Tanglefoot is what I use on the stings holding the hummer feeders.

Here's a very interesting page from the Hummingbird Society giving advice on dealing with ants as well as bees and bats! http://www.hummingbirdsociety.org/hottopics/feederpests.asp

Gotta find something that works.... Gonna try the oil approach.

Flowergardenlady, I make my moat the exact same way but I use water. Have not tried oil. Will the hummers get into the oil, you think? I have not had the ants this year yet, but have the red wasps. Help Ya'll!!!!

The hummers may or may not get into the oil but chickadees drink the water from ant moats and the oil isn't good for them either. I use plain tap water and it works like a charm. I just had to hang up my ants moats this week since the darn things had found the feeders. It is interesting to watch the ants try to get past the water to get to the feeder. They come marching up or down as the case may be and then quickly retreat when they discover the water.

Penny

Hello to all:

I used to have problems with Ants on my Hummingbird feeders, but not anymore. I change the Nectar(made from white Sugar only)every 3 or 4 days. After I have clean the feeder really well, and it has been filled, before I turn it over I spray the yarn that supends the feeder with OFF. The yarn soaks it up and it lasts for days and repells all insects.
I use Olive Green Yarn to stake my tall plants and to hang
the feeders with.I am never bothered with Ants now.

After two years I finally have a hummingbird at my feeder. Only one that I see (I think it's a female as its a yellow-green color). I've read all the helpful hints and tips about making the sugar water and keeping the nectar fresh and the feeder clean. My feeder hangs in a dogwood tree. I never noticed ants until this year, but their seem to be armies climbing up and down the tree and they get into the feeder. The tree is out in the yard so I'm not concerned about the ants getting in the house or anything and I always use the hose to wash out the feeder before I bring it inside for a good cleaning. What I'm wondering though is, will the ants damage the tree?

The ants shouldn't damage the tree...in fact, ants don't really hurt trees in general, even carpenters. Ants usually only invade trees when the trees are dying, which is simply Mother Nature doing her job. And in your case, they're just marching across it to get to the sugar water. But the ants may deter your hummers from coming...consider some of the great tips above to keep them away from your nectar.

I have finally found an effective way keeping the ants away from the hummingbird feeders for good.
I am Engineer and Inventor, I too have tried about anything over the years, but the small stubborn ants always found a way.
I have intended to make some additional R&D then find a manufacture and distributor who want to be part of this Invention.
Ps. I have only a prototype which works great, and it was not any easy fix,
You can send me a massage if you are interested in partnership or would like more information; however I need for you to sign an NDA.
My Email is larsr@northstate.net

Like Joe , I have had some luck with home made moats , but do dry out quickly for me...also with a fully filled moat of water , I have observed larger carpenter ants that will float across it till the reach the pole its on.Some make it,some dont,the ones that dont create a nice bridge for the smaller ones to cross rather easily ...invation is complete.
In a fit of rage,I went to a larger moat "planters peanuts cap" for now it is working and does not dry out so quickly.
I will post pics of the setup when they are uploaded.

Crap the screw on large peanuts cap is blocked by my bulked door , but there sits who I have named "radar" gaurding his feeder , and will sit there for over 30 minutes most nights.

To stop ants we have hung the feeder from a fly paper strip. They don't even try anymore and the birds are happy.

Never use vaseline or oils near where hummingbirds feed. If you hang your feeder from a shepards hook simple wash done the hook with white vinegar. Then leave a small cup filled with sugar water at the base where you planted the shepards hook. Clean and fill it each time you clean and fill the feeder and you will find the ants will leave your feeder alone.

also please do NOT use the flypaper suggestion that is hopelesslly stupid. I am a wildlife rehabber and that stuff is pure misery to any unfortunate critter to get stuck in and have had to do my best to untangle hummingbirds from it several times.. always the fragile hummer loses~ probably some idiot read this post and tried it. sheesh ~

Concerning ants getting on the feeders. Would you like some fun and watch the ants go berserk because they can no longer get to the feeder. Here is what I did last season. [what happens is when your feeder drips on the ground ants find that sweet stuff]. I made this at home had all the ingrediants except the cup which can be found on large containers of laundry detergent.

I used a plastic bundt cake pan filled with water to keep the ants away. Just place shepard`s hook in the center of pan on the ground, and seal the pan to the pole.(I used duct tape) Works great!

Thanks for all of the great suggestions! I'm going with the vaseline first and see what happens!

Although if you use vaseline and have those huge black ants they will go over the vaseline laughing at you as they go. Either get a feeder with a built in moat or buy some moats separate to hang above the feeder.

I just started getting carpenter ants in my feeder and then no hummingbirds! Has anyone tried used coffee grounds at the base of the shepherds hook pole? I had success in keeping them out of the house when spread around the house's founation.

I am going crazy here! I do not know what to do,I am at a loss....Kept the ant moat filled....didn't work! Tried vaseline about a 1/4 of the way up the shepards hook...didn't work!I have those really tiny ants that you can barely see.I went to clean my Humzinger this morning and they were all over the sugar water,drinking it up! That was bad enough...when I took it in the laundry room at the utility sink to wash it ,I took the top off and there must have been at least 3 zillion of them underneath the lid that you can't see(on the inside).How in the heck did I get sooo many of them??? I beleive they can swim! Maybe, a wider moat would work,would do you think??HHHHEEEELLLLLPPPPPP!!! PLLLEEEAAASSSEEE!!!!

{{gwi:993897}}
My interpretation of a moat to stave off marauding ants...I have used a Test Titan� Mechanical Test Plug (4â³) which I disassembled allowing me to modify just two of the pieces very slightly, then reassembled in a different configuration. So far the design has worked wonderfully!

i found using 8 lb test fishing line does the trick for the ants with a dab of vaseline.

Voila, solved our ant hummingbird rivalry. Our feeder is hanging from a 2' 3/4" x 1 1/2 wide wood board. Hook in the end and the feeder hanging from that. Knot in the hook fairly large.
I was sitting in my shop contemplating something I might use to keep the ants away. Grease? no would melt. Gave it some more thought, wheel bearing grease melts a 450 degrees. Further research revealed ants and hummingbirds stay inside at that temperature. I put wheel bearing grease on the stick and around the knot holding the feeder. Doesn't take a lot just spread around the stick, all four sides in a couple of places with a pop sickle stick and a dab around the know holding the feeder. No ants 5 days now.
Semper Fi

You can buy one of those sticky mouse traps (when a mouse gets on it, they can't get off). Use a screw driver to put some of the sticky stuff on the line or shepherd's crook (I use about an inch worth) of the feeder. Like everything else, it only works for awhile, but while it works, it works well. But beware, it's really sticky! !

What's to stop a hummer from getting trapped on the sticky trap? They're certainly no bigger or stronger than a mouse.

I don't think a sticky trap is really a good idea. Please don't use one.

Please don't use the sticky traps or yellow sticky cards outdoors, they aren't meant for outdoor use. Very dangerous for the hummingbirds, or any small bird. Hummingbirds eat small insects. The traps catch those and the birds are attracted to the 'stuck' insects, risking the possibility of becoming stuck themselves.

If ants are an issue in your area, buy the appropriate type feeder, add an ant moat if one is available for the feeder you have, or - don't feed. The humzinger saucer style work for me, I've never found an insect or bee in any of three, other than the occasional gnat.

I have 2 feeders on a tree branch that got infested with ants recently. I read that ants don't like lemon or orange rinds in an article about keeping them out of the house. So I decided to try them. I put a lemon rind on the branch, under the string, and that seems to be working. I also sprayed Pam Canola Oil on the branch where it comes out from the trunk. All seems to be fine and the hummingbirds haven't stopped their frequency at the feeders.

Ants are pretty dumb in the long run. Once ants find a feeder I put up an ant moat for a few days. Once the ants realize they cant get there they quit trying. I end up usually taking the moat down and ants dont come back.

I read all of the suggestions and I am pretty sure I have the answer. I have two feeders. One is hung with fishing cord and NO ants enter the feeder. The other is wire and ants do enter. My problem ants are the very small ones, so I am not sure if this would be the solution for large ants. Good luck!

I'm not sure if I posted this yet or not. Yet another use for Skin So Soft. What isn't it used for???? I used some of the advice I found on this site but my ants were too smart I guess. I had made the moat on string with fishing line but they figured that out. After my husband was taking off labels with the Skin So Soft and complaining about how slippery it is, I had an "eureka moment" (I'm tire of that expression) Anyway, here's what I did. I coated the string only with Skin So Soft. I've found ants in the moat in large numbers and over the last week or so they aren't even trying to get in anymore. Give it a shot. It works!

I agree with the wildlife Rehab. person. PLEASE, Please Do Not use thin wire that the hummers could run into when they are chasing each other, or chemicals. The Vaseline,oils, Pam, skin-so-soft, sticky traps, duct tape etc, have to go!. The ant moats really do work. If you do not want to purchase one from a Bird Store like www.audubon.com or www.Duncraf.com or a local one then please make your own. Join a Local Bird Group in your City and learn all you can. Hummingbirds get killed from hawks, storms at night throwing them off a tiny branch and throwing them into a tree, building, etc. Snakes, possums, lizards also eat them their babies.and eggs at night. Some of them do not even make it out of the Torpid State they have to go into at night just to lower their own Metabolic rate. They have no sense of smell. Red-dye is also dangerous for them. Stick to the 1 cup plain white sugar mix to 4 cups water. No honey or Stevia or other sugar substitute. It can also harm and kill them. Using a stronger white sugar mix can give them Liver Problems also killing them. In N.C. I only had to change my solution every 2 days but here in Texas with the 3 digit temperatures I have to change my solution 2-3 times a day..It was turning cloudy that fast. I almost took my feeders down this year because of all the up keep even after boiling it. I always boil my Solution for 1-2 minutes, then cool it down before serving it to them and refrigerate the leftovers. If you need to cool Solution down really fast after boiling it you can place your pot into a Large Stainless Steel bowl with Ice water and set a timer to check it after about 5 minutes. One of those Bird on-line stores makes a clear ant-moat that you do not have to refill as often which is nice but if it falls to the ground in a bad storm like mine did it will crack. I prefer the red open ones. If you use the open ones you may have to refill with water every day,but do not fill it all the way up to the edge as that helps the ants use their bodies as a bridge so the other ants can cross over each other. They cannot do that with this clear one as the water is inside the moat and if the ants try they drown inside. Also, you have to keep tree branches and anything else the ants can use trimmed back from feeders and ant moats. If you have an ant problem never use the hummingbird feeders that have the suction cups to adhere to your outside window. That is just setting yourself up for an invasion. It is better to have plants that they are attracted to and make your yard a habitat for them. It is a job to do all the maintenance, cleaning etc. If the ants bother you that much better to take them down than hurt them. Also, please use the Bird Decals on your outside windows as many birds including hummers like woodpeckers, chickadee's, titmouse only see reflections of trees, leaves on our glass and many a bird has run into window's snapping their necks or giving themselves a Fatal Brain Injury. They have enough preditor's they do not need humans added to the list. Please do everything you can to protect the hummingbirds!

princesspeony mentioned hooks with repellent. I bought some similar at Home Depot years ago, like an inverted cup with a foam pad inside. They worked great for me, no more ants. The hummingbirds didn't mind. When they got old I sprayed a little Off on the foam pad.

I bought an ant guard two years ago at Lowe's for just a few bucks. It was only supposed to last for one year and it lasted for two. It goes between the feeder and the hang up hook thingey.

I have a moat but the little sugar ants are getting across it. I am wondering if I could put a drop of dishwashing detergent in the water to keep them from swimming across. I am trying to think of something that isn't toxic.

I starting using Diatomaceous Earth(Food Grade) at the base of my poles and also Amdro Bait Stations if you don't have pets. I used both of these around my Hummingbird feeder poles and Bluebird House poles. DE you can use even if you have pets. I use it around my outdoor dog lot. I would still use a ant moat. There are several types out there.

I just lost two baby hummers in the nest to ants. ( I am soooo sad). The ants ate them alive. This happened overnight. How can I keep the ants out of the nest without harming future hatchlings?

What type of tree is it in? If it is a small tree I would use a paint brush to brush as many off as possible. I would put Diatomaceous Earth all around the tree and possibly on the limb. Use amdro bait sations around any tree that has nests of any kind. Ants kill fast. So I try to always have a solution for them on hand. In the time it takes to get to a store and back it could be too late.

Thank you lexilu. It is a camellia tree. I will do what you say. I have the D earth already on hand but will get the amdro bait stations. I didn't realize ants go after living hummers until I did some research. And didn't realize it happens so fast.

Oh - I do gave a dog so probably just the D earth around the tree.

I've literally tried everything to get rid of ants in my hummingbird feeder. I've tried any moats.cucumber peels.oil. Pam spray.d earth. Nothing has worked. But had ran across an article on ants will not cross a chalk line you can use sidewalk chalk or the powered chalk for for a week now NO ANTS in or around feeder I might of found the wonder ant deterrent...

Dale- Thanks for sharing that. Never heard of it but will pass it along to people I know that are having problems. DE and the andro bait stations will work but not instantly. The only thing I could suggest that is instant would be for people to remove feeders from trees, use a shepherd's hook, install a baffle and use tanglefoot underneath the baffle where they are absolutely sure no bird will get to it. I use tanglefoot under the baffles on my bluebird house poles. It is an instant fix but you have to reach way up into the baffle and use a paint brush to brush away any left above the solution. That is an instant fix and ants cant cross it.

What techniques Not to use to Remove Insects

It may take several different techniques to completely minimize the appearance of insects at your hummingbird feeders. There are two techniques, however, that should not be used because they are potentially destructive to hummingbirds.

Insecticides: Even a small amount of pesticide chemicals near the hummingbird feeder can be devastating to small birds. Do not use any sprays near the feeder, and if you do choose to use insect traps, be sure they are positioned away from the feeder.

Oils: One home remedy for insects on hummingbird feeders is to use olive oil, cooking spray, petroleum jelly or similar substances around feeding ports or on the poles or chains supporting feeders. While this can deter insects, it can also harm the birds by sticking to their feathers and making it more difficult for them to preen and fly.

I have tried the jelly and just about everything for ants and hornets. I now hang my feeder by fishline......seems to help. But the thing that helped the most was creating a hornet trap that I hang next to the hummer feeder. I use an empty 2 liter soda bottle. Wrap it around the middle with yellow duct tape. Cut 2 small holes through the duct tape. Make a very sweet syrup for the bait.....2 cups water to 1 cup sugar. Pour into bottle and replace cap and hang. You can leave it up for weeks....they will keep going in and the hummingbirds can't reach it. Ants also preferred it and left the hummingbird feeder alone! Happy hummers!

Swimming ants? For a couple years, I have used a hummingbird feeder with an ant moat built in. When the ant moat dries out, the ants are there within half a day. But if I keep it filled with water, no problem -- until this morning. This morning, my feeder was filled with brown ants even though I had just cleaned the feeder, changed the nectar and filled the ant moat earlier in the day. As I watched, I could see the ants swimming back and forth across the moat. Unbelievable. Has anyone ever seen this?

Sounds like one of those horror movies about ants making a raft of themselves to live thru a flood and eat you aive. Those bigger brown ants are harder to kill. Windex will kill them. Melts the exoskeleton. I've killed even wasps with windex.

How about maybe 1/2" of windex in the ant cup? I don't think birds will drink that. Hmmm I bet dishwashing liquid like dawn or ivory liquid would do the same thing. Maybe worth a shot?

After years of scratching my head over this problem of how to keep ants away from a hummingbird feeder I found a sure fire method. Most of us use a hanger/hook arrangement to place our feeders. I simply coat the hook and wires well above the feeder with a menthol gel such as athletes soothing jelly, ben-gay, Icy-hot, menthorub or any of the inexpensive camphored products available at the discount stores. One step further is to place a tiny swath of fabric or steel wool coated in the jelly to discourage any ants. If you need to protect the jelly from the weather, simply slide a bottle cap or other similar item over top of it in a bell housing like manner. Should last a very long time without need to refill water moats or spray insecticides.

Get a BugSnub ant guard. They are simply the best. bugsnub.com

Its been a while for me on here, but here are a couple ideas for ant moats you might want to try. Walmart sells the off white one and I found the red one at lowes. The red one comes with a hook you have to screw in. I like the one from walmart best. They are both of a nice size and deep enough to keep ants out.

I live in Texas, and we do have a huge ant problem. Moats have not worked for me because I can't keep them full. Between wind shake and evaporation, they are usually empty even with close attention. I simply put a tiny bit of wheel bearing grease at the very top of the hanger, and they will not cross it. I have fire ants, carpenter ants, and other smaller types that I can't identify. They all stay off. My grease is not down where a hummer is likely to get into it, and I have never seen any evidence of it getting on any hummers. Texas gets pretty hot, but I have never seen the grease melted or running. On one feeder several years ago, I continued to have problems even with the spot of grease, so I soaked a piece of coarse cotton string in grease and wrapped it a few turns around the very top of the hanger. They never crossed it.

I suggest one other thing. Put up more hangers than you have feeders and move each feeder that gets invaded. After a day or so, they will appear to have abandoned that spot, but they keep checking it occasionally for several days. Just leave that spot idle for as long as needed.

Regardless what solution you use, somebody will call you an idiot. Be sensible, but know that most things we do can POSSIBLY harm something SOMETIME. I have seen just about every kind of aerial combat these birds engage in, and I have seen some predicaments they get themselves into while fighting, but we can't make the world entirely safe for them. I have seen them run into door screen, windows, feeders, and each other. Let's just be sensible and feed the birds.

Wrap the string that is holding your hummer feeder with a fabric softener sheet. Ants don’t cross the sheet.

As shown previously I use these ant moats found at walmart and other box stores. Been using these the last couple of years since Ive found them. These hold a full 1/2 cup of water way bigger than most built in ant moats found on feeders.