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DIY Moat to Keep Ants Out of Hummingbird Feeder


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DIY Moat to Keep Ants Out of Hummingbird Feeder - twist the other end for the topMake a plastic cap moat to keep the ants from getting into your hummingbird feeders.

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Supplies:

DIY Moat to Keep Ants Out of Hummingbird Feeder - supplies
 

Steps:

  1. First heat up the Phillips screw driver with a flame, this enables it to go right through the bottom of your plastic cap with ease. Don't make the hole too big, just the same diameter as your wire if possible.
  2. DIY Moat to Keep Ants Out of Hummingbird Feeder - pushing heated screwdriver through the cap and then putting wire through
     
  3. Next string your wire through, you need at least an 8-10" piece of wire.
  4. Twist the end like in the picture (the bottom part first).
  5. DIY Moat to Keep Ants Out of Hummingbird Feeder - twist the bottom
     
  6. Then twist the other end (which is the top).
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  8. Now apply the glue, using the glue gun, really well on the outside on the bottom twist, and let fully dry.
  9. DIY Moat to Keep Ants Out of Hummingbird Feeder - apply hot glue on the outside around the bottom opening for the wire
     
  10. Then apply the hot glue to the inside really well, as we don't want the moat to leak water.
  11. DIY Moat to Keep Ants Out of Hummingbird Feeder - coat the inside to prevent leaking
     
  12. Now use the bottom 'loop' to hang your feeder from, and the top loop is what you put your hanging wire through.
  13. The moat will be in the middle.
  14. Ants can walk down the wire hanging from a tree or your house eaves, but as soon as they get to the moat, which is before the feeder, they can't go any further (as long as there's water always in it).
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Gold Post Medal for All Time! 523 Posts
August 18, 20181 found this helpful

Nice

Reply Was this helpful? 1
August 19, 20180 found this helpful

What a great idea and one I can use! I bought something similar at a store which cost $8. It fell apart after one year of use. I can make this for zip! I will probably use E6000 glue instead of a glue stick since it might melt in this Texas heat (over 100 degrees). E6000 won't melt and will stay there forever.

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I glued a window bird feeder to my kitchen glass window 2 years ago and it is still there - even though the squirrels found it. It supports the squirrels! So, I can't use it as a bird feeder anymore since the squirrels found it, but that feeder is there for life! Again, GREAT IDEA here! Thanks!

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Gold Feedback Medal for All Time! 949 Feedbacks
August 19, 20180 found this helpful

Thanks for such clear instructions for a truly inexpensive "fixer" to keep those ants from our feeders.

I am going to try the E6000 glue also as someone borrowed my glue gun and forgot they borrowed it so I hope this will work. At least I do not have to be concerned about whether it is harmful to the ants!

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Thanks for all the great hummingbird pictures and stories on your other postings - I love these little critters!
Betty

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August 19, 20180 found this helpful

Vaseline on my sheperds hook works really good.

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Anonymous
August 20, 20180 found this helpful

Bought something similar, but put Vaseline in the cup. Keeps the ants out. Haven't had a problem in over a month. Wish I knew of your solution a month ago.

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August 20, 20180 found this helpful

I wish I had seen this trick a month ago. I bought one similar a month ago. Only difference is I rubbed Vaseline inside the cup.

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It works great I have had no ants plugging the ports and the birds get their treat.

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Diamond Post Medal for All Time! 1,246 Posts
August 20, 20180 found this helpful

Super smart fix! Great instructions, too! :)

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Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 451 Feedbacks
August 22, 20180 found this helpful

Thanks everyone, :) I'm so glad this will help with the ants on the feeders. It's amazing actually how well it just does the job, because once the ants get to the "moat" they leave, and for good, because they realize it's a dead end.

I know another glue has been mentioned to use, which I've never used that kind, but I just wanted to say that I use the glue gun, and it works fine, even in the heat of the summer here in Vegas, it's been over 112 daily, and I've had these moats up for several years, and the "glue-gun-glue" has held up really well. At first I thought it would maybe melt away from the summer heat, but, it doesn't - it works also.

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Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 451 Feedbacks
August 30, 20180 found this helpful

This picture shows the moats above each feeder.

Each feeder hangs a bit differently in the yard, this is only a picture
of one of the corners of the yard that hadn't any where to hang them.

That real tree on the right is our neighbors. So I made our hummers this "tree-feeder" as I call it, and they love it.
All kinds of birds do actually, because I'll look out the window and someone is sitting on it, big birds and little birds.
We'd made this (tree feeder) as we call it - awhile back, because this particular part of the backyard has only concrete

and no trees.
Something like this could work great for anyone in an apartment too, since the tree feeder could actually be placed
anywhere.

But my intent here is to help show anyone interested in the moats how they look hanging with the feeders.
I've got these 2 particular moats hanging "right from the hooks" which if one wanted the feeders to hang lower,
you'd use a wire at the hook, and then hang the feeder from that. The moats aren't pretty, I guess if they were the color red,
they'd look more like part of the whole thing.

Just for the heck of it, I'd taken a bit of fake vine and put it around the "wooden tree feeder we'd made" just so it didn't
stand out too much. Before I'd strung the fake vine around it, I said to my hubby, our neighbors are going to think we've gotten
super religious putting up a cross in the backyard, haha!

 
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September 30, 20180 found this helpful

Great tip we have had this problem for years. Thank you

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