HUMMINGBIRD LOVE! #2

I went to buy more garden supplies
last week.  I strolled by the bird 
feeder section.  There were a lot of interesting looking hummingbird feeders. These feeders had different features. I didn't know which
ones were the best. i needed to 
do some research the best hummingbird feeders.

I have to replace my hummingbird feeders each year because the sun really damages them. The red color 
has turned into a pale pink by the end of the summer. The inside of the
nectar bulb looks pretty nasty in
spite of several cleanings. This is 
why I stopped buying the expensive feeders.  The dollars stores had 
decent hummingbird feeders which
were easy to disassemble for cleaning. They had yellow bee guards and nice sized hooks for hanging.

I recently noticed an army of 
large ants marching around my hummingbird feeders. The nectar inside the bulb is filled with them 
by the end of the day. I went online
to see what the solution was for keeping ants out of the feeders.  
I saw a feeder with petroleum jelly. This might work until the summer
heat melts the jelly. Some
people suggested you buy a feeder
with a built-in moat attached. Water goes into the moat which deters the ants and other insects.  I realized 
that some moats were not deep enough. The water would probably
dry up quickly on a hot summer day. 

When I went to the home improvement stores, the hummingbird feeders with the moats were gone. I looked at a few
DIY feeders on Youtube. I didn't have the items featured to make the moat 
on hand. I didn't feel like going back out to the store. I rummaged in my kitchen until I came up with some items that might make a good moat.

Here is what I used:

HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER ( FROM DOLLAR STORE)

12 INCHES WIRE ( FROM DOLLAR STORE)

WIRE CUTTERS 

PLASTIC LID FROM EMPTY PEANUT BUTTER JAR

GLUE GUN WITH GLUE STICK

* REMOVE TOP OFF FEEDER. 

* REMOVE HOOK FROM TOP OF FEEDER. 

*LET GLUE GUN GET HOT AS POSSIBLE. CAREFULLY USE  
TIP OF GLUE GUN TO MAKE 
A HOLE IN  PEANUT BUTTER 
LID.  THE HOLE NEEDS TO BE LARGE ENOUGH TO
FIT THE RED HOOK HOLDER 
KNOT SNUGLY INSIDE THE
UPSIDE DOWN PEANUT 
BUTTER 
LID.

* CUT TWO PIECES OF WIRE AND THREAD THEM THROUGH THE FFEDER TOP AND UPSIDE DOWN PEANUT BUTTER LID HOLES. TWIST THE TWO WIRES TOGETHER AND  MAKE A HOOK FOR HANGING. 

* GLUE THE FEEDER TOP AND
UPSIDE DOWN PEANUT BUTTER
LID SECURELY TOGETHER. USE PRESSURE UNTIL GLUE HAS HARDENED.  PUT GLUE 
ROUND EDGES OF THE FEEDER
TOP AND PEANUT BUTTER LID. 

*MADE MOAT WATERPROOF
BY PUTTING GLOBS OF GLUE AROUND MIDDLE HOLE AND 
BOTTOM OF THE HOOK.

NOTE: HAD RED & YELLOW 
LIDS AVAILABLE. YELLOW 
LID HAD SOFTER PLASTIC.


My DIY hummingbird feeder 
with builtin moat looks pretty
good.  The red and yellow 
looks cute together.

I hung up the feeder and added
water to the moat. I do see any 
ants inside the nectar bulb YET! 
I hope this means my moar is 
a WINNER!