Ant Strategies

[Andy Thatcher]

Hi all,

I am lucky in that I get regular trade at my feeders through the summer but have to move feeder sites on a fairly regular basis to stop the feeders being inundated by ants.

I have tried various anti-ant strategies and so far the most effective has been to spread a little pepper at the bottom of the poles holding the feeders.

Now that is all well and good but cost prohibitive when hanging feeders from the gazebo or shed.

So was wondering what you all do to try and prevent any invasions
?

Cheers
Andy

[Steve Backes]

Andrew,

I've always been happy with the water filled moats. I've used a red ant moat that's 3 inches wide for years. I made my own for a few years by drilling a hole in the plastic tub that the icing came in with Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls and then forcing the hanging wire through the hole. My main complaint with these moats was that they were sometimes too small for the size of my ants.

Last winter, my friend who owns Rich's Backyard Birds in Lithia found a set of moats called the Nectar Protector. They're 4 inches wide, which is much better for my ants, and 5 inches tall so they hold lots of water. I prefer the "Junior" which are still 4 inches wide but only 3 inches tall.

I would like to promote Rich's store by using a link here but he doesn't sell on-line. Here's a link to a site found by Googling the product name that's selling these moats. I do not know anything regarding this site. I'm only posting it for the pictures.
www.strictlypetsupplies.com/_045914625000-Songbird-Essentials-Nectar-Protector-Junior-Red

I would recommend looking for these at a local bird feeding store like a Wildbirds Unlimited.

[Andy Thatcher]

Thanks for the tip.

Have tried a few home made variants but will pop down to Wild Birds Unlimited to have a look.

[bunkyx]

Andy,
I make my own moat using an upturned spray paint can cap.
I use a piece of suitable wire for the weight of the feeder and punch it throught the middle of the cap and make a hook at both ends. Sometimes a little heat helps. The outer ring of the lid holds the water. The first one I made I used a piece of closed cell foam in the inner ring to keep it level. The last one I used a u-shaped piece of copper wire twisted around the middle wire and bent into the inner ring. I like the clear caps because I can tell how much water is in it.

Gene

[Andy Thatcher]

I ended up doing the same !

I melted some wax on the inside to seal the water in and 48 hours later not an ant to be seen.

Mine are red though.

[Steve Backes]

Another plus to the ant moats is that other birds drink from them. I regularly see cardinals, titmice, and warblers drinking from mine. Try to keep them clean.

[nannie]

I've also had success with using a 4" wide plastic lid, punching a hole in the center and coating the top of the lid with vaseline. The ants don't like to cross the vaseline and leave the feeder alone,,, for a while.
Nannie

[Gardendipity]

Here's the link to the ant guard that we use:

www.bird-house-bath.com/d/Ant-Guard-Hummer-Feeder.html

We've got eight hummingbird feeders hanging in the yard. We had horrible ant problems until we got these ant guards. We've been using them for several years and haven't had ANY ant issues since.

If you do a google search for "ant guard hummingbird feeders" you'll find a variety of styles. The one I linked to is the only one that we've used.

[cathyy]

I put my feeders on metal shepherd hooks and spray the bottom couple feet with "Insect Trap Coating" (comes in an aerosol can)...it's like glue...the ants get stuck before they can climb up the post but the birds who land on the shepherd hooks are not effected ...and the feeders are antless!

[hummingarden33322]

All the advice sounds great.. here are a few more tips:

Found this advise from a hummingbird site: Also read -spraying a little oil on hanging wire may help repel ants- be careful not to get any on actual feeder.

howtoenjoyhummingbirds.com/attracting_hummingbirds%208.htm
To repel ants, apply vinegar or powdered cloves to ant trails. Put adhesive tape applied sticky-side-out to the hanging wire.

Experts advise that petroleum jelly not be used because the greasy substance gets onto the birds and makes it hard for birds to clean their feathers properly. Use ant traps instead.

[Joe M]

"Vegetable oil" swiped on with a brush or your fingers works quite well!
May need to refresh it weekly or after rains. Wouldn't use a 'lubricating oil'!
Joe M.
Lakeland

[mslabmgr]

I tried everything over the years, but still had ants on my feeders. A few years ago I tried Perky-Pet's Ant Guard for Hummingbird Feeders and have not had one ant since! They have lasted for 2 years - well worth the price. I can't get my local Wild Birds Unlimited store to carry them, so I buy from Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/Perky-Pet-242-Guard-Hummingbird-Feeders/dp/B001B13J2I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317331156&sr=8-1