Amazing isn't it? I think I read somewhere that insects are a large part of their diet and the emerging leaf-out on trees produces lots of insects. Also there is a relationship of hummies and sapsuckers ... the hummingbirds feed at the holes made by sapsuckers.

They do eat insects and some of the warm spells that the MW has had on and off the past couple months, probably hatched them out. The weather in the middle part of the country tends to extremes during seasonal changes, where it will be 70 one day, then a near-blizzard the next, followed by a rapid warmup a day or two later, etc.

I captured a picture of one of my hummies last year in bug heaven, tongue hanging out:

{{gwi:2366}}

One particular ceiling area at the western corner of my balcony has always hosted swarms of gnats - usually when the sun is shining there in the mid - late afternoon. And as shown above, my female eventually found them by late summer and started to perch on my shrubs down at that end of the balcony. The first time I saw her down there, I stood there for about 5 minutes watching as she darted around in the middle of the swarm, her beak snapping open and closed and tongue flicking in and out as she ate. Meanwhile her boys were oblivious to that food source because they were duking it out over the feeder about 20ft away. LOL

Every year, I would always get a couple huge spider webs that were stretched between the balcony rail and the ceiling, as the spiders took advantage of that same gnat swarm as their perpetual food source:

Last year, nadda, zilch, zero, not a spider or spider web to be seen. My hummies really discovered a smorgasborg, between the spiders and the gnats, and every other bug I get. A spider that size is like a gourmet lobster!!! Hope they remember this nice protected-from-predators oasis up here!

Jenny, great shots!!

EVERYTHING! THEY'RE HOGS! I did years of research before starting my hummingbird garden and the big news is 1) there are tons of things they are eating I didn't find listed anywhere but had planted for myself! Example: I have a dwarf fruit orchard (Los Angeles) and I've seen hummingbirds drinking from the citrus blossoms, these are small, flat and pale which confounds the supposition that they're attracted to color (red) and tubular shape!; 2) optimal habitat (nectar plants and trees to perch on) and feeder maintenance has resulted in more permanent species than the books say, in addition to Annas (books say permanent) we've had year-round Rufous (books and previous experience says migratory in my area) for two years! I've been raising a Brugmansia sanguinea in cooler microhabitat and hope it will flower this year, those are enormous pendulous bells who have specially-adapted hummingbird guests with long bills in their homeland and I wonder, will mine find a way of using this plant too?

I'm trying to imagine a hummer and one of the larger-flowering brugs. I expect the hummer could fly right up into the flower! LOL

Well those pictures sure are beautiful! I have put out a feeder but so far I haven't seen any hummers yet. I had to take my feeder down yesterday because I was afraid the lawn man would run into it and knock it down and break it. I plan to refill it with fresh nectar and put it back up tomorrow. I put a big red bow on it. Thanks to everybodies input so far. In just one week the weather has warmed and many more things here are are blooming. I'm sure it's the same in Iowa!