[NatureNS] ants invading hummingbird feeders

From: "Jean Timpa" <jtimpa@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2007 19:21:17 -0300
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	I don't maintain hummingbird feeders, so I am not quite sure why 
there is such a fuss about the ants?  Do they actually clog the openings to 
the feeder?  I can see that it would not be so much fun to try to handle 
feeders with ants on them when replenishing the freshly made syrup. My 
curiosity about this is that hummingbirds do require a certain amount of 
protein in their diet, and I would think that the presence of the ants so close 
to their source of sugar syrup would be helpful to them and give them a far 
better chance at a balanced diet. Surely this is how hummies capture small 
insects, as they invade natural flowers for nectar.  Are these syrup feeders 
really for the hummingbirds or for us?  Jean Timpa in Wolfville

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