Discover humane ways to keep bees off your hummingbird feeder. Learn effective tips to protect hummingbirds while supporting pollinators in your garden.
Overview
Hummingbirds bring joy and beauty to any garden, but many backyard bird enthusiasts face an unexpected challenge—bees swarming around hummingbird feeders. While bees, wasps, and ants are essential pollinators, their presence at feeders can discourage hummingbirds and create frustration for homeowners. The good news is that you can manage this situation without harming bees.
This guide explores effective and humane ways to keep bees away from your hummingbird feeders while maintaining a healthy ecosystem.
Why Bees Are Attracted to Hummingbird Feeders?
Bees, like hummingbirds, seek out sugar-rich nectar. Most feeders use a sugar-water solution that closely mimics flower nectar, making them irresistible to both. Key reasons bees are drawn to feeders include:
- Sweet sugar solution: A powerful attractant for bees.
- Leaking feeders: Spilled nectar can lure entire swarms.
- Bright colors (especially yellow and orange): Bees are highly responsive to these shades.
- Limited floral resources: During droughts or seasonal changes, bees may depend more heavily on artificial nectar sources.
Effective and Humane Tips to Keep Bees Off Feeders
1. Choose a Bee-Resistant Feeder
Look for hummingbird feeders with bee guards or designs where nectar is deep inside the feeding ports. Bees have shorter tongues than hummingbirds, so they can’t reach the liquid.
2. Avoid Yellow Accents
Bees are especially attracted to yellow and orange. Opt for feeders that are red-only, since red appeals to hummingbirds but not bees.
3. Relocate the Feeder
If bees take over one feeder, try moving it to a shady spot. Bees prefer sunny areas, while hummingbirds don’t mind shade.
4. Keep the Feeder Clean and Leak-Free
Regularly wipe away spills and drips. Even small amounts of sugar water can attract swarms of bees.
5. Offer an Alternative for Bees
Consider setting up a bee water station or a dish with diluted sugar water away from your feeders. This diverts them while supporting pollinators.
6. Use Nectar Guards or Bee Guards
These plastic barriers fit into feeding ports, allowing hummingbirds to sip nectar while blocking bees and wasps.
7. Reduce Sugar Concentration Slightly
Hummingbirds thrive on a 4:1 water-to-sugar ratio, but bees may prefer stronger concentrations. By avoiding extra-sweet mixes, you can make your feeder less attractive to insects.
8. Plant Bee-Friendly Flowers Nearby
Provide bee-attracting blooms like lavender, sunflowers, or wildflowers a short distance from your feeder. This gives bees their own natural food source.
What NOT to Do
While it may be tempting to use repellents, avoid harmful methods such as:
- Pesticides or sprays: These can kill both bees and hummingbirds.
- Oily substances on feeders: Oils can coat feathers and harm birds.
- Aggressive trapping: Bees are vital pollinators and should not be destroyed.
Balancing Bees and Hummingbirds in Your Garden
The goal is not to eliminate bees but to strike a balance. By using bee-friendly feeders, strategic placement, and alternative nectar sources, you can enjoy the lively presence of hummingbirds without disturbing essential pollinators.
FAQs
1. Will bees harm hummingbirds at feeders?
No, bees don’t attack hummingbirds, but large swarms can discourage hummingbirds from feeding.
2. Can I use commercial bee repellents near feeders?
It’s best to avoid them. Repellents may harm hummingbirds or contaminate nectar.
3. Do hummingbirds mind sharing with bees?
Most hummingbirds avoid crowded feeders when bees take over.
4. Should I stop feeding hummingbirds if bees invade?
Not necessarily. Use bee-proof feeders and adjust placement instead.
5. Are wasps and hornets attracted to feeders too?
Yes. Similar strategies—like bee guards and clean feeders—help keep them away.
Conclusion
Keeping bees away from hummingbird feeders doesn’t have to mean harming these valuable pollinators. With the right strategies—such as choosing bee-resistant feeders, avoiding yellow accents, offering alternative food sources, and maintaining a clean setup—you can create a peaceful environment where hummingbirds thrive without competition. By striking this balance, you’ll enjoy the beauty of hummingbirds up close while still supporting the vital role that bees play in pollination and ecosystem health.