Hummingbirds are fun to have around.  What other bird can flap its wings 50 times in one second?  But there are issues with hummingbird nectar.  It is a mixture of one part granular sugar to 4 parts water, so ants love it.  There are several products on the market to help you with this problem…one is Vaseline.  If you have a standing hummingbird feeder, one attached to your deck for example, which is not hanging, simply put a little Vaseline on the stem of the feeder, in an area which the hummers don’t use…this will prevent the ants from crawling up the feeder, while not harming the hummingbird.  Do not put it near where the hummingbird will be feeding; you don’t want the hummingbird to get Vaseline on its body.  (Below is a margarita hummingbird feeder from Woodlink.  The stem would be a perfect place to apply vaseline, with no risk to the humminbirds)

If you have a hanging feeder, you can either coat the string, or chain the feeder is hanging from with Vaseline, or purchase or make an ant moat.  Ants cannot swim.  Therefore, if you can create a water moat above the feeder, they will not be able to make it to the sweet hummingbird nectar.  The one we offer at Barn in the Sticks is a simple design that is also red, the color which helps attract hummingbirds.