My husband made us a moat for our hummingbird feeder to keep ants out of the nectar for just pennies! He cut a water bottle in half, drilled a hole in bottom just big enough to fit the coated wire that holds the feeder on the shepherds hook. He fed the wire through, set the "moat" on top of the feeder, then sealed the hole in the water bottle so no water would leak out. Let sealer (bathtub sealer) set up, add water after dried, and no more ants in the nectar.
By kerr from Durand, MI
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I took 2 of these suggestions and put talcomum powder in the plastic cup on top of the hummingbird feeder. This worked also.
I couldn't seal the hole, so put talc into the cup instead. It worked a charm! Now hoping the hummers love Lavender Talcum powder :-)
Talcum powder is toxic to animals and humans. So is diatomaceous earth.
Your husband is a genius. This is the first year that we have had a problem with ants on the feeder. I spent a lot of time changing the sugar water after flushing out all the ants.
Do you put something IN the water in the ant trap on top of the feeder?
Thank you
You also can buy an ant moat at Wild Birds Unlimited. It works great!
Thanks Rasta but this one just cost us pennies though, not 7-10 dollars.
Luv it, luv it, luv it! Had hummy feeders aplenty at our previous home. Can't wait to find a location to hang some where the local winds can't toss 'em an' spill that great sugar-water all over the ground (which really brings the ants!).
A google search led me here and it seems I have found a solution! But first let me ask...does the moat only deter the ants from traveling further or does it drown them as well? I'd hate to think that I am drowning these determined critters simply because they are good at doing what they do best.
From what I've found from having 20 feeders with moats with water in them, the ants don't bother the feeders, nor do they go into the water. And this is my 3rd year now of using moats. We actually have hummers year round living here in the desert (Vegas), and ants "use to be" a problem until I found the "moat solution".
No it does not kill the ants. Ants won't cross water, so when they encounter it, they turn around.
what is a moat
Ants (I think carpenter ants) went right through the water and the Vaseline on the posts. Having no luck whatsoever. I live in Middle Georgia.
I have a feeder that came with its own moat but these large black ants just wiggle and swim thru the water to the outside edge of the moat and climb down the feeder. I have tried vaseline and vicks salve on the hangar arm but to no avail. So frustrating!!
Thank you this works the best. I used a hot glue gun to seal the hole.
I bought 4 moats from Amazon, filled them with water and still had ants, then I put oil in the moat, hung it from the hook and then the feeder and no more ants, they cannot swim in oil. Works great.
Great idea, I'm making these tomorrow
Great ideas! Thanks for your help! I'm going to make a moat out of a small paper plate and put in baby powder.
I use bugsnub products. I have been happy with their ant guards for years now.
I love all of God's creatures except ticks (and certain people) but the supply of ants seems endless vs. the number of hummingbirds. I love this tip.
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