I am trying to add a picture I hope I am doing this right.

Here is a link that might be useful:

I'll be watching your post, as I too have the bee problem...at least one makes it in and then is seen floating inside!!! this cant be good for the hummers?

They dont seem to mind the floating bees...but still...

Ditto the question. Any suggestions? I have yellow jackets that are swarming my feeder. Someone suggested putting paper towels soaked in vinegar around the ports. That seemed to keep them away at first. They swarmed around it but didn't land, but now..they are landing. Poor hummingsbirds!
Tammy

I've had success with either almond extract or peppermint extract. The bees don't seem to like either of them. I smear it over all of the ports, and apply it almost everyday.

Donna, VA

Try a bottom reservoir feeder like the hummzinger and fill it only half full. The hummers can still reach the nectar, the bees can't. Plus these feeders don't leak so there's no nectar on the outside to attract the bees.
Bees love the color yellow - try to find all red feeders instead of the ones with the yellow flower feeding ports - the hummers don't need them. There's quite a few other posts on this topic below board check those out as well. Good luck!

anyone consider painting the flowers on the feeders to red? maybe with nail polish or something like that?

I for the first time today saw the bees actually chasing the birds. I had seen bees on the feeders before, but not actually chasing the birds.

I also used the left over (old) nectar and put it out in a container near the feeder, this didn't see to get the attention of the bees.

HMMMMM...

For me its been wasps and they are a real nuisance and Ive tried all the things mentioned and the only thing that detered them some was smearing cooking oil all over the ports and red bases. Ive tried all kinds of so-called traps but no dice. One trap I prepared tuna oil and bits of tuna and It attractd and trapped loads of flies but I havent noticed any wasps in there. I have one feeder that is lantern style and sweat bees would get in it , lots of them , but it didnt slow down the hummers from feeding.

Ok, the yellow jackets have let up a bit. But next year I'm going to try the cooking oil and the extract idea. Putting vinegar on paper towels worked for awhile but not for long. I gave my hummingbirds a break by putting lots of sugar water in my orange oriole feeder. The hummingsbirds would go in the holes and couldn't get out. I had probably over 50 yellow jackets in there.
Tammy

oops I meant the yellow jackets would go in the feeder.

Much as I hate to upset the natural order of things (bees, and wasps are generally beneficial), sometimes you have to find the source of the problem and eliminate it. Bees are both too valuable and hard to hive-find to kill. Most wasps kill so many pest insects (especially caterpillars) that I would be loath to kill them. There is an area in my woods where ground-burrowing blue wasps bring and bury an endless stream of pest bugs in August (for egg-laying). I take pains not to disturb them.

I make an exception for yellow jackets, though. They can be a real problem in the yard and I eliminate them (sadly but mercilessly). I've been stung too often and subjected to nearly house-arrest for some swarming activities. Mainly, I've never seen a yellow jacket carrying a pest insect. So I don't think they are very beneficial. And you crush one and it releases a chemical that activates the others to attack.

So, anyway, I have an idea about eliminating wasps and bees from hummer feeders. Why not epoxy a 1/4 to 3/8 inch of aquarium tubing over the hummer feeder openings? That ought to prevent any insects from getting at the nectar but not disturb the hummers.

I'm not going to do that myself cause I'm not having a bee/wasp problem (so it would be no test), but maybe someone who IS havin the problem could test the idea.

I read somewhere that to get rid of sweat bees, wasps, yellow jackets and other bees at your hummingbird feeders, that you could take a 2 liter bottle, cut the bottle off about 3 to 5 inches below the neck of the bottle and fill the bottom half with a super strong solution of sugar water or some kind of canned soda or flavored drink. Put vasoline or oil around the inside of the top where you screw the cap on (a thick layer) don't put the cap on it Either. Flip the top upside down into the bottom half and secure the two halves together with super glue or packing tape and then poke a hole in the sides loop some fishing line thru the holes knot the ends of the fishing line at the top and hang it near the hummingbird feeders. The bees will be attracted to the solution inside go in and won't be able to get out. They will drown and die. The oil will be slippery so they can't climb back up and the top of the bottle will be cone shaped inverted into the bottom of the bottle so they can't climb the sides and get out. I thought it was a really good idea and I intend on trying it because sweat bees and other bees are chasing my hummers off as well.

The best solution I have found, as a previous poster has mentioned is to use a saucer style feeder like Hummzinger or Droll Yankees. Don`t fill it all the way up - the hummers can still reach the nectar, it doesn`t drip even in a pretty stiff breeze and therefore eliminates the spills on the outside of the feeder and in turn - nothing to attract the bees or wasps. With any of the other types of feeders with the top reservoirs there is always dripping from breezes and air expansion on hot, sunny days and therefore a surefire attractant for bees and wasps. Since I switched feeder types next to zero issues with insects.

What about a fan that bothers the bees/wasps but not tge hummingbirds?