When it comes to hummingbird feeders, keeping bees out can be a tricky balancing act. On one hand, hummingbirds are highly territorial and may abandon feeders if bees take over. On the other hand, bees play a vital role as pollinators and are facing population declines. The key is finding a feeder design that allows easy access for hummingbirds while deterring bees.
Why Bees Are Attracted to Hummingbird Feeders
Bees, especially honey bees, are strongly attracted to the sugar-water mixture (nectar) in hummingbird feeders. They have an excellent sense of smell and can detect sweet nectar from long distances. Once they find a feeder, bees are tenacious and will recruit more bees from their hive to exploit the rich food source. In addition, many bee species are too large to fit inside specialized hummingbird feeder ports. When bees cluster around the feeder openings, hummingbirds can’t access the nectar.
Impact of Bees on Hummingbirds
An overrun of bees can have several detrimental effects on hummingbirds:
- Bees discourage hummingbirds from using the feeder
- Bees consume nectar intended for hummingbirds
- Bees can leave behind skin oils, dirt and even diseases
- Dead bees can clog feeder ports
- Bees may bite or sting hummingbirds trying to access the feeder
Hummingbirds won’t share space comfortably with bees. Even a few bees may intimidate hummingbirds and cause them to abandon the feeder entirely. This leaves the birds without a reliable supplemental food source.
Impact of Feeders on Bees
While managing bees is important for hummingbird feeders, it’s also crucial not to harm bees in the process. Bees play a vital role as pollinators for flowers, fruits and vegetables. In fact, 35% of the world’s food crops depend on pollination by bees. Recently, bee populations have declined sharply due to pesticide use, climate change, habitat loss and disease. Any actions to deter bees from feeders should aim to avoid harming them.
Feeder Designs and Strategies to Deter Bees
When selecting a hummingbird feeder, choose a design tailored to exclude bees. Here are some features that help prevent bees from accessing the nectar:
Long, narrow ports
A key anti-bee strategy used in hummingbird feeder design is limiting access to the nectar through elongated, narrow ports. The openings should be 10-12 inches long and no wider than 1/4 inch in diameter. This allows a hummingbird’s slender beak and tongue to reach the nectar, while excluding the larger bodies of bees. Long ports are found on many standard hummingbird feeders, but look for extra narrow openings specifically designed to discourage bees.
Moats
Some feeders have a water-filled moat or basin around the top nectar reservoir. The moats are a few inches deep, so bees cannot reach across them to access the ports. However, hummingbirds can easily hover over the water barrier to feed. The water deters flying insects and also keeps ants from marching to the feeder.
Bees Guards
Bee guards are an accessory that attach to feeder ports to further block bees. Guards have a series of sloped stainless steel or plastic mesh rings around the openings. The guards prevent bees from landing on the feeder rim and crawling into ports. However, they allow hummingbirds to insert their slender beaks between the rings. Guards can be purchased as add-ons for many commercial feeders.
Reservoir Covers
Some feeders have a removable cover that completely seals the top nectar reservoir. When the cover is in place, bees cannot reach the sugar-water. However, the cover has slits for the ports, allowing hummingbird access. This prevents bees from directly contacting the liquid nectar in attempts to extract it.
Bright Colors
Bees have limited color vision compared to hummingbirds. Some research indicates bees see yellows and blues but miss warmer reds and oranges. Selecting a feeder with bright red components seems to help deter bees. Hummingbirds see the full color spectrum and are still attracted to the feeder.
Nectar Type
Use homemade nectar with plain white sucrose sugar rather than pre-made mixtures with added dyes and flavors. The additives may attract more bees, while plain sugar water is just as appealing to hummingbirds.
Elevated Position
Try mounting the feeder at least 5 feet off the ground in an open, sunny area. Bees fly low when searching for food sources and may miss elevated feeders. An open area also reduces opportunities for bees to land on surfaces near the feeder ports.
Multiple Feeders
Provide multiple small feeders around your yard rather than one large one. Start with 2-3 feeders spaced widely apart. With numerous feeding opportunities, there is a better chance hummingbirds can access nectar even if bees find some of the feeders. Gradually add more feeders until hummingbirds have easy uncontested access.
Frequent Care
Check feeders daily and clean them thoroughly every 2-3 days. Rinse with hot water and replace the nectar. Keeping fresh nectar in the feeders discourages bees from congregating. Also inspect ports and remove any dead insects that may block openings.
Temporary Removal
As a last resort, bees can be actively deterred by collecting the feeders at night and moving them to an indoor location. Replace in the morning when bee activity is minimal. The feeder disruption may cause the bees to look for other food sources. However, frequent removals may also discourage hummingbirds.
Bee-Proof Feeders to Try
Here are some top-rated hummingbird feeders designed to exclude bees:
| Feeder | Key Features |
|---|---|
| Aspects HummZinger Excel | Extremely long, narrow bee guards |
| Perky-Pet 210B | Plastic bee guards, red reservoir, moat |
| First Nature 3055 | Long ports, copper hood deters bees |
| Woodlink NATUBE32 | Metal screen prevents bee access |
| Katee Life HT-001 | Covered nectar reservior, moat |
The Aspects HummZinger Excel is one of the most effective bee-deterring feeders. Its sloped mesh bee guards extend nearly full length of the 2-inch feeding ports. This makes it very difficult for bees to find an entry point, while allowing hummingbird access.
The Perky-Pet 210B is a nicely designed feeder with plastic bee guards surrounding four feeding ports. A water-filled moat provides additional bee protection. The red color of the reservoir may also help repel bees.
The First Nature 3055 is a simple but well-performing feeder. With nearly 5-inch feeding ports and a copper hood, it limits bee access while remaining easy for hummingbirds. The large nectar capacity reduces the need for frequent refilling.
The Woodlink NATUBE32 is made of materials especially meant to deter bees. A flexible metal screen over the reservoir excludes bees but moves aside easily as hummingbirds insert their beaks into the ports.
Finally, the Katee Life HT-001 has a covered nectar reservoir to prevent bees from contacting the nectar. It also features a water moat barrier around the feeder ports to stop bees while allowing hummingbird feeding.
Conclusion
Deterring bees from hummingbird feeders requires clever designs like narrowed ports, moats and guards that allow hummingbird access but prevent bees from reaching the sugary nectar. Choose feeders with long ports at least 10 inches in length and no wider than 1/4 inch in diameter. Additional features like bright colors, elevated positioning, frequent cleaning and covered reservoirs help enhance bee exclusion. With the right hummingbird feeder, you can provide birds with supplemental nutrition from nectar while minimizing disruptive bee activity.
