Keep Honey Bees Away from Hummingbird Feeders
Do you find yourself feeding the hummingbirds and every other winged creature in the region? It can be frustrating. A hummingbird feeder can be a part of bee friendly gardening. And all pollinators can share the available food. Tips on how to keep bees away from hummingbird feeders.
If you are having problems with bees visiting your hummingbird feeders, you are not alone. This is a common problem expressed by bird-loving homeowners each year.
It is possible to be a bird lover and a bee lover. You don’t have to choose one or the other. Both can exist in harmony in your garden.
And, you don’t have to resort to harsh chemicals – which can harm you and the birds too! Honestly, they wont work well either.
Hummingbird Feeders Attract Insects too – Sometimes
Hummingbirds love sweet nectar. Bees love sweet nectar. See a pattern? Any nectar loving creature will be lured to your feeders – can you blame them?
The honey bees are not intentionally trying to destroy your enjoyment of hummers. They are just trying to get by and live -like everything else.
Most home owners do not have a big problem with this insects at the hummingbird feeders all season long.
They notice that insects are attracted to feeders more at certain times of the year. We will discuss that further in a bit – why it happens and what to do.
Can We Really Control Any Wild Being?
No. We are dealing with wild creatures so let’s remember that we can’t control either of these living beings.
But, we can work within their natural tendencies to make the situation more enjoyable for our hummingbird friends.
The methods in this article may not keep every single bee far away from your feeders.
But, they will be a big help. A few visitors around the feeder is no big deal.
For the hummingbirds, sharing nectar with bees and wasps is normal. It is common to them sharing a bush in flower.
Beekeepers Do Not Have Total Control
Problems with hummingbird feeders are a special problem for those of us who are beekeepers.
This is especially true if you live in a neighborhood with hummer lover neighbors close by.
We can certainly understand the frustration of the hummer loving homeowner. But, please don’t spray our bees with deadly chemicals.
Trying to kill insects around the feeder is not a good idea. More and more will come to take their place.
This action hurts the bee colony and does not solve the problem of keeping bees away from the hummingbird feeder.
As much we would wish we could, beekeepers can not keep bees from flying wherever they want.
The Secret to Keeping Bees Away from Hummingbird Feeders
This may sound too simplistic but it is the truth. The best way to keep bees from taking over your hummingbird feeder is to stop it before it starts. It is much easier to prevent the problem-than fix it.
Understanding the nature of both birds and insects can help in our feeding dilemma. And yes, you may need to relocate your bird feeders – at least temporarily.
Hummingbirds Love Nectar
We can all agree that a beautiful iridescent hummingbird flitting from flower to flower is a delight. Everyone seems to love hummingbirds.
Hummers feature a charisma that no other bird possesses. Their flight skills include the ability to hover and even fly backwards. They move so fast you may miss them if you blink.
Its a good thing they can move quickly. Some species of hummingbirds migrate 3,000 miles in one direction.
Humming birds seek out sweet nectar. Natural nectar from flowers and artificial nectar provided by us is attractive to hummingbirds.
If you hang out a feeder, they will find it. Unfortunately, they are not the only ones searching for nectar.
Hummingbird Feeder, Glass Hummingbird Feeders
The decline of honey bees in recent years has received a lot of media attention.
Today, people have a better understanding of the importance of honey bees and other pollinators.
Honey bees are responsible for millions of dollars of value due to their pollination efforts.
They also help with pollination of vegetable gardens and fruit trees in our local neighborhoods. However, bees need nectar to survive. And they will get it any where they can find it.
Why Are Bees Swarming my Hummingbird Feeder?
Honey bees & Hummingbirds have something in common. Both love sugary nectar as a food source.
And, the honey bees (who do not migrate) have to store food for winter.
In nature, the practice of sharing nectar sources works out well with plenty of flowers for all.
The difficulties start when the time of heavy bloom fades. Nectar sources are often limited during the hot dry summer.
As sure as, July will bring hot humid weather in the south, it will also bring complaints from homeowners who are trying to feed hummingbirds.
A homeowner goes out to enjoy the tiny birds and discovers a small swarm of insects swarming the feeder..
Perhaps hundreds of bees and wasps are trying to drink from the feeder. It can get so bad that the birds stay away.
In addition to being a nuisance, hundreds of bees can drain a full hummingbird feeder quickly.
Trying to find a way to keep honey bees off hummingbird feeders is challenging.
These foraging workers are not aggressive. They will not attack you – but will defend themselves if threatened.
It is much better to prevent the problem than to stop it once the pattern is set. But it can be done in most cases.
Bees are hard workers and when hungry that will search out any sweet source available!
Unfortunately for you, the best available nectar source may be your hummingbird feeder.
The considerate homeowner looks for a solution that will do no harm to any of the garden visitors.
What to do when Honey bees & Hummingbirds clash at your feeder ? Here are the tips that most homeowners don’t know. Let’s look at each one and discuss why they may work for you.
What You Can Do:
- choose a hummingbird feeder with bee guards
- look for all red feeders – no yellow
- move feeder to a sunny location
- create a bee feeder during times of drought
- plant more blooming flowers for food sources
Best Tips to Keep Bees Away
1.* Choose a hummingbird feeder that has insect resistant feeding holes.
Feeders of this type will deter insects. *You may be able to purchase bee guards for your existing feeders.
Hummzinger Ultra Hummingbird Feeder, 12-Ounce
2.* Look for feeders that are all red (without the yellow inserts).
Red attracts hummingbirds – yellow attracts insects. Yes, bees are attracted to yellow.
If you already have a feeder with yellow feed ports, paint them red using non-toxic paint.
3.* Move the hummingbird feeder to a shady location.
Hummers will seek them out but insects prefer food sources that are in a sunny location.
4.* Create an Insect feeding station
This is especially useful for times of drought – when the bees may be suffering from lack of flower nectar.
Use a mixture of sugar water (2 cups white cane sugar dissolved in 1 cup water) in a shallow dish or pan filled with marbles, gravel or stones (so the no one will drown).
The bees should move to the new food source as they prefer a sweeter solution.
Every day move the honeybee feeder a little farther away – in time this should get them focused on something different than your bird feeder.
5.* Create a Nectar Rich Garden
Choose landscape plants that pollinators like. Keep them watered during the hot summer, if possible to encourage, nectar production.
Hummingbird Feeders – Some Years Are Worse
On my bee farm, I have only had to keep honey bees away from hummingbird feeders during one summer.
During that year, upstate South Carolina was suffering a severe drought. I felt sorry for all nectar loving life forms.
After a few weeks, we were lucky to receive some rain showers. This additional moisture resulted in new blooms with nectar for all pollinators. There were no extra visitor to my bird feeders.
If space allows the homeowner can plant flowers that will benefit many pollinators-even in times of drought.
A bee friendly garden is also a friendly garden for other pollinators.
This will provide additional nectar sources and reduce competition. Remember the honey bees don’t mean any harm to you, they are just hungry.
Good luck & thank you for caring about all of the pollinators in your neighborhood.
Beekeeper Charlotte
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Katrina Butler8
If honey bees are gathering syrup at abundant hummingbird feeders in the neighborhood, then bringing it home to the hive in our yard, how will this affect the honey. We have a friend you said that if they put sugar syrup into the supers that we cannot sell it as “Pure Honey” and that if someone with a cane sugar allergy eats the “tainted” honey they could have a serious allergic reaction. Is this true? If so, what can we do with the nearly 200 pounds of honey we’ve gathered, and partially bottled. Must we have a disclaimer? “May contain traces of can sugar.” What? I’m a little freaked.
Beekeeper Charlotte
Yes, if a beekeeper is feeding their bees while honey collection supers are on (and you never should), the “honey” that the bees make will not be real honey. It will lack the enzymes found in plant nectar and have a different PH. Now as to the question of hummingbird feeders, I truly doubt it would make any difference. I mean if you have 100 hummingbird feeders and no wild nectar – you might have an issue. However, as long as you didnt feed your bees during the harvest, I would not worry. Even if a tiny amount was in there – its no different than bees that will inspect soft drink cans. I see no need for a disclaimer because you dont know there is a problem. Anytime, you sell or give away a food product – you have liability. If they cut their lip on the jar, or have a reaction to pollen in the honey but that very rarely happens with honey.
Mary Hill Gary
Would hurricane Florence have affected the honey bees in my neighborhood? Lots of beekeepers in my area. Honeybees are swarming my humming bird feeders. Never happened at this level before.
Beekeeper Charlotte
Absolutely, if the wind blew all the nectar producing blooms off the trees, weeds or bushes.
Karol Holloway
I read that marbles can burn bees and hummingbirds. The source recommended using pinecones as a non reflective idea. My desire to keep wasps and bees away from my hummingbird feeders is a purely selfish reason, I must carry an Epinephrine pin with me at all times. I try not tonaggravate the bees whenever I can. We depend on our pollinators!
Beekeeper Charlotte
I supposed that might be a problem in a very hot region in direct sun..but I’ve never heard of anyone having the problem. Yes, honeybees are pretty harmless as long as you stay away from the hive and dont threaten them.
Deb
Hello Ms. Bee Keeper,
Thank you for this article! Just this week I noticed honey bees on my hummie feeders. Many of our hummies have left, but I still have one who depends on my feeders. Yesterday the bees began to swarm around the feeders, and the hummie could not find a place to feed that did not have bees.
I put a pan of very sugary water with sticks in it (for the bees to climb on) on a yellow overturned pot about five yards from the feeders. The bees discovered it today; the pan was covered with literally hundreds of bees all day! Eventually most of the honey bees left the hummie feeders and joined their buddies on the sticks in the pan. My hummie had his feeder again.
So here is the problem. This evening I checked the pan and all the sugar-water is gone. Now I am wondering if the bees will start depending on my sugar-water pan for nectar. I want to keep them happy during our next few days of sunshine, but I want to do the right thing for them also. Only a few flowers are still blooming in my garden — coral vine and a few roses — so the poor little bees seem desperate. I live in a very rural, forested area. Should I continue to feed the bees? Is this ethical and good for them? I want to make sure I am doing the right thing or if it would be better not to refill the pan. I will relocate my hummingbird feeders for now. Am I doing the right thing for the bees?
Thanks again for this article — timely and interesting! I use honey from local bee keepers every day and support pollinators with many different flowers in my garden. However, after this experience I think I need to plant more flowers that bloom through the fall. I had no idea our bees are so desperate this time of year!
Best,
A Concerned Bee Lover
Beekeeper Charlotte
Oh, what a wonderful experience. Bees arent lazy, when natural nectar is available they will choose that first. As long as you can place the feeding station far enough away to not be problem, it does no harm. Pure cane sugar with water in a 1:1 ratio works well. Thank you for helping the bees 🙂
Jon Bayer
Great article and helps a lot. I have hummingbird feeders and a natural hive that adopted a 55 gal barrel that I had drilled holes in for composting. I have schools close by so I don’t brag about my hive. Your statement that says bees are hard workers and won’t use sugar water when natural nectars are available makes me feel better. I also read that too much sugar is bad for the hive. I only have 25 bees or so at one time at my hummingbird feeders so the hummingbird can still eat. You gave 2 different recipes for bee water 2:1 and 1:1. Is the 2:1 to attract them away from the hummingbird feeder and is ok to leave sugar out for the bees in the middle of summer.
Beekeeper Charlotte
Because 2:1 is sweeter… the bees are probably at your feeder because they are not finding anything better. Giving them an option somewhere near but not ON your feeder might help lure them away. Also, if weather allows another natural source may become available in a few weeks and they will go to that.
Ann Ibler
I am in Minnesota, and have had hummingbird feeders for years. In the last week, hundreds of honeybees have taken over the feeders! This has never happened before. My yard is very bee friendly, and is jam packed full of flowers. We have had a very wet summer here, so the bees have lots of sources of natural nectar. Today, I tried your suggestion of 2:1. The bees loved it, and went a little crazy. I had to put up several to get all the bees away from the feeders, and had to refill them after a few hours. A few questions. Can I pick stones up off the ground and put them in the bee feeders so the bees don’t drown, or do I need to wash the stones first? Silly question, but I don’t want to make the bees sick! Should I try to use a 1:1 solution tomorrow, since they have found their own feeders? If this feeding frenzy continues for days or weeks, and I have to keep feeding the bees to keep them off the hummingbird feeders, will it hurt the bees? Thanks so much for your article and help! My neighborhood hummingbirds thank you also!
Beekeeper Charlotte
That fine you dont have to be to concerned. My bees sometimes drink out of mud puddles near the barn.