The best thing, though a bit messy, put a small layer of petroleum jelly on the outside of the feeding holes or anywhere else the sugar water may be coming out. The hummers don't mind it and the wasps hate it.
Try not to fill the feeder too high. Put the sugar water in the lower reservoir only, preferably below the holes. Less leaking. Of course, if you have hundreds of hummers, this isn't the best choice.
Move your feeders around the yard each time you change the sugar water out or even daily. Hummers will find them and wasps (temporarily) will keep going back to the old locations.
I've heard buying feeders that don't have yellow on them may work. Though, I have one with white holes and the wasps still come.
Wasp traps are great, but they only work for yellow jacket types. The paper wasps (long legs) don't enter them. For added yellow jacket trapping power, put fresh meat in the trap (on the trap's meat stakes) along with the pheromones.
Hope this helps.
Bird on all!
Alison Kondler
Jefferson County
On Sunday, July 15, 2012 4:16:24 PM UTC-6, Kirk Huffstater wrote:
FYI......
A wasp/hornet trap in the same vicinity might help greatly, and won't
interfere with the hummingbirds. Sometimes the traps work wonderfully,
other times not as much, but it might be worth a try.
Here are some DIY ideas for wasp traps, which I've also tried and had
success with; they're just as good as the ones you buy, or even better since
they're "free".
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Wasp-Trap
http://tipnut.com/wasp-trap/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bR9QAoKF-mc
Kirk Huffstater
Castle Rock, CO
-----Original Message-----
From: Lin & Tim
Sent: Sunday, July 15, 2012 3:47 PM
To: douglbirds@denveraudubon.org
Subject: [Douglbirds] Help! Wasp epidemic!
The past several days, wasps have taken over our Hummzinger Ultra
feeder--which has nectar guard tips! I have moved the feeder to three other
locations, and the wasps have found it every time--even though the feeder is
hanging in the shade. I tried not filing the base as much, and sprinkling
the feeder with the hose or wiping it off frequently. We have sprayed all
the cracks and crevices under our eaves (in case there's a nest we can't
see), but that hasn't worked, either. The wasps are attacking the hummers,
and driving the birds away. I don't want to risk having the little guys
stung. Should I discontinue feeding for a while, in hopes that the wasps
will lose interest? And if so, will my hummers come back or go elsewhere?
Any recommendations or suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Linda Williams
Highlands Ranch
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