How to keep ants off bird feeder pole
Ants really are a nuisance to our backyard birds, thus its vital ants can never be given the chance to invade bird feeders or block off hummingbird feeder nectar ports.
How to keep ants off bird feeder pole would be to apply double-sided tape at the bottom of the pole to trap ants attempting to climb. Squirrel baffle can then be installed above the tape to it keep waterproof. You can create an ant moat full of water in a concrete pole foundation, or indeed use an ant moat to hang only.
With ants swarming what would be an unconventional regular bird feeder is rare but possible - whereby ants really like to feed on nectar within a hummingbird feeder.
That being said, how to keep ants off a bird feeder pole - such as a Shepherd's Hook or bird feeding station - is how you would keep ants off a hummingbird feeder pole.
While keeping ants off the bird feeder pole is achievable, can I suggest you at least prevent ants at bird feeder level only - as its saves you a lot of time and effort by preventing insects climbing a pole.
Simply hang any bird feeder off an ant moat full of water then ants will be seen to drown in the water dish before ever reaching the bird feeder hanging below the ant moat.
I do understand the need to keep ants off a bird feeder pole all together, especially if that pole continues to be overrun by ants.
What you need to do then is apply double-sided tape near to the bottom of the pole to trap ants as they climb over this sticky substance.
You'd need to change the interior-use only double-sided tape regularly to maintain its strength, with an option to keep it dry and out of the sun - positioned under the shelter of a squirrel baffle.
Better than anything I have suggested thus far, is the idea of sinking a bird feeder pole - in a way that is temporary only - into a concrete foundation. In this foundation you will create a sealed moat to fill with water to make your own ant moat in the ground.
In doing so, you'd need to be sure the bird feeder pole can be inserted in straight - yet if it doesn't work out for you - its possible to simply lift out the dry concrete foundation block to start again, or if you must abandon all attempts.
Dangle bird feeders under Ant Moat
Despite the crafty sods always seen to access bird food or to be more precise, hummingbird feeder nectar - it is possible to stop ants accessing feeders.
Rather than go through the more complex way of keeping ants off a bird feeder pole, for now let's concentrate on preventing ants only reaching bird feeders.
With that in mind we'll install an ant moat above all bird feeders on the pole to stop ants descending down on feeders. How an ant moat is used for a hummingbird feeder is how it will be used for any type of bird feeder.
What you do is hang a deep dish of plain tap water on the bird feeder pole bracket, and below this water dish is a hook for hanging any bird feeder beneath it.
An ant moat is what its called and while very simple to use, this technique is highly successful at deterring ants.
How to keep ants off a bird feeder pole only can be achieved on occasions but its very difficult to say the least.
You'd then focus your time and effort at keeping ants off feeders at bird feeder level only; because its here we can make use of the ant moat.
Clean bird feeder pole area
Why ants are attracted to hummingbird feeders hanging up on a pole is because the sweet smell of sugary water - whereas a regular bird feeder could be sensed by ants.
What you can do before applying methods set fourth, is first to tidy up your bird feeder pole area.
Uncleanliness is a cause of ants converging on the area, and while ants will be attracted to spilled food or sugar water on the ground - ants can certainly be bothered to climb up a pole to reach food or water in its purest form.
Clean up the area below your bird feeder pole while making sure bird feeder exterior remains clean to deter not only ants - but it can help to keep sugar seeking bees away.
What keeps ants off hummingbird feeders is a nectar-free area below the pole; whereby regular bird food can be less of an issue but still enough to bring an insect infestation.
Messy bird feeder area can be cause of unstable bird feeders leaking nectar or dropping bird food - as an unstable bird feeder pole will throw off bird food in the littlest of wind or random movement.
Apply sticky tape to pole
Less conventional way than all techniques offered thus far to keep ants off a bird feeder pole is applying sticky tape to the pole.
Ants will have to climb up the pole a foot or less then they will eventually reach what is double-sided sticky tape applied to the bird feeder pole. Double-sided to stick on the tape while the other side is used to trap ants.
Its not at all an apply once and forget about it kind of ant trap, as double-sided tape tends to not be suitable for exterior use.
With that, do consider changing the tape every time its water or weather damaged, while re-applying to maintain a strong adhesive.
Its very unlikely ants can climb over sticky tape and as this is the only route to the bird feeders situated above - no ants has a chance of succeeding.
You know what people go through the trouble of using grease on a bird feeder pole, when this greasy mess could be avoided by simply using a bit of stationary.
And as double-sided tape isn't made for outdoor use, or at least tape you can re-move when you want to - we can try to keep it out of damp conditions.
With that in mind, you could install a squirrel baffle above the point of the sticky tape - its not going to be used to stop squirrels climbing the pole this time - but the wide disc can be used as rain cover or shelter from the sun.
Form ant moat in pole foundation
How you'd normally impale the bird feeder pole into the ground can do with an upgrade in order to keep ants off the bird feeder pole
And although it feels like a permanent technique, I can assure you it really isn't.
What you do then is bury the bird feeder pole into a concrete foundation on your lawn. Now I know you don't want to lay waste to your beautiful lawn - though if done right we can keep the view of an ugly block of gray cement to a minimum.
I don't want you to sink your bird feeder pole into the cement either as this is irreversible, thus to sink a pipe into the concrete to then slide the tip of your pole in would be the best option for you.
Not only can the bird feeder pole be kept clean but if the foundation isn't needed later on; concrete block with the pipe insert can be thrown on the landfill.
OK so here is what you must do with the concrete foundation: you must pour the cement with an unwanted bowl or dish pressed in to create a mold. Quickly force in the pipe in the center before it dries then make sure cracks are sealed over.
What you end up with now is a bird feeder pole in the center of an homemade ant moat, actually formed into a concrete block.
Be sure the ant moat foundation is sealed as you don't want water to leak. Now all you'll see in this full of water ant moat is ant bodies floating.
Where you place your bird feeders, and therefore your bird feeder pole for this to work must be on a lawn or soft turf so you can dig out earth to pour in a concrete foundation.
Conclusion
Let me stop you there, to save you a lot of time and money can I ask you to simply buy what is called an ant moat for a hummingbird feeder.
Ant moats can be used for any kind of bird feeder providing its made to hang, including for use with hanging flower basket if you like - to stop ants descending.
You dangle the ant moat on the bracket or branch the bird feeder is intended to be hung off, then you hang the bird feeder on a hook that is mounted beneath this ant moat.
What you get is a branch or bracket with an ant moat full of water hanging off it, with a bird feeder hanging off the ant moat below it.
Ants now must pass over a moat full of water to reach any bird feeder, with the result only leading to ants drowning.
With that being said, it certainly doesn't hurt to tidy up spilled hummingbird nectar or bird food if its this what is attracting ants in the first place.
If you only want to concentrate on keeping ants off bird feeder pole all together, then you can use double-sided sticky tape near the bottom of the pole to trap ants in their tracks.
Sticky tape isn't waterproof of made for outdoor use, thus a squirrel baffle can be used to install above the tape to create shelter.
My most radical solution yet must be sinking your bird feeder pole into a concrete foundation. Only in this foundation you'll form a dip to hold water which will become an homemade ant moat... then see if ants can even reach the bird feeder pole.
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