Terri...ants can sometimes be a problem on feeders. I have a few ant guard cups that hook on top of the feeder..it looks like the top off a can of hair spray...you fill them with water and the ants can't get past that. I got mine at Wild Birds Unlimited.

I usually have 12 feeders up during hummer season, but don't have 12 of those cups, so I lightly coat the wire hanger and top of the feeders with vasoline...those pests can't crawl in that!! May sound crazy, but it works!

Donna

Hi Terri - You can do one of two things that I find is helpful to avoid ants. You can move the feeder around to different locations that are still nearby each other or you can buy a small "Ant Moat" that attaches to the top of the feeder. I have both. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't which is why I often move the feeder around. I bought the small black plastic ant moat from Wal-Mart last year for a $1. I wished I had bought more. I haven't seen them for sale at Wally world this year yet.
If you are creative, you could make your own ant moat:
http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/homeandgarden/reeves/072806.html

Or purchase one online (Copy and paste into your address bar):
http://www.humming-birds.com/moat.html
http://www.birdsforever.com/humfunct.html
http://www.amazon.com/gt-BEST-1-Trap-Ant-Green/dp/B000PBXETS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=garden&qid=1201874325&sr=1-2

Good luck!
PS - I am posting this reply on 2 threads so that hopefully you will see it! :-)

Thanks for your replys and information. After I asked my question, I couldn't wait to hang up my feeder so I tried to make a "moat" myself. Someone had described using the top of a bottle cap, upside down of course, sealing it with hot glue gun to the wire, and placing a little oil inside the cap. I did it and so far it seems to be working. No ants on feeder, and unfortunately, no hummers either. But it's only been 2 days...not giving up yet. Terri

Hi I got ants in my feeders I put olive oil on the pole big mess! I just went to a home and garden show they had ant stoppers there for $9.00. They looked like a 2 liter bottle with cap cut into half with the hook for the feeder going through the cap. Why pay the money the bottles are free!!!

I used spray paint caps to make my moats...worked great for many years but I also bought some at Walmart late last year & I'm going to try those.
I have a bigger problem with earwigs & yellow jackets.
The yellow jackets are so small they can even get through the bee guards!
Once ants get to feeders the birds won't drink from them until they're cleaned...take a whiff of a feeder that's had ants on it...UGH!

I have 2 hummzinger series feeders from Aspects It's a good feeder for hummers if you have an ant problem because it has an ant moat built right in it. Fill the ant moat with water and it works.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hummzinger Ultra