DEAR JOAN: Yesterday my entire dish hummingbird feeder was swarming with tiny ants. The liquid was full of them too, and the outside wall had a steady trail.
I cleaned the feeder and the wall and put down an ant stick. I also moved the feeder.
Now I’m wondering: Should I have left the ants alone to supply protein to the hummers?
Kathleen, Redwood City
DEAR KATHLEEN: While hummingbirds do eat plenty of ants, they don’t care for sweet and sour. If ants invade the feeder, the hummers won’t eat there, so it’s good to keep the ants on the menu, but separate from the nectar.
There are several ways to keep the ants at bay. The first one you’ve already done, which is to relocate the feeder. You might have to do this several times, as ants are persistent. Keeping your feeders clean and making sure they aren’t dripping is important, too.
Many experts recommend hanging your feeder from fishing line. The filament is too slippery for the ants to navigate, so they can’t climb down to the feeder.
Using an ant moat can also help deter the little beasties. An ant moat is a container filled with water that hangs above your feeder. Some feeders have built-in moats, but they tend to be shallow and the water evaporates quickly in the high heat of summer. You can buy a moat — there are some lovely, decorative ones — or make your own. You’ll find a lot of how-to videos on YouTube.
The moat stops the ants from reaching the feeder, but ants aren’t above using the bodies of their dead comrades to build a bridge and cross the Rubicon, so you might need to change the water frequently. You also can install a second deterrent above the moat in the form of an ant guard. These guards contain a synthetic chemical, Permethrin.
If you’d rather not use insecticides, using bay or mint leaves will help deter ants. You can hang little bundles of the leaves above the feeder or place the feeder above a pot of mint. This is a good option if your feeder is on a pole.
Lastly, hanging the feeder above a birdbath or fountain is another good way to discourage ants.
DEAR JOAN: I thought I would give you an update on the squirrels attacking my roof. It was a battle.
I plugged all the openings and worked with my neighbors to cut their fruit trees back but as you noted, the squirrel did not give up. For a couple of weeks, it was all over my roof. Then, I started hearing noises near my fireplace. I called Animal Trapping Services, and they came out again and discovered that the squirrel was likely climbing my fireplace and trying to rip off a screen that would have led directly to my attic crawlspace. EEK.
I fixed the screen, hung CDs, put up squirrel barriers, and all has been quiet for more than a week. I now understand how important it is to be vigilant. Squirrels are stubborn.
Paula, San Jose
DEAR PAULA: Sometimes we have to be even more stubborn. Thanks for the update. A lot of people were rooting for you.
Contact Joan Morris at [email protected].
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