Attract and Feed

I am a budget conscious person. I have to be when I have 28 + feeders. The feeders below are, generally, the least expensive I could find. There are a few that were gifts to my family.

I truly believe you do not need fancy and expensive feeders. If you want the appearance of something nice and pretty, make sure the holes to the sugar water are small. The photos below will show a few close-ups of hole sizes in relation to a penny. The smaller the hole, the less problem I have had with bees and ants.

I use 10 different designs and only #2 & #8 get my seal of approval.

There are feeders available with bee guards, and ant motes, and all kinds of fancy gadgets. When it comes to cleaning and maintaining, I like them plain and simple. The Lowe's brand green-based globe is my favorite for less than $5 ea.

Keep in mind, if I only had #2 & #8 at my feeder station, and there were no feeders with larger holes, I could very well have problems bee and ant problems with #2 & #8. I have not tested them alone without the bee prone feeders nearby.

One nice feature on the tall feeder is the ant mote built into the top. This feeder is great for bees and ants. The hole is too large, in my opinion. It produces plenty of "floaters" inside the feeder. These feeders are a Wal-Mart brand for less than $5.

The green-based globe below is one of my two favorite. I rarely see bees or ants on this feeder. The hole is the smallest of all my feeders and the hummingbirds seem to like it. I purchased these at Lowe's for less than $5 ea.

3 & 4

The "canister" feeder above is the worst feeder. The holes are too large, and it attracts more bees than any of the 10 feeders I have used (only 9 are pictured). These are also Wal-Mart brand feeders for less than $5.

This is a fancy feeder I purchased at a close-out store. It is the most cumbersome to fill and clean. It does attract hummingbird, but it is not their first pick when there are others to choose from. I never see ants or bees on this one.

This feeder rarely has ants or bees ... or hummingbirds. I don't know if the flower pedals are too deep, or if the other cheaper models keep them from coming to this feeder. I believe this was over $10.

The "Flower" feeder is a novelty. It attracts hummingbirds. I see very few bees or ants. It does seem to attract earwigs. Hmmm? It was a closeout item at Tractor Supply for less than $3. It is not the easiest to clean.

This is one of my top two feeders. I can't find them anymore. It does have an occassional ant inside, but not nearly as bad as the others listed above. The holes are smaller which helps keep out the insects.

This is a $20+ feeder that was a gift. It attracts hummingbirds, and very few ants or bees. It does require refilling much more frequently since the reservoir is only below the holes and not above and below as all the other feeders. It is very easy to clean and fill.