How to Make an Ant Guard for a Hummingbird Feeder

Hummingbird feeders attract ants. Unless you create a barrier, ants will follow the hanger to he feeder. This can result in an unsightly mass of floating ants that deter hummingbirds from feeding. While you can purchase ant moats for feeders, save money by making your own ant guard with recycled caps.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Plastic caps
• Needle or nail
• Pliers
• Hot-glue gun

1. Collect plastic caps. The tops from spray paint and hairspray bottles are the ideal size, but you can also use smaller caps from bottles or containers.

2. Heat a nail or large needle over a flame. Hold the nail or needle with a pair of pliers to prevent injury. Use the heated nail to melt a hole through the center of the cap. The hole should be large enough for the wire from your feeder to fit through.

3. Place the cap on the wire of your feeder with the open end facing up. Use hot glue to seal the area around the wire so the hole in the cap is completely sealed. Allow the glue to dry and harden.

4. Hang the feeder and fill the ant moat with water. Ants will not be able to cross the moat to get to the feeder.