How You Can Control Hummingbird Feeder Pests

Feeding birds? You might find this article interesting -

The same sugar solution that attracts your Hummingbirds will also be attractive to ants, bees and wasps. Not only will they drink, they will also contaminate the nectar and sometimes even keep the Hummingbirds from using the feeder. Ants getting inside the feeder will drown and contaminate the nectar as their bodies decompose.

As for bees and wasps ..... I have seen bees and wasps at my feeder so thick that the Hummingbirds couldn't feed at all. Thumping them with a rolled up newspaper seemed to help a little, but every time I thumped one, it wasn't long before it was replaced by another. Besides being a little too risky .... after a while it begins to take a toll on your feeder! So, let's examine some alternative possibilities to controlling pests at your Hummingbird feeder.

Controlling ants

Keep the ants from finding your Hummingbird feeder .....Using a drip less feeder is one way to help keep the ants from locating your Hummingbird feeder. Bottle-type feeders have a tendency to drip. When the air that's trapped above the nectar heats up, it expands and forces the nectar out through the feed ports. Basin or saucer type feeders are designed so that they are less likely to drip.

Keep the ants away from the Hummingbird nectar ..... okay, the ants have found your feeder .... go to plan b ..... The best way to keep ants away from the nectar is to use some sort of "ant guard". An ant guard is a barrier that's placed between the ants and the Hummingbird nectar. These aunt guards are built into some feeders in the form of an ant moat that can be filled with water to keep the ants away from the nectar. But they can also be purchase separately and added to a feeder. They usually consist of a plastic cup about 3 inches in diameter that fits tightly around the hanger wire above the feeder. Once the cup is filled with water the ants can't get to the nectar.

You can also make your own ant moat using the plastic cap from a spray can. Punch or drill a hole in the cap to run the feeder hanger wire through, then use hot glue or silicone sealant to seal the hole and make the lid water proof so you can fill it with water.

Controlling bees and wasps

Buy a feeder with bee guards. Some Hummingbird feeders come equipped with plastic mesh bee guards. Unfortunately, a lot of these Hummingbird feeders will also be prone to dripping which will undermine the effectiveness of the bee guards.

Try moving the feeder. Sometimes just moving the Hummingbird feeder a few feet will trick the insects into thinking that it's gone and they won't find it. If your insects happen to be too smart to fall for this one..... try taking the feeder down for a day or two until they quit looking for it. The Hummingbirds won't give up as quick as the insects, so once you hang it back up the Hummingbirds will find it again.

Give the insects their own feeder. Personally, I would rather go back to thumping them with a rolled up newspaper before I conceded and tried this trick, but it's a technique used effectively by lots of people, so I thought it appropriate to mention here. You will need two Hummingbird feeders, one for the bees and wasps and one for the Hummingbirds. Bees and wasps are more attracted to higher concentrations of sugar, so in their feeder use a nectar ratio of 1 part sugar to 3 parts water. In the Hummingbirds feeder, instead of using the standard 1 to 4 ratio, use a ratio of 1 part sugar to 5 parts water. This ratio although not as sweet as the 1 to 4, will still be good enough for the Hummingbirds , but not nearly as attractive to the bees and wasps as the feeder with the 1 to 3 ratio. Give the bees and wasps a few hours to attach themselves to their feeder then move it away from the Hummingbird feeder and hope they follow.

Buy a basin or saucer-type Hummingbird feeder. These type feeders are pretty much drip proof, so they're not as likely to attract insects in the first place. Also, the nectar level will be lower and out of reach to the insects, but not out of reach to the Hummingbirds with their long tongues. My favorite basin-type feeder is the HummZinger, which can be purchased at http://www.hummzinger.biz/hummzinger.htm. It's kind of expensive, but has several features that might warrant a high price. The HummZinger has patented Nectar guard tips which are flexible membranes attached to the feed ports that prohibit entry from flying insects, but allow Hummingbirds to feed as usual. The HummZinger also has a built in ant moat that will stop crawling insects from getting to the nectar. This Hummingbird feeder can solve your ant, bee and wasp problems all at the same time.

About The Author

Michael Baughman is the producer of the A Bird In The Hand video series . A series of videos that will quickly and easily teach your backyard birds and squirrels to feed out of your bare hand. If you would like to enjoy all the thrills and excitement of hand-feeding Hummingbirds, Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers, Blue Jays, Cardinals and other backyard birds or squirrels, go to http://www.abirdinthehandvideo.com .....

e-mail mb@abirdinthehandvideo.com

More about Flea Control

Pest Control Measures For Effective Flea Prevention
by: Michael Jason

Fleas: The unwanted guests in your home.

Fleas are a common cause of irritation and infestation in your home. These unwanted guests can be found in your home and in large quantities. Out of the total flea population found in your home, about 80% of the fleas are still at the egg or larvae stage. These fleas can be found attached to your furniture, carpet, mats and anywhere in your home. The adult flea contributes to just 2% percent of the total flea population in your house. The remaining 18% of the flea population thrives in pupae stage. During this stage fleas are not harmed by any of the pest control products. Pest control products only affect fleas once they get out of the pupae stage. Wonder how many fleas you have at home!

Pest control against indoor flea influx

Fleas are a notorious cause of irritation and disease in your home. They also affect your pets. Fleas are the menace that you would like to get rid of forever. For this purpose there are various pest control products which are available for prevention as well as elimination of indoor infestation by fleas. Though there are numerous flea control products available, all are not safe. One must choose a product that is safe for children and pets. Moreover a good pest control is also water safe for fabrics.

Majority of people and even professionals use flea spray for flea prevention and elimination. The reason behind flea spray is its safety factors. The safest flea or pest spray is labeled as "indoor flea".

A flea spray solution contains two types of substances: an adulticide, it is an insecticide which kills fleas; the other substance is the insect growth regulator (IGR). An average insecticide would not help you in getting rid of the fleas. An IGR inhibits the maturity stage of the fleas by not allowing them to grow.

Pest control measures also include treating your carpets with Nylar. Nylar is an effective pest control measure against roaches and fleas. It inhibits the growth of fleas and leaves residual for up to 3-6 months. Nylar is available in aerosol formulations and liquid concentrate.

Nylar is among the best flea prevention methods. It rids your home of visible adult fleas.

An effective pest control measure for fleas can be buying electronic flea traps. These are an effective alternative to pesticides. A flea trapper kills adult fleas prowling for a pet. The trap emits attractive heat, light and infrared from the light bulb. The fleas get attracted to it and are killed as soon as they touch the screen. It is one of the permanent and safest pest control measures for your home, especially against fleas.

You should use a vacuum cleaner at home. It is the worst enemy of fleas. When used regularly it ensures that your furniture, carpets and sofas remain flea free.

Flea Stoppers is an effective pest control measure against fleas. It is a formulated mini granular orthoboric acid specially made for fleas. Just sprinkle this flea stopper freely on your carpet and to kill fleas and their larvae in the carpet. Flea stoppers are effective even when the carpet is washed or soaped.

Pest control for pets

Fleas mainly breed on mammals. Pets in your home provide as a haven for them. You should check and clean your pets for fleas too.

You should flea comb your pets regularly. Dip the comb in an enzyme cleaner and then comb your pet. You should restrict the entry of the pet in your bedrooms. Wash all pet beddings and rugs to ensure good pet hygiene as well as preventing the fleas spreading. You should bathe your pet too, to prevent fleas from settling on it.

Pest control measure act as an effective flea prevention measures. You should always check your home for fleas and take immediate steps to eliminate them.

About The Author Michael Jason writes articles on a number of different topics. For more information on Fleas please visit http://www.fleas-ticks-and-pests.com/ and for additional Household Pest articles please visit the following article page http://www.fleas-ticks-and-pests.com/fleas-articles/.

Yikes! Fleas!

Nasty little things! I know I said I am an animal lover and I am, but I just can't stand fleas. I have two cats and a dog, and fleas are always an issue here as the warm months approach. Did you know that there are literally thousands of types of fleas? The darn things are just awful, jumping around, hard to catch, so tiny. They're dangerous too, bringing disease and internal parasites to humans and household pets as well. To get rid of fleas, you need a total plan in place. Once you have an infestation on your hands, you just have to treat everything, not just your pet. I once visited a place with a wall-to-wall carpet that was flea infested. We couldn't walk across the room without literally feeling the fleas jumping on our ankles. It was awful, totally disgusting. The only solution there was to bring in the professionals, who used some intensive pesticides to kill the fleas and flea eggs in the carpet. The cats in that household had to be kept away for the day, so they don't come in direct contact with the stuff. The humans had to stay away as well.

Of course, if you have dogs and/or cats, you simply have to treat them as well. The way to do that is by using either Frontline or Advantage. These two brand names should be available from your veterinarian. Take this tip from me – do not use over-the-counter flea control products! They can be way too toxic for your pets. It's especially true for cats, who are very sensitive. There have been way too many cases of pets dying in agony from flea control solutions that were too toxic for them. IF you stick to Frontline and Advantage delivered by your vet, you should be safe enough.