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Advice needed
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Posted by backyardmama North Texas (My Page) on Sat, Aug 11, 07 at 19:27
I've researched several posts and have decided that this might be the best way to keep bees out of my hummingbird feeders. Please advise me if this is not a good idea. Our hummingbird feeders are very near the house. I am able to tolerate the bees while refilling the feeders, but, what I do not like is for the hummingbirds to have to fight the bees at the feeders - even those with bee guards.
I tried to have a designated bee feeder with stronger sugar solution while at the same time decreasing the sugar in the other feeders, but that did not help. Today I put a pan of very thick sugar water syrup in a pie plate near where the bees have been feeding. They really took to it. I hope to move it a little each day to the back part of the yard away from the house and hummingbird feeders. Is this an okay solution? I just don't want the bees to start depending on this as a source of food and stop visiting plants that must be in the area. I'm also not sure I want to start providing syrup to the bees from now on. Is there something else I should do or be aware of? Thanks for your help. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Advice needed
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| I'm not sure what the ratio of sugar:water is in a hummingbird feeder, but when we feed our honeybees, we use a 1:1 ratio in the spring to simulate a nectar flow, and a 2:1 ratio in the fall to boost stores for winter. If these ratios are higher than what you put in the hummingbird feeder it may work. The problem is it may not keep them completely away from the HB feeder and as soon as you stop, they will find the other source again. A longer term solution which would require more effort and the space to do it would be to plant a good variety of flowers that are attractive to hummingbirds.Find plants with different bloom dates for a continued source. We got rid of the feeder we had but still have plenty of visits from hummingbirds. The bonus is that it's much more natural and enjoyable to watch them going from flower to flower. |
RE: Advice needed
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Thanks, tonybeeguy. My hummingbird mixture is usually 4:1 (water to sugar). The bee mixture is about 2:1 (water to sugar) or perhaps closer to 1:1. There have been a large number of bees around it today. In fact, I've had to add more syrup several times.
I do plan on planting plants for my hummers in addition to the ones I have now, but that will be a question for the hummingbird forum.
Thanks again. |
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