If the current outdoor temperatures are any indication of the season ahead… it’s going to be a brutal one! Early June in the Southeast and my car said it was 99 degrees outside 🙁  Please be kind to wildlife by simply providing a fresh water source to help them thrive in this miserable heat. Aside from birdbaths, a leaf misters’ gentle spray is extremely popular with hummingbirds, butterflies, and most songbirds too!

Speaking of miserable, if you feed hummingbirds (or Orioles, or Butterflies) you’re likely well aware of the attraction of the sweet, sticky nectar to pesky ants. The simplest and most effective way to keep ants from nectar is to use an ant moat.  This inexpensive, one-time investment will save many a headache and lots of nectar from ants. For staked hummingbird feeders, ant baffles are recommended to ward off the uninvited guests.

Some hummingbird feeders do feature built-in ant moats, but even they must still contain water at all times to properly function.  Ant Baffles simply use a coating of petroleum jelly on their underside to deter ants, whereas Ant Moats must have water inside for them to work. Ants can’t swim and will not cross water. During the dog days of summer with the extreme heat, you can actually help slow the evaporation process inside the moat by adding a drop of salad oil to the water. It will mean less time filling and more time watching.