Make your own hummingbird feeder food, it’s quick and easy !
All you need to make hummingbird feeder food is two ingredients….. common white table sugar and tap water. No need to use red food coloring. Use a red feeder or tie red ribbon to your feeder to attract hummingbirds. Food coloring is harmful to hummingbirds.
Hummingbird Feeder Food recipe:
The formula used in hummingbird food is 4 parts water to 1 part sugar.
This 4 to 1 ratio of water to sugar will make a hummingbird nectar that is very close to actual flower nectar.
Hummingbird Feeder Food Instructions:
In a pan on your stove top add the water and bring it to a boil.
While the water is heating up, stir in the sugar and continue stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved.
If you boil the hummingbird nectar for about 2 minutes, that will be enough to release the chlorine from the water and kill any mold spores in the sugar that might cause the nectar to spoil.
After the homemade hummingbird nectar has boiled for about 2 minutes you can remove it from the heat to cool.
When the hummingbird feeder food has cooled you can add it to your feeder.
Any excess nectar can be stored in the refrigerator ,for up to a week, and used later.
That’s all there is to making hummingbird feeder food. But in order to attract hummingbirds and keep them coming to your feeder you must be sure that the nectar in your feeder is always fresh.
To do this you must change the nectar before the sugar starts to ferment. heat will cause the sugar to ferment and mold will grow if the hummingbird food is not changed on time.
Below is a chart you can follow that will tell you when to change the nectar. The chart is based on the outside temperature.
High temperatures…………Change nectar after
71-75……………………………6 days
76-80……………………………5 days
81-84……………………………4 days
85-88……………………………3 days
89-92……………………………2 days
93+………………………………change daily
Each time you change the nectar, rinse out your feeder with hot water.
Another good practice to help keep your feeder clean is to soak it once a month in a gallon of water containing 1/4 cup bleach, for about an hour, then rinse it with running water to remove the bleach.
If you don’t change the nectar often enough mold will start to grow. Follow this link on maintaining and cleaning your hummingbird feeder to learn more on cleaning your hummingbird feeder.
Now that your hummingbird nectar is done, you will need to get a feeder that is easy to take apart and clean, and one that will also protect your homemade hummingbird food from bees ants and wasps.
My favorite choice of hummingbird feeders to use with the hummingbird feeder food recipe is:
Aspects 12oz Hummzinger Ultra With Nectar Guard
It’s inexpensive and has several features that makes it well worth the price.
The HummZinger has patented Nectar guard tips which are flexible membranes attached to the feed ports that prohibit entry from flying insects, but allow Hummingbirds to feed as usual. The HummZinger also has a built in ant moat that will stop crawling insects from getting to the nectar. It also has raised flower ports that divert rain.
This mid-size nectar feeder has a 12 oz. capacity and can be hung or post mounted with hardware provided. It has four feeding ports for hummingbirds and is made of unbreakable polycarbonate. Easy to clean.
For ease of cleaning and protection from bees, wasps and ants, this feeder can’t be beat.
If you already have a hummingbird feeder, and you want to protect your hummingbird feeder food from ants and other crawling insects, the ant moat below will do the job.
Trap-It Ant Moat for Hummingbird Feeders, Red
Product Description
The first and still the best to protect your Hummingbird and Oriole feeder from ants and other crawling insects. Insert between hanger and feeder and fill with water, providing a barrier to crawling pests. Red color to attract hummingbirds.
Have fun feeding your hummingbirds and I hope you enjoyed this article on hummingbird feeder food.
Click on this hummingbird feeder food link to view more articles on how to make your own hummingbird feeder food.
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