knew me. Once, three bees came and found me on my patio. They landed on my forearm about three inches apart facing me. They were letting me know they were out of sugar water. Feeding the bees ended up being more fun than feeding the humming birds. My neighbors call me the Bee whisperer.
That is amazing!
@@MarksBackyardBirds It's interesting. Even the red wasps new who I was. They fed along with the bees and would sometimes perch on the back of my hand.
Bees also need water - my next door neighbor has hives & the bees came over to pollinate our fruit trees & veggies & flowers so I put out upside down yellow frisbees filled with water initially for the birds but noticed a lot of bees came over to get a drink as well - got busy helping my mom move & did not put frisbees out this spring - dismal fruit production as a result - lesson learned!😊
We made a bee feeder out of supplies from the Dollar Tree and some other kitchen items. We put it out before the other sugar feeders, it is about five feet away and another in another area of the yard. They prefer it and butterflies also use it. Once side sweet and one in water.
Is the 3:1 solution water to sugar? (Like the hummingbird juice?) 😮What about wasps and yellow jackets? What about ant’s or other bugs?
The way that you're standing in the video? I had to look twice because I thought you had a humming bird on your head🤣
😂
Omg! I’ve learned so much this video. I felt so bee defeated, but I now I’m humming with confidence. Thank you!
That is awesome. Hummers are so entertaining.
@@MarksBackyardBirds Tea Tree Oil works I am in Central California I have 8 feeders in backyard and 3 in the front yard so far did get the big group of 30-40 of hummers this year but I have around 10-12 regulars
@@johnnelson6966 Jealous!
@@johnnelson6966 I use the tea tree oil as well ☺️ it's a temporary fix but works well
In S CA we have hummers nearly year round. But we do have a few that nest here year round.
That would be great. We can only imagine that here in the Midwest
Kudos to you! I’m in an urban area and nature is very new to me. I’m learning so much for you.
Thank you for letting me know. Glad I can help!
I have tried many birdfeeders. The bees are still here. I have to take them down during the day but them up first thing in the morning take them down day almost and then put them back up in the evening when the sun is not shining on them.
I use a light coating of pan spray on the gravity feeder each time I refill it. The bees don’t like it but it doesn’t bother my hummingbirds.
How do you use it
tried that just now with no effect! bees are still everywhere.
The bottle neck feeders leak like crazy with no encouragement. I bought several and sat watching them as they continually dripped. Took them all back. The saucers work great and do not leak in the AZ heat.
They are my favorites!
Did you over fill the bottles? The heat makes the liquid expand.
Ants are easy to deal with but wasps and yellowjackets are another matter. I usually just ignore them and the hummers are aggressive enough to brush these pests aside and continue with their feeding. Haven't had problems with bees, like you say, they are beneficial and probably only stop by for a quick drink during their pollen gathering activities. There are ways to make yellowjacket traps out of plastic milk jugs, look online, they're easy to make and are very effective.
So many of us have this problem. We made the mistake of using home-made nectar with sugar water in our hummingbird feeder. For every single hummingbird we attracted, there were probably 1,000 bees that showed up at the feeder, making it impossible for the hummers to drink. The peppermint oil works for wasps, but definitely NOT for bees. In fact, the smell of peppermint attracts bees almost as strongly as sugar does.
Last summer I got new feeders and it turns out the holes were too big and it had tons of bees. I am deathly allergic to bees so I went at night to change them and of course there were still about six bees on the feeders at 1 AM. I had to cover up in a heavy plastic raincoat and gloves and cap and change them outside so I didn’t bring any bees inside the house. Luckily the new feeders haven’t had that problem. Right now we’re having 106° weather so I changed the feeders with cold sugar water. I hope it helped because I felt sorry for the poor hummingbirds in this hot weather.
I admire your dedication!!
Me too, only with wasps instead of bees. See the video from last summer that I just posted above on Mark’s video.
What works best for me is a comfortable chair cold drink and my trusty “Bug A Salt” works great sending the yellow jackets in a tumbling spin to the ground.
Does the Bug a Salt kill them or just knock them down? I'm allergic to stings so I'm curious. Thanks!
@@krazedvintagemodel depends how close you are but even just knocking them down I’ve never had one come at me…I’m guessing with salt grains that do penetrate them and their body fluids dissolving the salt properly isn’t pleasant for them.
The newer hummer feeders are ridiculous. The neck is so narrow, it is impossible to get my rags inside and clean them. I put a dishrag inside and use a fork to rub the inside. Tried vinegar water but since it stunk, wasnt sure if it was safe. What else can you do?
Allowing vinegar water to air out well should be fine. The narrow necks on feeders is one of the primary reasons that I prefer the saucer type hummingbird feeders: tinyurl.com/4ded6rv3 They are top shelf dishwasher safe.
I'm worried they are yellow jackets....I don't know if I can tell the difference. I waited til they were asleep & removed the feeders just in case....😣
I used tea tree oil on my feeder yesterday and it seems to be working great!
Great. Let me know how it goes.
I got a small bottle of it today and put some on a ball of cotton and rubbed it on the “petal” part of my feeders, when I got within ten feet of the feeders the bumble bees started leaving, they do not like that tea tree stuff. It’s working great so far. A small bit of vegetable oil on the hanging wire works great to keep the ants away also.
@@2010bigfathen Please make sure it isn't anywhere where it could wash into the feeder by rain.
@@2010bigfathen I started using that a couple of months ago, and it seems to work quite well -- unless there's "too much" sugar/nectar spillage, in which case the more persistent of them will just ignore the tea tree oil. (But making sure the outside of the feeder was wiped down with a damp cloth every day or two dealt with that, too. Since it was more of a problem in hot weather, I was wanting to clean and refill/replace the stale sugar solution more often, anyhow.)
Also, it was surprisingly fun to be watching when a wasp would approach, and then decide they didn't want to hang around after all.
I tried tea tree didn’t work 🥲
I have a bee allergy and when the bees come I just change the feeders at night when it’s pitch dark out. They aren’t out then.
Smart
With the amount of birds I have I currently fill 3 qt size feeders per day if I used the little pancake size I would be filling at least 6 per day. Several years ago I used bee traps . Where I lived then I caught mostly yellow jackets, wasps and every now and then a honey bee.
We definitely don’t have that issue in our area.
We have humming bird feeders with tall plastic petals that make it easy for hummers but bees and wasp can't get to juice
Thank you so much! I’m going to try the options you shared. 🙏🏻
I hope they work for you
Wonderful video..I have a yellow jacket and wasps problem.. I am gonna try the vinegar water method 1st.. if that doesn't work I will try the yellow jacket/ wasps trap with the Vaseline and 2 liter bottle..thanks again..Ray
Me too!
4:42 i have 2 of those, they need the flower part to angle higher up because the wind can rock it ansdcwave come out
I only have issues with yellow jackets unfortunately. All of the bees go to all the flowers I have around instead. Luckily I have multiple flowers for the hummingbirds as well so if the yellow jackets are covering my feeders they tend to just go to those.
Yellowjackets are challenging
I’d spray them with soap water idk then smash
A little cooking oil brushed around each feeder hole keeps bees away. That’s it
what kind of cooking oil
didnt work for me!
Have you gotten any reviews on copper feeders?
We haven’t had a lot of input but what we have had is good. They are probably the most bee proof feeders on the market.
Ive never had an issue down here in the southwest with bees, but wasps will stop by feeders in early summer. The traps work phenomenally. I surround the top of the trap with yellow tissue or construction paper to confuse the wasps. The hole in the trap is small enough that a hummer cant get stuck and the liquid (usually very sweet magarita mix) is low enough that it cant be drank
(The wasps here have a preference for margarita mix over hummingbird food)
Interesting!😊
your video was a revelation. we have been feeding a veritable cloud of hummers every summer for many years using the large, plain Perky Pet glass feeders. but we have a major yellow jacket problem. so I'm about to order a bunch of saucer shaped feeders from Amazon where I discovered that the Aspects feeders were about 3 times as expensive as the competition. I'll pay the extra if there is a good reason. Why do you recommend the Aspects brand? what makes them worth the considerable extra expense?
I find the fact that they are made in the USA and have a lifetime warranty coupled with their easiness to clean make them a perfect feeder. Have you looked at our online store? I don't think we are 3 times the cost of other brands: tinyurl.com/5jfh42ep Thanks for watching.
In past years, I have had a major problem with bees which has been very frustrating. This year, I saw zero bees at my hummingbird feeders. That might be the sad part of the story.
Bees are in serious decline in some areas.
@@MarksBackyardBirds How many would you like?
I have so many bees and hornets at my feeder the hummingbirds can't get near it. Actually saw a hummingbird and bee fight mid air !
Could you possibly use a deep tray with wicks up into the flowers? I'm not sure it would deliver enough water...
Hummingbird tongues are quite long and lap from a pretty deep dish.
I used the Aspect feeders and have no problem with bees. I do have lots of bees in my small yard, but they can't get at the nectar in the saucer style, so they give up.
They are the best feeders on the market.
I haven’t had a feeder for years due to bees but I will next year!
That is great 👍
Ant moats are easy to make, using a 6-8 ounce clear plastic cup, a wine cork (or grom hardware store) and 2 cup hooks. Screw one hook into the top/center of the cork. Poke a hole through the bottom of the cup using a push pin or safety pin and then screw hook #2 through the bottom of the cup and into the bottom of the cork. The cork and screw will hold water without leaking. The cup holds several oz of water. Some people top with veg oil, or use straight oil, to prevent evaporation. Hang using thin wire, or fishing line which is supposed to be hard for ants to navigate. These look downright elegant compared to the water bottle/glue gun/caulked up detergent lid versions I have seen.
I do not recommend using the oil. Small birds like goldfinches and chickadees drink from the ant moats.
just a question. Your slide is honey bees? I guess I've been wrong...I thought that any "bee" that has a segmented body is a type of yellow jacket. Honey bees just have their cute fat little body, no "waist" per se? 🤪Thank you for showing those different feeders that bees can't get their "straw" down in it if you just fill it half way! I'll be looking for them! 👍
The picture of the cluster of bees on the hummingbird feeder at 1:17 are honey bees. The Yellowjacket is pictured later in at 3:45.
Thx! Will try peppermint oil for the wasps as I have some oil here. Thx for the vinegar comment too. Problem is rain, then will have to reapply.
Peppermint oil apparently deters wasps, but it actually attracts bees (in fact, beekeepers even use peppermint oil to attract bees to move into a new boxes -- you can even find TH-cam videos where beekeepers do this.)
I've had good results with tea tree oil. Using a bit of cotton or tissue to wipe a little tea tree oil on feeding ports, to deter both wasps and bees. (Use sparingly, and just on the feeding ports, as *any* oil can be bad for birds if it gets on their feathers.) It doesn't bother the hummingbirds at all.
You might have to reapply fresh tea tree oil every two or three days, depending how hot the weather is, and whether your feeder is a little leaky (more than just a little leaky and some wasps will ignore the tea tree oil, because they can still reach nectar, which makes it worth their while). But then, you should be cleaning and refilling more often in hot weather anyhow.
I haven't tried the vinegar trick, but I'm pretty sure that works against bees, rather than wasps. I do know that some beekeepers like to use apple cider vinegar to deter bees from wasp traps (again, you can find TH-cam beekeeping videos about this).
What do you mean by jelly? Do you feed hummingbirds jelly?
Jelly is for orioles mainly but hummers will “lick” it from time to time.
Sure wish your store was near me. I will shop from your online store. Great video.
Thanks so much. The online store is down at the moment due to a family emergency. Hope it will be back up by the end of this month.
I put a few slices of cucumber wedged in behind each flower on those cheap plastic feeders with the big flowers, and that seems to keep a lot of the bees away. Not all, but it cut it down from 6 to 1-2 bees. I had read that bees don't like cukes for some reason. The hummingbirds don't even notice the cukes.
Excellent, I've never heard of that method.
I have bees getting INTO the saucer type feeder - despite the twist and locking of the base to the lid. Don’t ask me how they manage this but it happens if they’re hanging or placed on a tabletop. Yesterday I rescued 4 bees.
Some of the native bees are small enough to squeeze into small holes. The nectar tips that fit on the inside of the openings that are available for some saucer types are the next level of prevention there.
@@MarksBackyardBirds I think they’re getting in from the underside, not through the ports. I’ve placed in a good-fit flower pot so they can’t access the perimeter. Hope this works. Will spray with water periodically to get rid of any nectar deposited via hummingbirds. Thank you for reply. Someone needs to make the definitive feeder.
I can state that Tee Tree Oil does NOT work!! I rubbed it on, and within an hour I had over a dozen bees, crawling all over the feeder, chasing my hummers away.
The hummingbirds love the potted plants on the deck, so easy compared to a feeder.
They do love flowers 🌸
What do you do when the flowers are gone?😊
@@arthuurwong49Long time passing. When will they ever learn?
can not find the copper feeders on your website
We couldn't get them for a while, we now have them in stock and should have them up on the online store later today. Sorry for that.
Here is a link to the Copper Hummingbird Feeder tinyurl.com/4xe3tdca. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.
Awesome information! Thank you😊
Glad it was helpful!
I have a plastic tray on the ground under my feeder, counted 16 dead wasps this morning. They drowned.
🤪🐬
Fly traps work well with trapping yellow jackets or any other type of wasp or hornets. Fill up with apple cider vinegar and water. 1/4 apple cider vinegar to water.
Every time I search for ideas to keep wasps and yellow jackets away from my feeder, I get info on ants and bees. Ants are easy, and I have no problem with bees, yet, but what do you do about wasps? I've tried bait stations and periodically moving the feeder, but the stingers soon find it again. Any ideas for wasps and yellow jackets?
The same methods apply to wasps as do bees really. Wasp do tend to be worse for taking advantage of the sugar water that drips on the flowers when the hummer's tongues retract from the feeder. Have tried the sacrificial lamb feeder I talk about in the video?
Thank you!!!
You are most welcome!
Hey anyone know how to deal with carpenter bees around humming bird feeders would appreciate some help please
There are lots of carpenter bee traps available for sale or DYI videos on TH-cam.
I have beehives and hummingbird feeders within 50 feet of each other. Bee's will not touch regular sugar water unless it is winter or a Dirth is on and nothing else is available.
I have sugar water out right now in a bee feeder and they're not even touching that. I just don't see bees at the HB feeders. I do see other insects. The bees may be needing the water and putting up with the sugar if no source of water is nearby or there is no natural nectar available to them. What I have seen bees like best is a little muddy spot a couple feet in circumference like a constant slow hose drip for their water source, but they will make do with your swimming pool, bird baths, etc.
I am glad that you don't have problems at your feeders. I think the shear number of people who view this video and others on the same topic certainly suggest that bees do visit hummingbird feeders quite regularly.
@@MarksBackyardBirds Indeed and the Dirth just hit my bee's day after I commented, and they now partake of my bee feeders. I truly do have reason to wonder when my bees have no interest at all in HB feeders.
Lol.Great information. To play devil’s advocate …I have a gardening friend who goes to great lengths to keep bees away from his hummingbird feeder and then brags about planting “pollinator attractor” plants all over his garden including just under his feeders.
They can coexist!
How sure can you be that the hummers don't get the SKIN SO SOFT or the TEA TREE OIL or Peppermint OIL on their feet or feathers and then ingest it? That would be instant death to the birds......I would read more about prevention of bees/vs hummers. I tied a small empty water bottle with a small amount of honey inside about 4 inches away from the hummer feeder..it caught several bees....the hummers were attracted to it but went away rather quickly.
I found that bees are directly attracted to the color yellow.
Absolutely
LOVE IT AROUND 25 LOVE IT
My hummingbird feeder just recently got raided by bees😮 they keep drinking the sugar water I put in the hummingbird feeder. My hummingbird feeder is NOT LEAKING either. I don’t understand 🤷🏻♀️ The bees are drinking up the sugar water and don’t allow the hummingbirds to drink 😞 and there are a few bees flying around in my patio! Can’t really go out there now 😬 What can I do ????? And I don’t want to kill the bees 🐝 I think they are honey bees but I’m not sure. They don’t seem aggressive. Oh gosh this sucks…..thanks for this video 🙏♥️😇
Depending on where you are, the bee season should be about over. A combination of a saucer-type feeder and a sacrificial bottle-type feeder with a sweeter mix like 3:1 has always been very effective for me
Thank you!☀️
You’re welcome 😊
What is that small 2nd type of feeder you displayed? What brand. I already found a sacrificial feeder to be beneficial, only have one saucer style so may switch to those completely next season. First time experiencing this issue, such great numbers of bees - interesting problem 😅
That feeder is handmade by a hummingbird expert at the Sonoran Desert Museum in Tucson Arizona. Here is a link: tinyurl.com/yjwb5fan She is currently out of town but will be shipping us more in the next week or so.
I wonder if cinnamon oil would work? Anyone know?
I've not heard of anyone trying that but it is worth a try.
You sir are so helpful
I put a plate with sugar water in it away from my feeders, with a rock in the center for landing, and my bees (or wasps?) go to that, so I have a lot less at the feeders. It helps anyway! Love your video. Question..I can't tell for sure if my bees are actually bees or wasps? There's usually at least 15 to 20 around, but they don't look furry to me. Any ideas on how I can tell?
With that number of them, I would guess bees. Wasps and hornets have skinny connections between body segments while bees look "full bodied". Thanks for tuning in!
@@MarksBackyardBirds Thank you Mark! I hope they're bees! I wouldn't hurt wasps either though!
Another great vido Thank You
You are most welcome. Thank you for tuning in!
Yellow jackets and hornets have been bad on my feeders this year haven't seen many if any honeybees unfortunately 😕
where are you located?
@@MarksBackyardBirds north Georgia
@@davidhamilton7628 Some years can be bad for them. Hope it isn't a trend for you.
Thank You!
This video is very helpful!
Thank you for tuning in!
Have bee and ant issues with my feeder
Like so many. Ants are easy: th-cam.com/video/y44n5qKoSJM/w-d-xo.html
how do I keep the ants getting in hummingbird feeders ?
Ant Moats are the safest most effective devices I know of: shopbackyardbirdcenter.com/collections/ant-moats
I've had excellent luck with a hanger I bought from farm and fleet. It's a red bell shape plastic thing. It has a hook on top and a hook on the bottom. There's a "cake" of ant poison" up inside the bell. The birds and beneficial bugs aren't harmed since it's up inside. I'm sorry, I can't remember the name of it.
I've learn to put weight under my feeder so it does not swing or shake therefor no spillage since doing that no bees
Ants are a much bigger problem than bees or wasps. The water moats don't stop the ants at all. Got a solution for that ?
I am wondering if you are talking about built in ant moats. They are small and the water evaporates quickly. Have you ever tried an external ant moat like these? shopbackyardbirdcenter.com/collections/ant-moats If water is added regularly, I have never seen them fail.
I have yellow jackets at my bird feeder what can I do
Yellow jackets are quite a challenge. You may want to get a yellow jacket trap from a hardware store if they are problematic.
Thanks I will
I got them. I don’t know where they’re coming from. They’re brown and there’s big black ones with white faces. They won’t go away. I’ve tried everything everything. God bless you amen.
I have sprayed Avon's Skin So Soft oil on the red parts of my feeder. The wasps don't like it, but still try. And they chase the birds. I'm going to make a Wasp trap tonight. Thanks for the advice!
🦓👀
I heard a little mint oil works well. I haven’t tried myself. Just wondering if anyone else can confirm this
I've not tried it, but please make sure it can't leach into the feeder if you do.
@@MarksBackyardBirds I cleaned and refilled it. I put it on the actual feeder not on the flowers where the hummers drink. A wasp came over right away crawled for a few seconds then lift off! Haven’t seen the wasp since. Thank you 😊
@@Noahidebc Excellent
What are the feeders from AZ called? I live in AZ and have a horrible problem with bees. I like the idea of a plate with sugar water
They are called "Copper Hummingbird LLC" and she is from the Tucson area.
The yellow jackets don't like cbd oil..I also use bee traps around my feeders..🐝
🐠🦋
An alternative that works for me: instead of 4:1 water:sugar, dilute the mix. Somewhere between 4.5:1 and 5:1, the bees stop coming, but the hummers still show up.
Excellent
Great tip! I was thinking the same. 😉
Thanks so much!
Amazing! 🤩🎉 Thank you!
I have had two feeders prior, but have so many hummers here I now have 4. 3 are that flat type and I love your tips. I've now filled them by half and moved them away from where I have the only feeder with yellow on it and glass gravity fed type. I also have a yellow bee trough. Most of the bees stay at the trough, which I have to refill, and leave the feeders alone. But the new feeders came with the bee guards that fit underneath on the ports. I'm not so sure the hummers are completely able to access the nectar. Should I remove them since the bees don't seem to be able to reach any nectar on those?
I recommend using them only if you really need them. When you do install them, I believe in adding them one at a time to allow them to get se to them.
Newbie here- what’s jelly?
@@marshaspears2237 feeding grape jelly for the orioles is very popular.
The bees go inside the saucer type feeders and get trapped and die. I don’t use it anymore as I don’t want to Kelly the bees.
You must have the smaller native bees. Most hummingbird holes are not large enough for most bees to get inside. Some saucer feeders have bee guards that fit on the inside of the ports so that even the smaller bees cannot get in: tinyurl.com/4wx8xv8y These only work with certain feeders.
Don’t use upside down feeders. Water oozes out on those. I use standard feeders with the container under the lid. Never got the bees ever on those feeders.
I call the upside down type "the guaranteed to leak hummingbird feeders"
i watched very aggressive wasps this year actually chasing, at their speed, my hummingbirds across the whole front yard! never seen that. I bought feeders with red but no yellow (attracts insects) and used several in which the sugar water doesn't actually touch the 🌺 feed holes. not one wasp or bee or ant comes. they feed in peace tho it takes a little longer to feed (a good thing - not going through the feed so fast) but no one comes to scare them away. very good solution. took just 2 days to get used to their new feeder.
This is the time when the bees and wasps truly trouble the hummers. Great work.
we used large mouth gallon jars with meat ansd water in it, and a 303 can on top of the jug. the Yellow Jackets really like juice from Fish as well. we did not hang them, just left them on top of the Rabbit Cages. Worked great for the BLO Flies as well, but sure did stink!
P.s. for the yellow jackets, they love fish juice! Maybe your local fish marketer will sav you the juice as thy cut up the Fish.
Omg!! Thank you so much for explaining this!!!!
You are so welcome! Thanks for tuning in.
I am allergic to bees but never had an issue with bees, because I only use feeders that bees can't get into, it's those terrible ants that I can' get rid of, so for the first time I am trying moats and cayenne at the base.
The ant moats should do the trick.
how do I deal with hummingbirds at my bee feeder?
🤣
this is the worst year for bees on my feeders i cant keep them away
@@john72ss Some years are that way. I find the nectar guard tips from Aspects work great with their feeders who can accommodate them.
pepper mint and vinegar water no workee. ill try a saucer next.
I agree. But some swear by it. I fully trust the saucer type.
I think if I had allergy to bites, I would bring in after dark. Clean fill and rehang.
That is the best approach. Couple that with a feeder to lure them away from one that is harder to get the nectar from.
Its Oct 27th and my hummingbird feeder is full of bees 😰
Ugh. They are active a lot later in your area.
What to do when u have ants in the water
Ants are easy to take care of: th-cam.com/video/y44n5qKoSJM/w-d-xo.html
Saucer feeders are just not big enough to feed all my hummingbirds.!!!
😊🦅
Love the bees...they are beneficial.
They truly are.
No point in a hummingbird feeder when bears are your main problem.
I encourage wildflowers - means I grow a lot of weeds, means I don't cut much grass or irrigate
Bears are truly a challenge for those who love to feed birds.
...or grow certain foods. I was leaving for work one day and could smell my strawberries, told myself I was picking them as soon as I got home. Too late. They don't bother with root crops, but don't try growing pumpkins. @@MarksBackyardBirds
So you don’t think I should kill them with a fly sweater?
I much prefer trying to coexist with them.
Thank you!
🦚🦌
Use a Shop Vac. It'll get em.
I was at the beach and used baby oil to get a tan. Seventeen yellow jackets landed on my legs. Not one stung me. In fact I have never noticed them stinging anyone or myself if the people do not swing their arms and body around in panic. Yellow jackets can only sting one their barbs get stuck and they pull their guts out trying to fly away. It is not a survival benefit for them to sting. If you accidentally step on them or hit them with your hand arm or close your blended knee/leg on them they will sting. I am 74 years old and this is my experience. I think of them as my brothers and sisters. If you injure one they send off a pheromone that calls other yellow jackets to come. Humans need to stop being asses regarding all wild things and respect nature be it a place the weather or a creature or the ocean bay or lake. People who think it is their right to kill or control all things for their own comfort are going to learn the hard way we are not outside nature and what we do one way or another will return to affect us.
I respect your point of view and I try hard to give ways for us to live with all wildlife. I also have to respect those who have differing perspectives. Serious bee allergies are very dangerous and my personal experience with yellowjackets include my mother being stung over 20 times while working in her yard and myself several times in my youth. I have a healthy respect for them but acknowledge they can be troublesome.
it works for a little
Every situation is different
Get rid of the granulated sugar feeder and plant flowers that hummingbirds love more healthier for them !!!!
Not everyone has that ability or living space to do that. Properly maintained feeders provide an important reliable source of nectar for them, while the feed on flowers and small insects as well.
What do you mean... We get MASSIVE swarms of yellow jackets on our feeders!
I’ve never experienced huge swarms of Yellowjackets. They must be abundant where you are.
Those are not honey bees!!!! I never see honey bees at my feeder they are a type of hornet!!!!!!!!
Why do these hummingbird vids have people who talk the first 8 minutes about random crap. Get to tha pooooiiiiinnnnt please. I know this is kinda mean
Hi Valerie. My goal is to educate my viewers. I'm sorry if you don't find my videos educational.
@@MarksBackyardBirds no I’m sorry, I definitely find them educational, and I ultimately appreciate you doing the video. 😞 and after thinking more about it, it’s my patience that’s the problem; not you or anyone else’s videos.
I have a problem with ants!
Water is the key, here is a video to help you th-cam.com/video/y44n5qKoSJM/w-d-xo.html
I’m not certain but I think the picture he uses of a yellow jacket is actually a hornet.
I can assure you this is an image of a yellowjacket. They are related to hornets. This image was provided by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
@@MarksBackyardBirds You may be correct. I’ve just never seen a yellow jacket with black markings. Usually black markings are on hornets. I apologize if I’m wrong.
@@patriciadouglass9972 No problem, there are so many wasps/hornet species it is staggering really.
It's a yellow jacket
Nope, that did not work. The peppermint oil did not work. I tried it.
Some swear by it, I've never found that any of the scented oils work.
@@MarksBackyardBirds maybe it depends on how many bees are out there when you’re getting a lot. I don’t think they care if they smelt it or not. Thanks for your reply.
How about ants Mark, I get a lot of ants in my feeders - I am amazed that they climb up a pole, down the string to the feeder 🐜 🐜 🐜
Hi Dave, I just filmed and "Ant Wars" video and should have it up by later today. They are amazing. The key is water, more specifically Ant Moats. Keep watching.
Ant moats work great. Can buy where songbird seed is sold or online. 🙂🐦
A lot of feeders are designed with a cup shape on the lid / top so you can fill that with water and presto, no mo ants.
@@rogerbivins9144 My only issue with those are they are the cup shape is generally very shallow and the water evaporates quickly. That is why I recommend a higher capacity separate ant moat.
@@MarksBackyardBirds no argument here whatsoever. I don't have too much of an issue there tho because of how frequently I have to refill the feeders.
Also, after hearing the tea tree oil tip for bees this morning, I tried it around the feeding openings as well as the wire hangers that I'd made and so far it seems to be working incredibly well. The bees have all but disappeared and the few ants that were still looking for a route down seem to want nothing to do with that stink either.
But ant control water cups are also super easy to make and work without fail.
I can't thank you enough for that tip!
It's not like the bees starved the birds, just an aggrevation, but every day the numbers were climbing enough to be really bothersome. Cheers