Hummingbirds are delightful to watch, and they also eat a variety of insects. Agricultural Extension Agent George Killgore shares some tips on attracting these aerial acrobats. To attract hummingbirds, plant a multitude of colorful flowers (figure A), and try to have something blooming throughout the growing season. Place colorful plants in groups in full sun. Good choices include salvia, butterfly bush, Indian paintbrush, red-hot poker, fuchsia, trumpet creeper, trumpet vine, honeysuckle, nicotiana, scarlet runner bean and cardinal flower.
You can also offer "nectar" (4 parts water and 1 part sugar, heated to a boil, then cooled) in special hummingbird feeders. Red food coloring is unnecessary. Never use honey, fruit sugar or artificial sweeteners. You can purchase hummingbird-food mixes (figure B), but they're a lot more expensive than sugar-water.
Avoid placing feeders close to windows: hummingbirds may be injured if they fly into the glass. Replace the sugar solution and wash the feeder every day or two in hot weather. Rinse well to wash away any soapy residue. Hummingbird feeders come in a variety of styles and are available at garden centers and specialty stores. Since they're filled with sugar, they attract not only hummingbirds but also ants and wasps. To deter ants, drill a hole in a spray-paint-can lid, and thread it onto the hanging wire of the feeder (figure C). Seal the drilled hole with silicone once the wire is in place. Then fill the cap with water: ants can't get past the water barrier.
GUESTS :
George Killgore
UT Agricultural Extension
5201 Marchant Drive
Nashville, TN 37211-5201
Phone: 615-834-5162
Fax: 615-834-0043
Website: http://www.utextension.utk.edu
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