Best bee proof hummingbird feeders: the designs that keep bees out

This is the only feeder here that ships with Nectar-Guard tips already on the ports. Aspects says the tips keep bees, wasps and other flying insects out of the nectar. The idea is simple: each tip is a flexible membrane that parts when a hummingbird pushes its bill in and closes when the bird pulls away, so there is never an open hole for an insect to crawl into.

The rest of the design does quieter work. Nectar sits in a clear basin under a red lid, the flower ports are raised so rain runs off rather than in, and the ant moat is part of the lid. Aspects backs the polycarbonate body with a lifetime guarantee. The lid lifts straight off, and that matters more than it sounds: a feeder you can scrub in a minute is a feeder you will actually clean every few days in summer.

The same saucer idea as the Ultra, with one change: a raised HighView perch that keeps the bird upright and visible while it feeds. Aspects builds this one from UV stabilized polycarbonate, which suits a feeder that spends the summer in full sun.

It does not come with insect guards. It still has the saucer advantage, because the nectar sits down in the basin rather than at the port, but if you are fighting an established swarm, the Ultra is the better buy. Aspects sells Nectar Guard tips for select models; check the tip listing for HighView compatibility before you order them together.

A smaller HighView with three ports and an 8 oz basin. Smaller is a feature here, not a compromise. Aspects points out that small feeders suit territorial hummingbirds, because you can hang two or three apart instead of one large feeder that a single bird guards.

A small basin also means less nectar thrown away. Sugar water needs changing more often in hot weather, and a feeder the birds empty quickly stays fresher between cleanings.

Not every bee resistant feeder is a saucer. The Ruby is an inverted glass bottle over a red base, and its four ports have bee guards built in. The retailer listing describes it plainly: hummingbirds feed normally while bees and wasps are stopped at the port. The bottle has a wide mouth and the base detaches flat, which makes it easier to clean than most bottle feeders.

The trade off is physics. In any inverted bottle, the nectar sits right behind the ports, so a worn or missing guard leaves nectar at the opening. Check the guards every time you clean it.

If you already own a HummZinger that shipped without guards, this is the cheapest fix on the list. The tips slide onto the ports on the underside of the lid. The membrane in the center of each one opens when a hummingbird inserts its bill and closes tight when it leaves, which Aspects describes as a barrier flying insects cannot get through.