Uninvited guests
Jul 29, 2012 18:18:20 #
Yesterday I noticed I had 2 bees feeding from the humming bird feeder, today I can't even go out front without them swarming at me!
Just Two
More but now taken through the window!
And More and again through the window
Jul 29, 2012 18:26:26 #
I took a few pictures of a Yellow Jacket on my feeder yesterday. I watched as he chased off 2 hummingbirds, he wouldn't let them feed. ? I guess I'm going to have to get the fly swatter out.
Jul 29, 2012 18:32:59 #
MadMike wrote:
I took a few pictures of a Yellow Jacket on my feeder yesterday. I watched as he chased off 2 hummingbirds, he wouldn't let them feed. ? I guess I'm going to have to get the fly swatter out.
Yep they won't let the humming birds feed and are also chasing away the yellow hooded orioles from feeding there too!
Jul 30, 2012 05:41:37 #
LGilbert
Loc: Earth
Bee theft is a common problem. Some hummingbird feeders have a bee guard over the access holes, sort of a calibrated screen, that prevents the bees from accessing the sugar water, but allows the long tongue of the hummingbird to penetrate.
Jul 30, 2012 06:48:54 #
I hang a bee trap near my hummingbird feeder, and it works great. The traps are yellow, and the bees crawl in and end up in a chamber that they can't get out of. I put sugar water in it that is a bit more conceentrated than the hummingbird mixture to entice them to feed there. Sometimes I put a couple pieces of apple in that works well also.
Jul 30, 2012 08:39:11 #
Jul 30, 2012 13:00:46 #
We apply Vaseline or Vick's on the top red plate of the feeder but don't get it into the holes. This really helps keep the bees off.
Jul 30, 2012 13:06:52 #
bikinkawboy
Loc: north central Missouri
I hope you aren't killing the honeybees. Those little guys have one heck of a work ethic and are very interesting when you understand their social structure. Also, when away from the hive, the honeybees will not sting you unless you step on them, mash them or otherwise cause them physical harm. The only time they get nasty is when you are messing with their hive. With those little guys feeding, you can stick your finger in front of them and chances are they will crawl around on your finger and hand and will never sting you unless you mash them as I said. I used to raise bees.
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