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Ant Moats Make it Better
They don’t have to be fancy, just kept filled with water. When feeding hummingbirds or orioles, sweet nectar can easily become messy nectar! Filled with ants to ruin your pleasurable bird watching experience, and feathered friends’ meals too.Ant moats totally alleviate this pesky problem. As long as they’re kept filled with water-they’ll do their job properly. And by adding a drop or two of salad oil, it helps to slow evaporation during higher temperatures.
Basic ant moats work just as well as decorative ones, there’s even a clear model that allows you to easily view the water level…very clever! I’ve even read that you can make one from a peanut butter jar lid and some simple hardware.
Whatever model tickles your fancy, it’s definitely best to add one to feeders before ants become a problem!
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A Little Overboard with Squirrel Baffles?
When feeding wild birds, squirrels sure can be a nuisance! They seem to get into every feeder possible, and once they do gain access, they eat everything in site. Little pigs! Squirrel baffles are very effective at deterring squirrels from feeders, until they figure out how to get past them! There’s always one in the crowd, super-squirrel who can jump higher, or reach farther.Whether pole mounted or hanging, placement is important. You must remember the horizontal launching point. This is where squirrels will jump from to get at your feeder.
Raccoons can also wreak havoc on bird feeders and houses. A friend recently told me the sad story of a chickadee nest raid by his new tenant, Rocky. Prompted by this incident, they ordered not one-but four large post-mount squirrel baffles to protect the birdhouses. A few days later, they ordered four more! What does one do with all those baffles?
See the pics…just in case you don’t believe me!
Here’s the first 3: (That’s a leaf mister attached to the back post)
and here’s the fourth:
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The Invaluable Ant Moat
Ants just love sugary, sticky, sweet nectar! Whether it’s Hummingbird, Oriole or butterfly nectar, if they can get to it…you bet they will find it! But the good thing, and saving grace for those who feed nectar, is that ants can’t swim. They are virtually unable to cross a small body of water. Enter the invaluable ant moat.These little gadgets make the difference between great birding experiences vs. pesky, miserable ones filled with unwelcome guests. Simple by adding an ant moat to your hummingbird feeder, or other nectar feeders, you will stop ants dead in their tracks.
The ant moat shown here is a little nicer than the standard model, but they all do the same thing…stop ants from getting at nectar. In the heat of summer, a drop of salad oil may be added to the water to slow the evaporation process. Remember, the ant moats will not work unless they are kept filled with water.
Birding Tips, Information & News
