Ants, much like hummingbirds, are attracted to the sweet treats. And if that means your hummingbird feeders end up attracting more than just hummingbirds due to that sweet nectar, you will have to learn ways to deter them. So, how do you do it? How To Keep Ants Off Of Hummingbird Feeders? Let’s find out!
1 . Ant Moat
The obvious and even the best way to keep the ants from invading your hummingbird feeder might be to install what we call an ‘ant moat’. You can either buy an ant moat or separately or opt for one where the ant moat is already installed with the feeder.
The ant moat is a barrier of sorts. The ants get distracted with it and forget about the feeder. Summer season would have the water inside the moat drying quickly, so make sure to refill it as often as you can.
2. The Fishing Line Method
If you live somewhere where ant moat isn’t a suitable option due to the climate, this would be the next best alternative. When you hang the feeder outside, hook it on a fishing line. Fishing lines have a slippery texture and are quite thin. Ants won’t exactly want to put up with the trouble of balancing on those just to reach the feeder. Even if they do, they are going to have to try really hard to reach it.
However, make sure the fishing line is solid enough to actually hold the weight of the feeder. It won’t do any good if it just tears and falls to the ground with the feeder.
3. The Water Dipped Method
This one might feel a cop-out but this actually works. Ants don’t want to dip into waters, since they aren’t exactly equipped to fight against it. So, if you place your feeder over some sort of water body, chances are, ants won’t want to go through the trouble of trying to reach it. On the other hand, hummingbirds do love taking a bath once in a while. So, if you have a mini fountain or something of that sort in your backyard and have the feeder over it, it would certainly attract hummingbirds while keeping the ants away.
This isn’t a foolproof method. There is no guarantee they won’t try to still crawl towards the feeder. However, the ants would still be discouraged, as they can’t swim. Using the clamp pole design to place the feeder over the water might be the best way to ensure ants won’t get to it.
Final Thoughts
If you are using a homemade feeder, there is a possibility that it’s leaking which in turn is attracting ants. Ants are naturally attracted by the smell of the sweet nectar. So, you might want to check your feeder and see if the nectar is dripping out of it. If that is the case, simply fixing it should keep the ants at bay. Though, of course, you can always opt for an ant moat.
