The Simple Garden Solution That Helps Keep Bees Away From Your Hummingbird Feeder

Do you want a way to drive away the honey bees congregating around your hummingbird feeder? A simple method to keep these little pollinators away is to offer better alternative food sources for them. Updating your garden with bee favorites can make a big difference, as these feeders are often full of nectar, something they love to eat. Unfortunately, the bees' presence may be a big reason why you can't see hummingbirds in your yard any more, as your feathered friends simply avoided your home instead of competing with the bees. It may also be difficult refilling the feeder if met with a swarm of bees, and without refilled feeders, the hummers will move on to find food elsewhere.

Bees are resourceful pollinators and crucial to our environment. According to The University of Maine Cooperative Extension, honeybees may visit 50 to 350 flowers a day. Each visit focuses on collecting pollen as well as nectar, which they use to feed their colony. However, when they visit your nectar dispenser, they steal it for use as a food source to power their busy days, especially when flowers are less available or lacking in nectar content. Sadly, they can even drown in the liquid during its retrieval, a sobering fact when you consider honey bees are experiencing a sharp decline in their numbers. The sugary treat is a ready carbohydrate for bees as well as hummingbirds, but it can be the tiny jeweled birds that are left in the dust. Adding these pollinator-friendly plants can help you continue to attract hummingbirds while supporting the needs of the bees.

It's easy to attract the birds and the bees with an array of the best pollinator plants in your garden. Try planting trumpet honeysuckle, which both creatures love. You can also add options such as sunflowers, bee balm, and marigolds, which are all big bee favorites. Consider planting consider zinnia or flowering dogwood as well. After you've added your new plants to the garden, draw bees' attention even more by setting out a small dish of sugar water or nectar nearby. Just make sure whatever you plant can survive in your USDA Zone and isn't invasive. You should also avoid using any chemicals or insecticides so you ensure bees don't get sick or die in your garden.

Another possible way to ward off bees from your hummingbird feeder, in addition to adding plants, is to change its color. If your feeder has any yellow accents on it, keep bees away from the feeder by swapping out it all together for an all-red version. Bees aren't able to see the color red, while hummingbirds love the shade, which is why so many feeders feature the hue. Instead, bees have a preference for yellow, so an all-red nectar holder might help keep them away.