A Simple Hummingbird Feeder Upgrade That'll Help Keep Ants Away

When it comes to backyard visitors, there are very few who are more welcome than hummingbirds. These small, exceptionally beautiful birds are popular to the point that homeowners will plant entire gardens sown with the kinds of flowers hummingbirds love to sip nectar from. A less labor-intensive method of attracting hummingbirds is to set up a feeder. Be warned, however. This method will also attract some unwanted visitors: ants. Thankfully, there is a simple hummingbird feeder upgrade that will help keep ants away.

Ants, along with various other types of potentially harmful insects, are attracted to the same thing hummingbirds are: the nectar in your feeder. Whether it's a homemade nectar or a jar you bought from the garden center, the sugars draw critters to the feeder. Keeping ants away can be a chore, but Teflon tape can help prevent them from reaching the nectar.

Teflon tape creates a watertight seal when wrapped around the threads of a pipe or fitting. Unlike other types of tape, Teflon does not have any sticky components. However, when used on your hummingbird feeder, it will create a surface that is far too slippery for the ants to climb across.

Teflon tape is made out of a material called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), which is a synthetic polymer used in a wide variety of materials, from automotive parts to nonstick cookware. Also called plumbers' tape or PTFE tape, Teflon is a non-adhesive material that has a high resistance to water and heat. It's the non-adhesive surface that makes it too slippery for ants to climb. As such, you can use it in a number of different ways to safeguard your hummingbird feeder.

Wrap tape around the base of the feeder to stop ants from climbing into the nectar. While other methods, such as ant moats or lubricants on the feeder pole, may be more effective, Teflon tape is a cheap solution that has an additional benefit that the others don't: it can also fix leaks.

If your feeder is leaking, the escaping nectar is likely attracting ants. A simple solution is to wrap teflon tape around the threads of your feeder, which will create a tight seal that prevents the nectar from leaking any further. This works better with a glass feeder, as plastic can warp when overheated. It's an affordable, dual-purpose upgrade that helps keep ants away and prevents leaks.