Most detergents contain endocrine-disruptors, active even in tiny amounts. Dyes are part of that. Dawn has dyes.
Deb From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of John Gregoire Sent: Monday, July 7, 2025 6:55 AM To: Paul Schmitt <[email protected]>; CAYUGABIRDS-L <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] ants in bird-feeders A diagram or photo of your invention would help as most use an open cup between hanger and feeder. Any amt of soap could well be harmful to a hummer's very small mass. On Mon, Jul 7, 2025 at 6:38 AM Paul Schmitt <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: You perhaps misunderstand? It is not a one-cup liquid measure. That would be huge! Fabricated mine using a copper 1/2 inch pipe cap soldered to a short length of heavy copper wire. Anyhow, a single drop of Dawn is hardly toxic. Paul Sent from my iPad On Jul 7, 2025, at 6:30 AM, John Gregoire <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Strongly advise against your suggestion to use soap Paul. Physically, breaking the surface tension is as you describe BUT, many birds including hummers drink from the ant cups. John On Sun, Jul 6, 2025 at 5:48 PM Paul Schmitt <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Ant guards only work if you add and a small, very small bit of soap to break the surface tension. Think Dawn. Similarly, I add a drop or two of dawn to the dandelion treatment so the treatment wets the weeds natural surface barrier. Mine are hung from the house overhang by a 16 gauge wire with the ant guard at eye level. There is a S hook next to accept the feeder. Also, NO RED DYE please. Good luck. Paul Sent from my iPhone On Jul 6, 2025, at 2:41 PM, Sandra J. Kisner <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: Any suggestions for keeping ants out of hummingbird feeders? My sister-in-law has one, and even with an ant-guard on it they get in (and drown). -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME.htm> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES.htm> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> ABA<https://www.aba.org/birding-news/> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME.htm> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES.htm> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> ABA<https://www.aba.org/birding-news/> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME.htm> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES.htm> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> ABA<https://www.aba.org/birding-news/> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- (copy & paste any URL below, then modify any text "_DOT_" to a period ".") Cayugabirds-L List Info: NortheastBirding_DOT_com/CayugabirdsWELCOME_DOT_htm NortheastBirding_DOT_com/CayugabirdsRULES_DOT_htm NortheastBirding_DOT_com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave_DOT_htm ARCHIVES: 1) mail-archive_DOT_com/cayugabirds-l@cornell_DOT_edu/maillist_DOT_html 2) surfbirds_DOT_com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) aba_DOT_org/birding-news/ Please submit your observations to eBird: ebird_DOT_org/content/ebird/ --
