This common mistake could be attracting bees to your hummingbird feeder, but it's easy to fix
Bees also love this sweet treat as it mimics the natural nectar found in flowers, and just like it does with hummingbirds, it provides them with a rich source of energy.
While the occasional bee won't be an issue, if a swarm arrives, the hummingbirds will be deterred from feeding and will seek their food source elsewhere.
However, there is a way to discourage bees from feeding on your hummingbird nectar by simply making one change to your hummingbird nectar recipe.
While the standard recipe includes sugar and water, the key is changing the ratio of ingredients. Dan DeBaun, bird blogger at Dan's Bird Bites, told Tom's Guide that the ideal hummingbird nectar contains one part table sugar with four parts water.
And to make the nectar, you don't need to use boiling water, as long as it's hot enough to dissolve the sugar and left to cool to room temperature before adding to your feeder.
But to keep the bees at bay, there's a simple change you can make to your nectar recipe by changing the sugar-to-water ratio.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
All it takes is changing the ratio to one part sugar to five parts water. This easy adjustment will dilute the sugar and make it less attractive to bees, while still encouraging hummingbirds to feed.
This smart hummingbird feeder provides a safe space for the birds to feed. You can capture video and photos of the tiny backyard creatures and it's all powered by solar energy. The Bird Buddy app then uses Ai to identify hummingbirds and other species, with real-time alerts.
However, if this isn't enough to deter the bees from your hummingbird feeder, there are other tactics you can employ. Birds & Blooms suggests planting pollinator-friendly plants near your feeder to encourage the bees to dive into the plants rather than the feeder.
Meanwhile, Home Sweet Bees recommends using a red hummingbird feeder without yellow in the design, as yellow is a big draw to bees, but they are less attracted to the color red than hummingbirds.
Home Sweet Bees also suggests placing a decoy feeder in another location and filling it with a stronger sugar solution than you would use for your hummingbird nectar. The bees will be enticed by the sweeter nectar and leave your hummingbirds to feed alone.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
11 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
After an 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Russia caused tsunami waves to reach California, what resource did the California Geological Survey provide to help residents assess their risk?
1 of 10 2 of 10 A landslide-prone stretch of U.S. 101 called Last Chance Grade is set to be bypassed by what type of new construction, according to Caltrans' plan? A ferry system An elevated causeway A suspension bridge 3 of 10 Which prestigious university is in talks with San Francisco officials about opening a downtown campus? Harvard University University of California, Berkeley Vanderbilt University 4 of 10 According to a Chronicle analysis, which profession makes up about one-fifth of the top 10% of earners in the San Francisco and San Jose metro areas? Software developers Lawyers CEOs Financial analysts 5 of 10 After winning four $1,000 prizes, what amount did Hayward resident Juan Silva Zarate win on a California Lottery Scratchers ticket? $100,000 $2 million $500,000 $10,000 6 of 10 Safeway in El Cerrito changed its grocery store layout during the pandemic. What is one reason some shoppers believe the new long, unbroken aisles were created? 7 of 10 Dead & Company will headline a three-night run in Golden Gate Park to celebrate the Grateful Dead's 60th anniversary. Which original Grateful Dead members are leading Dead & Company at this event? Phil Lesh and Bill Kreutzmann Donna Jean Godchaux and Brent Mydland Bob Weir and Mickey Hart 8 of 10 Which San Francisco neighborhood is seeing a surge of AI startups moving into office spaces that were previously left empty after the pandemic? SoMa Chinatown Nob Hill Pacific Heights 9 of 10 PG&E has proposed removing two dams on the Eel River as part of a $530 million plan. What is the name of the hydroelectric project involved? 10 of 10 The former Edward Shands Adult Education Center in East Oakland is currently being used by which group of people while awaiting redevelopment? This quiz was generated using OpenAI's GPT-4o large language model, leveraging the reported, edited and vetted stories that garnered the most views over the past week. AI autonomously creates each quiz question, including multiple answer choices and a detailed explanation for the correct answer. Following this, a newsroom journalist reviews and edits each element for accuracy, appropriateness and sensitivity, ensuring the content remains reflective of the original article from which it's generated. For more details on our use of AI and our editorial processes, see our AI policy.
Bloomberg
11 hours ago
- Bloomberg
How AI Is Changing Music: Recording Academy CEO
Harvey Mason Jr., Recording Academy's CEO and Netflix's "Hitmakers" Executive Producer, says people need to understand AI's capabilities, and it will be part of the creative process. He spoke with Romain Bostick on "The Close" that the government need to guardrails to protect the human creativity. (Source: Bloomberg)
Tom's Guide
16 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
HBO Max reveals ‘And Just Like That' will end after season 3
And just like that … it's the end of an era Carrie Bradshaw is officially hanging up her Manolos. HBO Max's "And Just Like That...," the sequel to "Sex and the City," will wrap for good at the end of its third season, bringing the beloved (and often debated) franchise to a close after more than two decades of cosmos, columns, and complicated relationships. The news broke Friday via showrunner Michael Patrick King, who revealed in a statement that while writing the final episode of season 3, it 'became clear… this might be a wonderful place to stop.' With star Sarah Jessica Parker on board, along with HBO bosses Casey Bloys and Sarah Aubrey, the creative team decided to end the series with a two-part finale. The final episode will air on August 14. 'We didn't want the word 'final' to overshadow the fun of watching the season,' King added, explaining why the announcement was delayed. A post shared by And Just Like That... (@justlikethatmax) A photo posted by on The "Sex and the City" premiered in 1998 and ran for six stylish, sultry seasons and spawned two movies that were divisive and derided. Then came "And Just Like That...," which returned in 2021 with Carrie (Parker), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) navigating middle age, sexual awakenings and Peloton-induced grief. Samantha (Kim Cattrall) was off screen in London, but a new roster of characters stepped in to shake up the dynamic. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The revival has sparked plenty of conversation (and criticism) over its two-plus seasons— whether it was Miranda's sudden character shift, Che Diaz's stand-up routines or the endless debate over Carrie's romantic choices. Still, the series found an audience, and its weekly drops have kept fans debating like the good old days. Now, with season 3 in its final stretch, the show is preparing to say goodbye one last time. There's no word yet on how things will end for Carrie and friends, but if we know anything about this crew, they'll go out in designer style. As King put it: 'It's with great gratitude we thank all the viewers who have let these characters into their homes and their hearts over these many years.' Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
