Too Many Bees, Not Enough Hummingbirds? Here's Why

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You set up the perfect hummingbird feeder, filled it with fresh nectar, and now there are thirty bees on it and zero hummingbirds in sight. It's one of the most frustrating scenarios in backyard birding — and it has a very specific set of causes and solutions.

Here's the good news: the bees found your feeder first, but hummingbirds can absolutely reclaim it. You just need to know what you're doing. —

Why Bees Get There First

Hummingbirds and bees are both looking for sugar, but they don't search the same way. Hummingbirds are local residents or known migrants who remember specific food locations. Bees are constant foragers sending out scouts in all directions.

When you put out a new feeder — or refill one after a break — bees often find it before hummingbirds do. Once one bee finds a food source, it recruits others through communication back at the hive. Within hours, you can have a full bee colony working your feeder.

The presence of bees actively deters hummingbirds. Hummingbirds can get stung, and they're smart enough to avoid feeders that are swarmed with insects. So once bees claim the feeder, the hummingbirds stop coming — which makes it look like a bee feeder instead of a hummingbird feeder. —

Feeder Design Is a Big Part of the Problem

Most leaky or poorly designed feeders expose nectar in a way that bees can easily reach. Look at your feeder:

• Are the ports wide enough for a bee to insert its body? Some port designs essentially invite bees in.
• Is nectar visible or pooled around the ports? Bees can smell and see sugar at a distance.
• Does it leak? Even a small drip on a hot day creates a bee magnet on the ground below the feeder.

Saucer-style feeders sit the nectar below the port level. Hummingbirds have long enough tongues to reach it; bees usually can't. This single design change eliminates most bee problems without any other intervention. —

Time of Day Matters

Bees are most active in the morning and midday when temperatures are highest. Hummingbirds are most active at dawn and dusk.

If your feeder is swarmed with bees all day and you're not seeing hummingbirds, try watching it in the early morning or late afternoon. You may find the hummingbirds are visiting during windows when bees are less active — or you may find that bee coverage is preventing them altogether. —

How to Reclaim Your Feeder

Step 1: Check for leaks. A leaking feeder is the single biggest driver of bee infestations. Fix any leaks before doing anything else.

Step 2: Add bee guards. Many feeders sell small plastic mesh guards that fit over the feeding ports. They have holes large enough for a hummingbird's beak but too small for a bee's body. They're inexpensive and highly effective.

Step 3: Move the feeder. Bees are creatures of habit — they return to the same location repeatedly. Moving your feeder just 3–4 feet can confuse them enough to give hummingbirds a chance. Over a few days, bees will struggle to find the "new" location while hummingbirds (with better spatial memory) will track it down.

Step 4: Temporarily remove the feeder. This is the nuclear option, but it works. If bees have thoroughly taken over, take the feeder down for 2–3 days. Bee colonies have short food memories — they'll shift their foraging routes. When you put the feeder back up, do it in a slightly different location, and the hummingbirds will find it before the bees re-establish.

Step 5: Never use oil or petroleum products on the feeder. Some people try coating feeder ports with cooking oil or petroleum jelly to deter bees. These substances can get onto a hummingbird's feathers and seriously damage its ability to regulate temperature and fly. Don't do it. —

What About Wasp Traps and Bee-Away Sprays?

Commercial wasp traps placed near (but not on) the feeder can reduce overall pressure from bees and wasps. They won't eliminate the problem if your feeder is the root cause, but they help as part of a broader strategy.

Never use insecticides near your feeder. Even low concentrations of common garden insecticides can be lethal to hummingbirds, which have extremely sensitive metabolisms. —

The Feeder Location Check

Sometimes the location itself is the problem. If your feeder is:

• Hanging directly above a garden bed full of flowers bees already visit
• In direct afternoon sun (warming the nectar and making it smell stronger)
• Near a known bee nesting site

...then bees will always find it faster than hummingbirds. Relocating to a more shaded spot away from existing bee traffic can dramatically reduce the competition. —