Here’s a quick easy recipe for hummingbird nectar that you’ll be able to make using only sugar and water.
White granulated table sugar, tap water and a pan to boil the water and you’re ready to start making the recipe for hummingbird nectar.
Recipe for hummingbird nectar, how to make:
You will use a ratio of 4 parts water to 1 part sugar to make your homemade hummingbird nectar. This 4 to 1 (recipe for hummingbird nectar) ratio will closely match the water to sugar ratio found in natural plant nectar, upon which the hummingbirds feed.
Step1.– Put the water in a pan and bring the water to a boil
step 2.– add the sugar to the water and boil for about 2 minutes while continuing to stir until the sugar is dissolved
step 3.- after 2 minutes remove from the heat and cool before adding to your feeder
Your homemade recipe for hummingbird nectar can be kept inside the refrigerator for as long as 2 weeks. Once you find out how much nectar your hummingbirds will be drinking, you can make a big batch of nectar so you only have to make it every 2 weeks.
Every few days your hummingbird sugar water nectar will have to be changed to make sure the nectar in your feeder is always fresh. If you don’t keep fresh nectar in your feeder the nectar will eventually ferment causing mold to grow in the nectar and on your feeder.
In springtime when temperatures are cool, your nectar will last quite while before needing to be changed. On the other hand, once summer gets here and the temperatures get into the 90’s, you will have to change the nectar every day to make sure it stays fresh and doesn’t cause your feeder to get moldy.
Hummingbirds wont come to a feeder that doesn’t have fresh nectar and a moldy feeder can be extremely hard to clean. So, replacing your hummingbird nectar when it should be replaced, will save you a lot of time and trouble in the long run.
Below is a chart that shows different temperature ranges and how they will effect how long your recipe for hummingbird nectar will stay fresh.
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
Follow these guide lines and watch your homemade hummingbird food and you shouldn’t have any trouble with the nectar going bad and molding. Keep an eye on your nectar….. when it stats to look cloudy, you need to change it.
Red in your recipe for hummingbird nectar isn’t necessary to attract hummingbirds either, as long as your feeder has some red on it they will find it. You can easily add red to a feeder just by tying some strips of red ribbon to the feeder or some red silk flowers.
Feeder maintenance:
To maintain your feeder you should rinse it out about once a week with a solution of 10% white vinegar and water. Rinse your feeder several times after that with plain water to wash out all traces of the vinegar water.
In the event that your recipe for hummingbird nectar does go bad and produces mold, you will need a stronger solution to clean the feeder and kill the mold. This time you will have to rinse your feeder with a (bleach water solution) that contains 10% bleach. Soak your entire feeder in this solution for about 60 minutes to kill the mold and sterilize the feeder.
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You may also need to use small bottle brushes and pipe cleaners to dislodge mold inside the feeder and in the feeding ports. When your feeder is finished soaking and is scrubbed glean, be sure to rinse it thoroughly with water, 3 or 4 times, to wash off all the bleach water, before refilling the feeder with fresh nectar. |
You can save yourself a lot of time and trouble when it comes time to clean your feeder. The best thing you can do is just start with a feeder that’s easy to clean. One that comes apart and allows you easy access to the inside of the feeder.
Best hummingbird feeder
Now that your recipe for 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 recipe for hummingbird nectar from bees ants and wasps.
My favorite choice of hummingbird feeders to use with the recipe for hummingbird nectar is Aspects 12oz Hummzinger Ultra With Nectar Guard
It’s affordable 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 it from ants and other crawling insects, the ant moat below will do the job.
Trap-It Ant Moat for Hummingbird Feeders
Buy hummingbird feeder ant moat Now
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.
Good luck feeding your hummingbirds and remember to keep your feeder clean and your nectar fresh. I hope you enjoyed this article about the recipe for hummingbird nectar.
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