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in Gardening

DIY Hummingbird Feeder Ant Moat Tutorial

DIY Hummingbird Feeder Ant Guard Tutorial
Hey all!

I love having birds in my garden, so I always hang a selection of bird feeders, each aimed at attracting a specific type or group of birds. The staple feeder of any garden is of course the hummingbird feeder. Who can resist those little suckers? They are gorgeous jewels that zoom around, feed, fight each other over food and make a ton of (non-annoying) racket.

What is annoying is the stupid ants have decided the hummingbird feeder is also their feeder. I honestly wouldn’t mind it- ants do serve a purpose in the garden- but their presence on the feeder often repels the hummingbirds, especially if they are of the really pheromone-y variety that stink to high heaven.

DIY Hummingbird Feeder Ant Guard
The best natural solution I’ve found for this problem is to use an hummingbird feeder ant moat (also known as an ant guard) that hangs between the feeder and whatever it’s hanging from to deter the ants from going after the sugar water in the feeder. Ants will not attempt to cross the water in the ant guard because they can’t swim and can drown in even a drop of water if they get caught up in it.

I could just buy an ant guard since there are plenty of them on the market, but almost all of them are plastic (which doesn’t last long outdoors) and, frankly, pretty ugly. I have seen some pretty ceramic ones for sale as of late, but they are pretty pricey. So I decided to make some of my own and try to come up with something eye-catching and save myself a few bucks to boot.

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • 1 – 1 1/2″ terracotta flower pot (find them at craft stores)
  • 2 – 2 1/2″ x 3/16″ eye screws
  • 1 – 3/16″ coupling nut
  • 2 – 3/16″ nuts
  • waterproof silicone sealant

DIY Hummingbird Feeder Ant Guard 03
Screw one of the nuts all the way down on one of the eye bolts:DIY Hummingbird Feeder Ant Guard 04
Insert bolt through the bottom of the pot:DIY Hummingbird Feeder Ant Guard 05
Put a dab of silicone around the bolt on the inside of the pot, then screw down the other bolt on top of it, holding the bottom bolt firm and forming a watertight seal:DIY Hummingbird Feeder Ant Guard 06
Screw the connecting bolt halfway onto the eye bolt in the pot, then screw the other eye bolt onto the other side:DIY Hummingbird Feeder Ant Guard 07
Allow silicone to dry for 24 hours. DIY Hummingbird Feeder Ant Guard Tutorial
Attach ant guard to wherever you hang your hummingbird feeder, fill pot with water, and hang your hummingbird feeder from it.

Feel free to paint this if you like… I left mine au naturel for now, but I might paint it later. Also, feel free to experiment with different sized pots and hardware. I like the look of the tiny pots, but in summertime I have to refill them with water almost daily. A bigger pot would not have to be filled as often.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and it helps keep the hummers in your garden happy! 😉

Michelle

52 Comments

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. katherine says

    August 14, 2014 at 1:57 pm

    Awesome, thanks

    Reply
    • Michelle @ The Painted Hinge says

      August 14, 2014 at 7:18 pm

      You betcha! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Nana says

    August 19, 2014 at 7:10 am

    You are SO creative!!! Thank you for a pretty alternative!!!

    Reply
    • Michelle @ The Painted Hinge says

      August 19, 2014 at 8:15 am

      You’re welcome Nana! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures says

    October 18, 2014 at 5:45 am

    What a perfectly charming solution! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

    Reply
    • Michelle @ The Painted Hinge says

      October 18, 2014 at 6:11 am

      Thank you Marci! 🙂 Before I did this, I tried everything short of buying the plastic ant moats, so I’m glad it worked so well, and looks good while doing it. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Stephanie J. says

    April 6, 2016 at 8:39 am

    Ingenious!!

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      April 7, 2016 at 7:04 pm

      Thanks so much Stephanie! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Chris says

    May 2, 2016 at 5:03 pm

    Are the little clay pots waterproof? Seems to me the water would evaporate through the sides of the pot as well as the top. Do you think spray painting them would help them to retain water better? I have used a commercial ant trap previously and have floated Ivory dish soap on top of the water. It really cuts down on the evaporation. Love your idea and plan to try it soon.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      May 2, 2016 at 9:25 pm

      Hi Chris!

      They are waterproof to a point… the clay pot absorbs some of the water, which holds the rest of the water in. I’ve since painted the pots (haven’t gotten around to post the pics yet) and they do hold the water better and don’t dry out as fast. Using dish soap in place of water is an awesome idea! 🙂

      Happy you loved my idea and thanks for sharing the dish soap tip!

      Reply
      • Sue says

        October 12, 2019 at 9:52 am

        You can use a clay pot sealer, such as Thompsons Water Seal. If you are thinking of painting the pot, its good to also seal it first. The paint you apply will last longer.

        Reply
  6. Dusty says

    May 9, 2016 at 10:22 pm

    I paint them, but turn them upside down & use Vaseline inside the pot. I was afraid of mosquitoes even changing their feeder every few days. Ants don’t go over the vasiline. Just wash & reapply when needed.

    Reply
    • Dip says

      September 5, 2019 at 8:36 pm

      Vaseline is a bad idea. If the crazy birds happen to get some on them or try to eat some it will be bad for them. Water is the best. Refill every couple days or so. The birds might even want a drink of the pure water. I use distilled but I’d use rain water if I collected it. If mosquitoes are terrible then I’d empty it and replace with fresh water more often.

      Reply
  7. Connie S. says

    June 12, 2016 at 9:25 pm

    I am so excited to make these for my husband for Father’s day. He has feeders and the ants are a problem. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      June 15, 2016 at 6:59 am

      You’re welcome Connie! 🙂 Your husband will love them!

      Reply
  8. onmyporch says

    February 18, 2017 at 3:54 pm

    Awesome! A couple of my hummingbird feeders have built in ant Moats on top. The chickadees love to drink from them, so maybe a little larger pot would attract them also!

    Reply
    • Nashville Nana says

      April 25, 2019 at 3:21 am

      Maybe try making it with the saucer for the terra-cotta pots? You should be able to use a fairly big one that the bird will love drinking out of but still stop the ants?

      Reply
  9. Matt says

    March 26, 2017 at 11:45 am

    The feeder itself is beautiful! Where can I get one like it? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      March 26, 2017 at 12:27 pm

      Hi Matt! I got it at Amazon: http://amzn.to/2nkXgi6

      Reply
  10. Paul says

    June 19, 2017 at 7:09 pm

    I made one similar to yours with a spray paint can cover using a fishing swivel. The key to your water problem is to use cooking oil of your choice. It lasts all summer.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      June 20, 2017 at 8:42 pm

      Thanks for the tip Paul! I’m definitely going to try that! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Paulette says

    August 4, 2017 at 8:51 am

    Oh my gosh!!! This is perfect!!! Thanks!

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      August 5, 2017 at 8:17 am

      You’re very welcome Paulette! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Angela Woywod says

    August 7, 2017 at 6:28 pm

    Water is the safest substance to use in an ant moat. Dish soap and oil could harm the birds that are drinking from the moat.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      August 8, 2017 at 11:47 am

      Thanks for the info Angela! Definitely want to keep my hummers safe and healthy! 🙂

      Reply
  13. JG says

    August 17, 2017 at 6:01 am

    What an amazingly awesome idea! I love the natural look of the clay pot with the feeder in my garden!!!

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      August 17, 2017 at 6:56 pm

      Thanks so much! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Cyndi says

    November 2, 2017 at 12:08 am

    Vaseline on the hanger also works . . ants won’t go on the vaseline

    Reply
    • sue says

      October 12, 2019 at 9:55 am

      But its bad for birds! – stick to the water.

      Reply
  15. Stephanie says

    January 18, 2018 at 5:06 am

    What a fantastic idea. After reading some of the comments saying the hummingbirds drink from attached pieces. I thought maybe the saucers for the clay pots might be an idea. They would probably need to be filled with water everyday. But such a simple thing for watching the beautiful birds. Thanks for sharing your wonderful ideas.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      January 20, 2018 at 9:16 am

      Hi Stephanie! I have tried some of the other suggestions that have been shared here, but I feel better about just using water and refilling it often, both for the health of the hummingbirds and to keep the feeders and our deck clean. I did try using vegetable oil once and it worked well for ant control, but when it rained the oil would overflow and spill all over the hummingbird feeders and our deck and made quite a mess. It’s just plain ol’ water for me for now on! 🙂

      Reply
  16. LB says

    February 27, 2018 at 3:19 pm

    I’ve done this but used a can (Delmonte Green Beans or San Marco Pealed Tomatoes). I’ve either removed the label and spray painted the outside of the can red to help attract hummers or left the label and sprayed it with a sealant so it lasts through the season. Just drill a whole in the bottom and attach the bolt, etc. the same as with your example. I’ve only used water as birds do drink from it. Liked how the label looked, kind of farm chic.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      March 1, 2018 at 8:58 am

      Thanks for sharing this with us LB! What a great idea to use a can and finding a way to preserve the label on it! Very cool!

      Reply
  17. Judith says

    April 5, 2018 at 3:50 am

    I think if you sprayed the inside or outside (or both) of the clay pot, which as a gardener, I really like the look, it would keep the water in a little longer.
    Just a thought.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      April 9, 2018 at 10:42 am

      Thanks for sharing your wonderful tip Judith! 🙂

      Reply
  18. Cindy says

    April 16, 2018 at 7:41 am

    Love this, going to make this with my feeders. I have been putting baby powder on the top of mine and the ants won’t cross it. Have had lots of problems with ants where we lived but not since since using the powder. My problem also was bees, haven’t solved that one yet.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      April 16, 2018 at 10:02 am

      Thank you Cindy! 🙂 We’ve had the bee problem too, and I haven’t figured out how to keep them out either.

      Reply
  19. Monica Westerfield says

    May 23, 2018 at 11:51 am

    Thank you so much for this post. I am extremely tired of having to replace the water in my feeders.

    Reply
  20. Ron in Ohio says

    July 16, 2018 at 8:51 am

    Not a “Bee problem” – Due to mostly pesticides, we have not seen a Honey Bee all Summer. And we are in the middle of a prime Apple and Peach growing region.

    What we HAD around our Hummingbird feeders were various Wasps and Yellow Jackets. No more! I cut out a fine mesh, store, onion bag and placed it between the nectar reservoir and the beak openings. The pesky Wasp types become quickly discouraged and go away leaving the Hummingbird’s visits alone. It deters all but the smallest Ants too. I don’t remember where I found this idea on the Internet to give attribution to. It works!

    I’m still gonna’ build a few of these Ant Moats though. For nothing else but to give water to our Chickadees and maybe they’ll the little drowned ants too. I will use a few of the plastic Terracotta look-alike’s instead to lessen the water loss.

    Reply
    • Michelle says

      July 21, 2018 at 8:27 pm

      Thanks for the info Ron! We have yellow jackets here too (a.k.a. arseholes with wings) and tips to discourage them are always welcome 🙂

      Reply
  21. Patti Luzzo says

    April 24, 2019 at 5:59 am

    Thanks, on my things to do today list. And sharing with my sis.

    Reply
  22. Flora Baker says

    May 23, 2019 at 4:06 pm

    I made your ant moat. I’m going to paint mine at a later date also. I’m sure it’s going to work great. I’m sick of the ants. They probably hate me because I’ve killed some of their family. Anyway thank you so much for the idea. Happy Humming Birding.

    Reply
  23. Joyce says

    June 11, 2019 at 2:38 pm

    Great idea, found the screw eye bolts, and the nuts but the connector is a no show please help, any ideas

    Reply
    • Mary G says

      June 27, 2019 at 9:39 am

      I bought some yesterday at Home Depot 3/16 they are in a small bag in the screw and bolt section

      Reply
    • Jennifer says

      May 9, 2020 at 9:02 am

      I just bought regular lag bolts at Menards. They’re all in one. 99cents. And they come in all sizes.

      Reply
  24. Polly says

    July 29, 2019 at 11:53 am

    I’m going to make a couple of these moats for my Hummingbird feeders. I am so tired of the ants and this is such a cute idea!! I’ll let you know how they turn out!

    Reply
  25. Diane says

    August 28, 2019 at 2:05 pm

    The hole on my pot is smaller than the eye screws you said to get. Did you enlarge the hole in the bottom, and if so, how?

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 14 DIY Hummingbird Feeders That’ll Be the Buzz Around Your Garden says:
    December 2, 2015 at 3:59 am

    […] Hummingbird Feeder with Ant Moat – Ants are a major problem with hummingbird feeders. This DIY version has an ant moat to help keep your feeder safe from the ants that will gladly eat all your nectar. […]

    Reply
  2. 14 DIY Hummingbird Feeders That’ll Be the Buzz Around Your Garden | Prepper's Survival Homestead says:
    December 2, 2015 at 6:15 am

    […] Hummingbird Feeder with Ant Moat – Ants are a major problem with hummingbird feeders. This DIY version has an ant moat to help keep your feeder safe from the ants that will gladly eat all your nectar. […]

    Reply
  3. 22 Easy DIY Hummingbird Feeder Plans from Recycled Materials – 100% FREE says:
    January 13, 2018 at 6:01 am

    […] Make this feeder […]

    Reply
  4. 16 DIY Homemade Hummingbird Feeder Ideas That Will Attract Them to Your Home - Homesteading Alliance says:
    August 20, 2018 at 12:28 pm

    […] use a small clay pot to hang above the feeder to deter ants from finding their way into your feeder. It’s a great way […]

    Reply
  5. cay toc o dau tot nhat says:
    October 20, 2018 at 1:08 am

    cách làm lông mi dài tại nhà

    DIY Hummingbird Feeder Ant Moat Tutorial

    Reply

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Anyway, here's my Christmas dining room for 2020! I wanted to do a red and gold Christmas theme in here for so long and I finally did it! If you'd like to see more pictures, please visit my blog - link in my profile. ⁣
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I don't know if I could have cut this any closer t I don't know if I could have cut this any closer to the unofficial cutoff to post Turkey Day projects (well, I guess I could have posted this ON Thanksgiving) but here's my DIY ornamental corn wreath tutorial - link in my profile!

I hope you and yours have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!!! 🦃🍁🍂🌾🧡
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#farmhouse #farmhousedecor #fall #thanksgiving #ornamentalcorn  #wreaths #farmhousethanksgiving #fallfrontporch #fallporch #farmhouseporch #milkcan #milkcans
Happy Saturday friends! Today I joined a group of Happy Saturday friends! Today I joined a group of talented ladies to bring you the bimonthly Lifestyle Of Love blog hop!⁣
⁣
This month's theme is decorating with frames, so I jumped into the blog wayback machine to see what I could dig up that would fit the theme. I found this fall wreath from 2014 when I was in a shabby chic phase. Do you think it passed the test of time? ⁣
⁣
There's much more where this came from - you can get the directions on how to make one of these frame wreaths for yourself as well as check out all the fabulous frame ideas from all the LOL ladies on my blog - link in my profile.⁣
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I hope you have the best weekend! <3⁣
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#lifestyleoflove #falldecor #fallwreath #fallwreaths #farmhousestyle ⁣
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Happy Friday friends!!! ⁣ ⁣ Are you a 7UP fan? Happy Friday friends!!! ⁣
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Are you a 7UP fan? Then you might like my vintage 7UP crate Christmas centerpiece I put together! It's part of this month's Thrifty Style Team, where every month I join a team of talented ladies to bring you DIY projects and decor inspiration that won't break the bank! You can find the link to this month's TST on my blog - link in my profile. ⁣
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Have an outstanding weekend! ⁣
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Happy Halloween!!! 🎃 I bought these guys with t Happy Halloween!!! 🎃 I bought these guys with the intention of using them in a Halloween themed entryway but never got around to it, so I added them to my fall front porch display for the Halloween weekend. 

Have a safe and fun Halloween and don’t forget to turn your clocks back tonight! ⏰🕰
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