Author Topic: Bees on hummer feeder (Read 6120 times)

Wandering Man · « **on:** May 06, 2018, 09:14:35 pm »

The bees are all over our hummingbird feeders. Would this mean we’re in a dearth?
Maybe my aggressive nuc is hungry?

Jen · « **Reply #1 on:** May 06, 2018, 09:44:02 pm »

Hi Wman, I get bees on my feeder all season from time to time. THANK YOU for not putting red dye in your water. This is what you get in the hive... you can't eat it, you can't bottle and sell it, junk food for the bees. Walmart sells it by the gallon for $2.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #2 on:** May 06, 2018, 10:28:52 pm »

more likely it means you have a bad hummer feeder. if you have a good one it doesn't leak and the bees cant reach the syrup in it. I get complaints from town that my bees are all over someone feeder.. i usually tell them to stop being cheap and get a good feeder

Wandering Man · « **Reply #3 on:** May 06, 2018, 10:42:33 pm »

Quote from: LazyBkpr on May 06, 2018, 10:28:52 pm

more likely it means you have a bad hummer feeder. if you have a good one it doesn't leak and the bees cant reach the syrup in it. I get complaints from town that my bees are all over someone feeder.. i usually tell them to stop being cheap and get a good feeder

:eusa_think:

Thanks, I think.

riverbee · « **Reply #4 on:** May 06, 2018, 10:54:12 pm »

wm, are you feeding the nuc?

when i see honey bees at a hummer feeder, something tells me there is a dearth or lack of nectar. this video is incredible and for the amount of honey bees on it will probably only increase.

i have all sorts of hummer feeders.... i think i have a couple of the one in this video, they are made in texas?

Wandering Man · « **Reply #5 on:** May 06, 2018, 11:07:45 pm »

Riverbee,

These are our neighbors’ bees. Ours are noe 20 miles away.

But, yes, we went out this afternoon and added a second floor with a feeder and some empty frames.

They’ve become more aggressive since the move. We’re hoping more space and sugar syrup will calm them down.

Regarding the feeders, we’ve had them for a really long Time. Maybe more than 10 years. I don’t know we’re they were made.

Wandering Man · « **Reply #6 on:** May 06, 2018, 11:16:22 pm »

Just checked.
Lazy is wrong about cheap. These are the “Best-1” feeders. They must be the best, since that’s their name.

And you get a gold star, Riverbee. They were made in Poteet, Texas.

apisbees · « **Reply #7 on:** May 06, 2018, 11:34:56 pm »

bees are also attracted to the quality of the nectar source. if only low sugar nectar's are available then the humming feed will be more attractive to them. also the distance the bees need to fly to reach the nectar. If the feeders are closer the bees will go to them.

Wandering Man · « **Reply #8 on:** May 06, 2018, 11:43:31 pm »

The feeder is in my backyard. Most of the bees fly into the backyard about a yard, then make a U turn and fly over the house. My neighbor has a hive across the street, so I'm pretty sure these are his bees.

I'll walk over to his house tomorrow and accuse him of having lazy bees.

Jen · « **Reply #9 on:** May 06, 2018, 11:50:55 pm »

Okay, Scotty Smarty Pants

So just what is a non-cheap hummer feeder? Like what kind of design are you suggesting? I'll get a pic of my two tomorrow.

Oh, and the frame of red capped honey? that didn't come from my hummer feeders, I live in town so it gets frustrating when red nectar plugs up my frames... grrr

apisbees · « **Reply #10 on:** May 07, 2018, 04:52:41 am »

It should not bother you, at least you know it is stored syrup and not honey. So you know you should not extract it and offer it for sale like some may unknowingly do with the bees that are getting into clear syrup.

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #11 on:** May 07, 2018, 05:37:56 am »

There are bee guards available to put on your hummingbird feeders. I don't think they will fit on to your style of feeder, wandering man. I have seen them on "new in the package" feeders and also packages of just guards. This is the replacement guards. https://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Hummingbird-Feeder-Replacement-Flowers/dp/B01CVQQNQA/ref=br_lf_m_gfvov5pfxxyf3ry_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&s=lawn-garden
This is one of the styles of feeders that uses bee guards.
https://www.amazon.com/Perky-Pet-203CPBN-Pinch-Hummingbird-Feeder/dp/B00GSQ6HXO/ref=br_lf_m_gfvov5pfxxyf3ry_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&s=lawn-garden

I think if you move the feeder you might slow the bees down for a while. At least until they find it again.

Wandering Man · « **Reply #12 on:** May 07, 2018, 09:26:02 am »

Thanks, Bakers. We have a couple of those. I’ll let 3Reds know she can still feed the birds, just swap out our feeders.

riverbee · « **Reply #13 on:** May 07, 2018, 10:56:07 am »

"And you get a gold star, Riverbee. They were made in Poteet, Texas."

these are probably the best hummer feeders made on the market. simple,durable, well constructed and they do not leak.

you don't need to purchase guards for them, or swap them out. if you have some avon skin so soft, take a cotton ball, soak some skin so soft on the cotton ball, swab it around the ports of the feeder. it will keep all stinging insects off, including ants, and won't affect or hurt the hummers, reapply as needed. if you don't have any find an avon lady or amazon carries it, i think. this stuff also keeps skeeters and gnats off of me.

keith is correct about the 'nectar source'. you might have a conversation with your neighbor wm, and maybe help him/her out.

Wandering Man · « **Reply #14 on:** May 07, 2018, 11:12:41 am »

Quote from: riverbee on May 07, 2018, 10:56:07 am

"And you get a gold star, Riverbee. They were made in Poteet, Texas."

these are probably the best hummer feeders made on the market. simple,durable, well constructed and they do not leak.

you don't need to purchase guards for them, or swap them out. if you have some avon skin so soft, take a cotton ball, soak some skin so soft on the cotton ball, swab it around the ports of the feeder. it will keep all stinging insects off, including ants, and won't affect or hurt the hummers, reapply as needed. if you don't have any find an avon lady or amazon carries it, i think. this stuff also keeps skeeters and gnats off of me.

keith is correct about the 'nectar source'. you might have a conversation with your neighbor wm, and maybe help him/her out.

Maybe I'll just put them back up and add red dye!

No, we've taken them down. One of the reasons we've removed the hives is our little Dachshund, Frank. He is a rescue dog, and gets scared easily. After getting stung by our angry hives, he has been afraid to go into the backyard, unless it is before sunrise or after sunset. He was almost over his PBSD (Post Bee Sting Disorder), when the bees started hanging around the humming bird feeder. No new stings, but the buzz has scared him back inside.

I was watching my video a little closer, and see that the bees are hanging around the collar of the feeder, next to the bottle. I think there must be a bit of leakage or pooling there. I had thought they were getting in through the holes for the Hummers' beaks, but was confused since the holes seemed too small for a bee.

3Reds wants to "reset" our backyard. So we've removed the feeders and the birdbath.

Frank:

riverbee · « **Reply #15 on:** May 07, 2018, 11:38:36 am »

i noticed the bees around the collar too, i don't know there is leakage there, could be, or just slopped syrup

.
if you decide to put them back up, you can swipe the skin so soft around the collar of the feeder and neck of the jar. and maybe move them in your yard.

i have the same feeders wm, never had a problem with them ...... well, except for a raccoon and a bear knocking them down

nice photo of frank! sorry to hear about his PBSD. stings aren't fun for us, can't imagine for our critters!

Jen · « **Reply #16 on:** May 07, 2018, 12:03:51 pm »

Frank is a cutie patootie! This time of year our Phoebe hangs out at the open sliding glass door while I work the cranky spring bees. But bees are settling down and she coming out and going over to the side of the house to bake in the sun again.

This is my feeder, I have two. They don't really leak but more seep a bit at the seem right near the edge, that is where my bees hang out at the bee bar. The bees can't get any nectar right from the hole where the flowers are, so the hummers can still get their share of syrup as well. Win Win

Phoebe the lap dog

Lburou · « **Reply #17 on:** May 07, 2018, 04:08:27 pm »

We prefer the saucer hummingbird feeder over other styles. Other birds, bees and yellowjackets can't feed on them, problem solved. Easy to clean and refill. Better in the wind too. JMO

neillsayers · « **Reply #18 on:** May 07, 2018, 05:00:55 pm »

Lee,

Thanks for posting that link. Sweet Wife and I are thinking of going to that style.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #19 on:** May 09, 2018, 10:43:39 am »

What Apis said...

Yeah, hummers can reach inside with the long beak and tongue that a honey bee cannot reach. if they CAN reach then the feeder is not well designed. cheap is perhaps not fitting. poor design can be as expensive as good design I guess... The usual bonus as stated is that usually the hummer food is colored, so it is easy to look at the frames and tell what has happened, as Jen's multiple pics of colored frames illustrate.
The ones Lee posted are good feeders. When I get a complaint I usually hand them a new feeder of similar type. It takes the wind out of their sails. Fortunately I don't usually get more than one or two complaints a year. 20 dollars for a new feeder is cheap, and it helps ensure I don't have syrup in my frames. Didn't in any way mean to insinuate that YOU were cheap! That was badly worded!
Scott