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Subject:

Re: Carroll Co. Birds 6/25/08 / HUMMINGBIRD QUESTION

From:

Les Eastman

Reply-To:

Les Eastman

Date:

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 22:05:49 -0400

Rick Sussman wrote:

> I had a serious black ant problem earlier in the season, with the big black  
> ones climbing the metal poles, no matter where I placed them. I ended their  
> picnics at my Perky Pet 4 fountain feeders with a liberal application of  
> petroleum jelly (or anything of similar consistency) smeared across the top of  the 
> feeder, and a bit applied to the top of the hanging wire. Though it melts a  
> bit in the sun, it's easy to reapply each time I fill the feeder, and really  
> keeps the ants away. Now, not even a sign of them anywhere near the poles  
> anymore! 

Rick,

I would like to ask you to use some other method 
to repel ants. If the petroleum jelly gets on the 
hummingbirds, it can be bad news since they have 
no good way to get it off. The experts on HUMNET 
really advise against doing this. An excellent 
alternative is an ant trap. You can buy them at 
bird stores or make them yourself from spray can 
lids. If you hang them with the cup facing up, you 
can put water in it to deter the ants. If you hang 
it with the cup facing down, you can put petroleum 
jelly inside or spray the inside with PAM. Being 
inside of the cup, the deterrent substance is 
unlikely to come in contact with the hummingbirds. 
One of my feeders had a problem with the big black 
ants like you did. A little PAM in the cup took 
care of it.

Les

===========
Les Eastman
mailto:[log in to unmask]
Havre de Grace, MD

The eagle looked down on the river below
And he wrapped his wings round him and he fell 
like a stone
And the big salmon fought but the talons held true
And he shuddered as the world turned from silver 
to blue
                               Steve Earle