With the flowers petering out, the ruby-throated hummingbirds have really been hitting the feeders.
Please do not use the red dye stuff when feeding hummers. It’s not good for them. Take one part sugar and 4 parts hot to boiling water. Mix well cool and put in your feeder. Left over’s may be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. When they first start showing up, I only make up a small amount and don’t fill the feeder full. I’ll use one eighth cup of sugar and one half cup of water. Change and clean the feeder every four days or so depending on the heat. Don’t use detergent rinse with hot water and use a 10% bleach solution to disinfect.
If you have a problem with ants getting into your feeders, here is a easy to make home made ant guard to hang your feeders from.
The Raspberry Rose Hibiscus I grew from seed from one found in the Japanese garden at the Huntsville Botanical Gardens in Huntsville Alabama that some how jumped into a zip lock bag I had in my pocket and came home with me. They’ve had a rough year with the tornadoes and lower attendance due to the exceptionally hot weather and unstable economy are having a donation appeal to prevent a projected shortfall of funds. Please consider helping this wonderful public garden.
Hope you enjoy the ruby-throated hummers at my feeders today.
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And something I had learned from you a couple of years ago. As the hummingbirds travel from the North to the South, they will pass through our area. So leave the feeders out while they travel.
I love the ant guard you gave me. It works very well. I have not noticed any ants since installing it.
Thanks OB for pointing out that, yes leave the feeders up until the leave usually in Oct. Occasionally some will stay over winter so leave one up for them.
Thanks Phillip, Aldie’s cooking spray has a bright red cap so it should make a nice one that will attract hummers. Come migrating season, I’ll have to get more feeders up.