What I’ve done in the past, which is certainly not eco-friendly or ornithologically pure, is spray feeder, emphasizing break meter glass and feeder ports, with my Raid Wasp spray. The birds keep feeding and the wasps leave them alone for hours. Don’t hate me Jay and Heidi.
I’m down to one feeder, but still active just not mobbed.
We have a yellow jacket nest on one side of our house and they occasionally come to the feeder and “sniff” and then fly away. So nice to enjoy the hummers without watching a fight with a yellow jacket. Maybe this type of feeder will help.
On Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 09:31:21 AM MDT, lcarrigan_55 <carriganbw@…> wrote:
Reluctantly, I pulled my hummingbird feeder the other day. Have enjoyed the daily visits by BC & Calliope juveniles, but the wasp, yellow jacket & bald-faced hornet visits became too much. The wasps had not been a problem until about 10 days ago &, then, simply became too extreme. Literally a swarm in the hundreds of primarily paper wasps.
I have bee guards on my ports—no help. Tried a couple of different feeder types—no help. Put up a wasp pheromone trap—just seemed to attract even more. Tried a vinegar solution spray on hangar & feeder—no help.
So, I simply gave in, called it quits & pulled the feeder. If anyone has any other suggestions to keep wasps away, would be be appreciated.
Reluctantly, I pulled my hummingbird feeder the other day. Have enjoyed the daily visits by BC & Calliope juveniles, but the wasp, yellow jacket & bald-faced hornet visits became too much. The wasps had not been a problem until about 10 days ago &, then, simply became too extreme. Literally a swarm in the hundreds of primarily paper wasps.
I have bee guards on my ports—no help. Tried a couple of different feeder types—no help. Put up a wasp pheromone trap—just seemed to attract even more. Tried a vinegar solution spray on hangar & feeder—no help.
So, I simply gave in, called it quits & pulled the feeder. If anyone has any other suggestions to keep wasps away, would be be appreciated.
Brian Carrigan Blackfoot/ & Thanks-
Home of Idaho Birding and the Idaho Bird Records Committee
