Oooh! How awful! The cooking spray won't hurt the hummers as long as their wings don't touch it. If you're sure they can't get their wings on it, it sould be fine.

Does this feeder leak? What is the problem? Do you fill it all the way to the top before putting it out? Making the nectar ahead of time, keeping it in the refrigerator, and filling the feeder with cold water, helps with the leaking.

Carol R

I had a similar problem last year (not nearly as large of a swarm), so I had let them be. Most of my regular hummers had just left, and I had another feeder that the hummers could use and the bees didn't notice. My feeder didn't leak, but they apparently knew something inside was worthwhile. I had seen someone recommend putting a shallow pan of sugar water away from the feeder, with a higher concentration of sugar, to lure them away from the feeder.
{{gwi:221675}}

I have the same problem - got so angry I turned the hose on one of my feeders and blasted the wasps, sending them way briefly until they figured out what I was doing. Then they came after me - actually gathering at the back window as I cowered inside!

Now we know where all the honey bees are disapearing to! All over the country they are being trapped in the hummer dishes!

Tracey - How do the bees get in the feeder? I'm not familiar with that style feeder. Is the top open? If so, couldn't you just fit a small screen over it?

I've had an occassional wasp visiting a feeder, but never a bunch of bees. My problem is ants! They'll find a feeder anywhere. I have to apply tanglefoot (way up on the hanging wire) to keep them out.

Wow! what a picture . By the looks of that feeder any spray on the bottom shouldnt hurt the hummers. My problem is wasps. My hummers have to fight them all day long. I have the muddaubers and regular brown wasps and black wasps. There will be as many as 3 or 4 wasps on the bigger feeders. Tomorrow Im going to war with raid hornet spray. IM sick and tired of all these wasps. I even set a wasp trap and they were attracted to it but wouldn go in it.