Konrad - that pic is absolutely stunning.

I wanted to clarify the shade issue. Are you saying that bees are less likely to visit feeders that are in the shade? I hadn't put 2 and 2 together till you mentioned it, but as long as there was an umbrella shading my pond and hummer feeders, the bees would go to a pie plate of very concentrated syrup I've been putting out to keep them away from my hummer feeders. We had to take the umbrella down for a couple of days and they started harassing the hummers again. I hope keeping the feeders in the shade works because I don't know how much longer I can keep feeding the bees this stuff. It is absolutely amazing how much solution they can suck down in an hour.

Thanks for the pic and the information.

Thank you backyardmama!

>>Are you saying that bees are less likely to visit feeders that are in the shade?Yes, for me it works, perhaps it also depends how warm it is.
Bees like to visit areas where it's warmer, usually a sunny location.
Konrad

I dont have bees , I have wasps and they are a nuisance to no end and I have tried everything from traps to extra sweet feeders to backing off on the nectar mix and nothing that ive tried works. they go where they want when they want. they were attracted to the trap but would not go in. Sun or shade I dont see much difference , like to today cloudy all day, they are on all the feeders at different times. Sure would like to hear the answer to my problem.

Do you have bee guards on your feeders?
Not sure why I don't see any bee guards on Hummer feeders?
It also keeps wasp away!
Konrad

Maybe it is just a peculiarity of the season but I haven't had any bees or wasps at my Best-1 feeders the past 2 years (since I started using them) and I did with the others before (even with bee guards).

Have I just been oddly lucky (it has been a low year for wasps and hornets) or is it the feeders? Are other people having the same experience with the newer feeders (of whatever kind)?

I've had good luck with my Humzinger feeders too. They're a bottom reservoir feeder so I fill them only half full. The hummers can reach the nectar, the wasps can't. Since it's a bottom reservoir feeder it doesn't leak or drip in hot weather - so there's no nectar on the outside of the feeder for the bees either.
Also bees are attracted to the color yellow - so stay away from those feeders with fake yellow flowers and see if that helps.
I haven't had any problems since I switched to these feeders and started filling them only half full - I do have to check and fill the feeder more often. I hope this helps!

For whatever good this is, I fill my feeders to the top and that doesn't seem to attract any bees or wasps. The hummers empty all the feeders in 2 days now anyway.