What do you get when you combine fighter pilots with works of art and feed them a ton of sugar? A creature unique in all of the natural world: the hummingbird.
Hummingbirds are an experience, and lucky for you, they’re an experience you can enjoy right in your backyard. If you put out their favorite food, sweet, sugary nectar, hummingbirds will turn up and share their beauty and bravado with you.
But plenty of other creatures love that sweet stuff; among them are bees. They will compete fiercely with hummingbirds for a place at the feeders, sometimes making hummers decide they’d rather get their sugar fix somewhere else.
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Bees may not be as enticing to watch as hummingbirds, but they play a vital role in our ecosystem, pollinating plants and ensuring that fruits and flowers can grow.
So how can you keep your hummingbirds happy while diverting the bees away from the feeders?
This guide will cover everything you need to know about what makes bees come to hummingbird feeders and how you can encourage them to go elsewhere!
We’ll also discuss what makes a great bee-proof hummingbird feeder and pick out the best ones for you.
Finally, we’ll discuss what you can do if you’ve already got feeders that the bees are bothering and share some solutions for modifying your feeders.
Ready to bee-come an expert on hummingbirds and bees? Let’s buzz on in!
What Is the Best Hummingbird Feeder To Keep Bees Away?
The best kind of hummingbird feeder that bees cannot use is a saucer feeder. It’s also known as a tray feeder or a dish feeder.
The secret behind these feeders is the same secret that flowers use out in the wild: they keep the nectar down deep, where bees cannot reach. But hummingbirds can reach the nectar just fine with their long, specialized tongues.
The feeding ports on the saucer feeders are incredibly narrow, which is key so that only hummingbirds can reach inside. Sometimes they are protected by additional bee guards, which usually look like a mesh or plug.
It’s also important to choose a red feeder without any yellow. In particular, avoid yellow-colored flower decorations. Insects are especially attracted to yellow but cannot see red.
Hummingbirds are well known for their love of all things red. Many flowers that hummingbirds naturally pollinate are red too.
How Do You Stop Bees From Hanging Around a Hummingbird Feeder?
Start with pollinator-friendly plants in your garden. Aim to have things bloom at different times of the year, so there’s always something to eat.
Use bee-proof feeders or bee guards to make the feeders less appealing. Keep your hummingbird feeders clean and check them often for leaks, so bees don’t find an easy way in.
You can set up a feeder meant just for the bees. Use a yellow one with feeding ports that are easy for them to access, and set it up in a sunny spot, away from your hummingbird feeders.
Put it next to the pollinator-friendly flowers you’ve planted to encourage the bees to go to that part of your yard! Most hummingbird enthusiasts use food sources to attract bees.
Move hummingbird feeders out of direct sunlight, where bees prefer to feed. Direct sunlight also spoils the nectar faster and can damage the feeders, causing leaks.
In general, moving the feeders around a short distance, just a few feet, can be enough to confuse the insects without bothering the hummingbirds.
Do Bee Guards Work?
Bee guards are an easy way to adapt a hummingbird feeder so bees can’t access the feeding ports. Having a backyard feeder is crucial for your birds.
There are many beautifully hand-painted feeders that you can purchase as alternative feeders for your hummingbird. A clean feeder is free from mold growth.
Typically they’re in the form of a plastic mesh cover that goes over the feeding port. This makes it so that only the hummingbirds can reach the feeding ports and get at the nectar with their long, skinny tongues.
Bees don’t have any way to reach inside, so eventually, they’ll give up and look elsewhere for the sugary stuff.
Are Hummingbirds Afraid of Bees?
Hummingbirds are not afraid of bees, but bees compete with them for nectar at a feeder. A large enough number of bees can take over a feeder, so hummingbirds will avoid that feeder and look elsewhere for food.
Bees can also make a mess at a feeder, which can cause the nectar to get dirty faster–something you definitely want to avoid when feeding hummers!
How To Keep Bees Away Without Harming the Bees?
Avoid using pesticides of any kind. Of course, they are harmful to the bees, but they’re also harmful to the hummingbirds and the insects they rely on for a significant part of their diet.
Also, avoid using oils, including petroleum, cooking oil, and essential oils, to keep the bees away. These will hurt the bees and leave the hummingbirds weighed down and unable to fly.
The bees will use the easiest route to food available to them. So if you use a combination of barriers to the food you don’t want them to eat and easy access to the food you want them to eat, you can encourage the bees to go the right way.
Provide pollinator-friendly plants that bloom at different times of the year to entice the bees away from your feeders. You can also use artificial colors in your plastic base to attract bees in your backyard.
You can also try a nectar feeder meant just for the bees, with a higher sugar ratio than your hummingbird feeders: 2 parts water to 1 part sugar. Just be careful because this will tempt the hummers too!
Why Do Hummingbird Feeders Attract Bees?
Like hummingbirds, bees drink nectar for energy. So just like the hummingbirds, the bees are hungry and looking for a meal!
You can help guide the bees to other sources of food while keeping your neighborhood hummingbirds happy at the feeders meant for them.
The Best Bee-Proof Hummingbird Feeders
Now that you know the facts on protecting hummingbird feeders from bees, it’s time to pick out the best bee-proof hummingbird feeders!
Aspects 433 HummBlossom Hummingbird Feeder
- High-view perch for unobstructed view of birds
- Three raised feeding ports to divert rain, leak and drip proof, hanger included can also be post mounted, easy to clean -...
- Tips easily slides onto the feeding ports on the underside of the feeders cover, come 12 to a pack, compatible with select...
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What We Like:
- Saucer design lets hummingbirds in; keeps bees out
- Extra nectar guards included for added protection
- Dishwasher safe for easy cleaning
- All-red to attract hummingbirds and discourage bees
Cons:
- The plastic body might not be the most durable
Sweet Feeders Window Hummingbird Feeder
- PREMIUM QUALITY COPPER: Our window hummingbird feeders are crafted from 100% copper, ensuring durability and a timeless aesthetic...
- STICKS DIRECTLY TO YOUR WINDOW: Our unique hummingbird feeders for your window feature a strong suction-cup design, allowing you...
- EASY-FILL/EASY-CLEAN GLASS BOTTLES: Designed with convenience in mind, our window feeders are easy to disassemble and clean,...
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What We Like:
- Long bottle design lets hummers feed, not bees
- Allows you to view hummingbirds up close
- Unique and fascinating feeder
Cons:
- It might be a hassle to clean
- Glass and metal could get too hot; glass could break
Two Mode Window and Outdoor Hummingbird Feeder
- 【HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER WITH TWO MOUNTING STYLES】: The hummingbird feeder is equipped with two strong hooks (20cm long and 5cm...
- 【ATTRACT MORE HUMMINGBIRDS TO STAY LONGER】: This 18-inch hummingbird feeder is designed with a stand for hummingbirds to stand...
- 【STEEL HANGING HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER】: Excellent hanging design, and no need to worry about shaking. We have designed a hanging...
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What We Like:
- Bee guards on feeding ports
- Red flowers to encourage hummingbirds and discourage bees
- Interesting ability to switch between window and hanging mounts
Cons:
- The nectar might be too close to the ports
- Narrow tube design could be a hassle to clean
Huminbo Bee Proof Hummingbird Feeder
- Leak Proof: Unlike automatic refill products, our saucer hummingbird feeder do not exit pressure difference, so it is leakproof
- Easy to Clean: With round and flat tray design, this clear and wide mouth hummingbird feeder is easy to clean
- Easy to Fill: Just pop off the red top of parasol hummingbird feeders and fill the nectar or water
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What We Like:
- Saucer design means access for hummingbirds only
- All-red coloration attracts hummingbirds and discourages bees
- Built-in bee guards over feeding ports
- Affordably priced
Cons:
- Plastic construction might not be the sturdiest
Muse Garden Hummingbird Feeder
- WONDERFUL COLORS TO ATTRACT HUMMINGBIRDS: Beautiful hummingbird feeders for outdoors hanging. Glass garden decor for outside. A...
- CONVENIENT TO USE: Unique mermaid designer hummingbird feeders for outdoors hanging. Easy to fill, assemble and clean. Larger...
- GREAT GIFT IDEA: Unique hummingbird gifts for women. Gift ideas for bird lovers, gardeners and grandparents who have everything....
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What We Like:
- Beautiful red designs that are human and hummer-approved
- Built-in bee guards
- Saucer base to feed hummers, not bees
Cons:
- Metal and glass can overheat in hot climates
- The glass might crack under some circumstances
Bonus: Fix Your Feeder
Do you already have a hummingbird feeder that’s attracting bees? You can modify it to help fix the problem.
If your feeder has yellow flowers or yellow feeding ports, replace them. Changing to something like these White Feeding Port Flowers will help make bees less interested in your feeder.
Feeding ports that are too large will let bees in to get at the nectar. You can keep them out, but let hummingbirds in by installing guards like these Aspects Nectar Guard Tips.
Buzz Off
To keep bees away from your hummingbird feeders, just remember: they’re looking for food too.
Make the hummingbirds’ food harder to access with saucer feeders and bee guards, then provide them with easy sources of food, like pollinator-friendly plants.
The bees can be diverted with patience and persistence, and both bees and hummers can live in harmony. Have fun feeding the hummingbirds!