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Grab an Ant Moat to Help Keep Nectar Fresh
You may have noticed increased activity at your hummingbird feeders because the “crazies” are upon us! The downward stretch to summer’s end, when the tiny sprites are gearing up for Southern migration. As the slower traffic at feeders and nesting come to an end, hummingbirds are busy getting as fat as they can for the long journey home.
Ant moats may or may not be critical to your hummingbird feeder’s popularity. Simply put, it takes just one ant in nectar to ruin the party! The good-for-nothing pests must emit something extremely nasty for hummers to ignore sweet nectar… especially when you’ve just changed it and hung a sparkly clean feeder. It’s so annoying!
Avoid the headache and try an ant moat if you don’t use them yet. This minimal investment will yield big results, but you mustn’t let water evaporate for moats to function properly. One hack is to add a drop of salad oil to the water because it slows evaporation in extreme heat.
But other songbirds (for some strange reason) enjoy drinking from the moats! It’s rather strange when six birdbaths, two misters and a bubbler fountain are part of the garden habitat… we know this first-hand! Here’s a clever ant moat that works in a completely different fashion- by eliminating the evaporation process. you fill it just once or twice per month! It’s called the Detourant and looks like this:
Although other songbirds won’t be able to sip from it, this ant moat just about guarantees pest-free nectar for your hummingbirds… year after year and for many seasons to come! And if hummingbirds are still passing by your feeder without partaking – for pete’s sake… please change the nectar 🙂
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Got Land? Copper Roof Birdhouses Set the Stage for Elegance
They’re our biggest and baddest vinyl birdhouses yet!Like Purple Martins, these large copper roof birdhouses require estate-size grounds, or at the very least- ample open space to showcase all of their majesty. Like building a giant house on a lot that’s too small, it will stand out like a sore thumb… and martin scouts will surely ignore theses fine accommodations.
Classic architectural style is both appealing and desired by many a home-owner. Some even ask us how to keep birds out? And that’s okay if you love the birdhouse but choose not to host birds. It’s far better to plug the holes than let dreaded, non-native house sparrows nest here.
Standing 54-inches tall, there’s pure elegance from tip of copper finial to bottom of vinyl/PVC mounting bracket. No wood is ever used in their construction, rendering them impervious to the elements and to insect damage. In short, these stately copper/vinyl birdhouses will never rot, warp, split or crack. To remove environmental build-up, take the garden hose right to them with mild soap and cloth.
Bright copper roofs remain shiny-new for at least 3 to 4 years prior to weathering. Because of special lacquer which preserves the newness, copper turns dark upon weathering and continues to do so. You won’t see the beautiful patina color because the copper is treated. Should the blue-green patina tickle your fancy, then that’s the way to go! It remains indefinitely with no weathering as this roof is crafted using an acid wash and heating process.
Closer to home (ours anyway) smaller size birdhouses with just as much elegance and detail are more common. New for 2017, there’s even a copper/vinyl bluebird house with lift-up door for easy monitoring. Ample ventilation and drainage keep babies cozy and nests dry. It also includes a vinyl mounting bracket suitable for post, fence or tree. You can bet we nabbed one of these for our own bluebirds!
The other birdhouse with 4 compartments, is a modest 10×10 that’s 28-inches tall. It’s hosted both nuthatches and chickadees simultaneously! So not only do our copper roof birdhouses look like wood, they come in small to estates sizes, and best of all… they’re bird-approved!
To learn more about using birdhouses and the problematic English house sparrow or European Starling, please check out Sialis.org for some some very useful, eye-opening info. Find trouble-shooting tips for hosting bluebirds and other native cavity dwellers.
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Stained Glass Bird Feeder Sale Colors!
There’s some fab colors on sale, the teal house gone for good, but a few teal and dark blue stained glass bird feeders are up for grabs!With hand hammered copper roof, these hanging feeders offer large hoppers for versatile seed options from tiny thistle to chunky mixes with peanuts, so capacity varies from 3 to 5 lbs. We recommend hanging the birdhouses in a shady area, or at least one that receives morning sun only. The white glass
feeder is available, as is black cherry (birdhouse is shown for color reference).Non-porous, smooth surface is easier to clean and healthier for birds too, no cracks or crevices for bacteria to settle into or mold to develop. Ample drainage in copper trays helps keep seed dry. Ventilation & drainage on birdhouses keep nests and babies cozy and dry.
Highly functional art for the garden, their rich color will never fade and light reflects beautifully. Squirrels can not chew them to shreds… in fact, they can’t chew the copper or glass at all! Roofs lift for easy filling & cleaning or nest removal with houses. Self hanging twisted copper chain makes them a snap to hang, from a bracket, feeder pole or branch. Simply use a clear, unobtrusive baffle if squirrels are persistent at feeders (most are).
Handmade in the USA, and definitely bird-approved, they make for elaborate and stunning gifts for any occasion. Splendid idea to nab one on sale and stash it away for an impressive holiday gift that sparkles!
And hey, there’s even a pink one… because real men hang pink birdhouses 🙂
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