For the Love of Dirt: My Lazy Ant Moat

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

My Lazy Ant Moat

ANT MOAT (plastic dish)

Hummingbird Feeder

“Ants are terrifying, having survived for 130 million years, evolving into a monarchical society of soldiers with bizarre levels of self sacrifice. Ants keep slaves. I don’t crush them, it’s pointless, they outnumber humans tenfold by body mass.” ― Pega Rose, The Someday List

I've been watching those big black ants crawl into and all around the hummer feeder. All summer long. Drove me nuts. And the Hummers were frustrated.

They wouldn't feed, as long as ants were having their own little spa day in the sugar water. Silly ants crept inside the holes to drink, and got caught.

I decided that I should stop them. And thid crazy crooked moat worked. The hummers have returned to the feeder.

Looks weird. Yes. Mine is a little lopsided , since I had a huge fight with the hot glue gun. It won.Apparently, I should have held it still till the stuff cooled.

But it works. The moat stops the ants.

Now: This is what I used: A drill (not keen on drills): A plastic dish that is wider and deep enough to drown ants, coat hanger, bent to hold a feeder, plumber's silicone, hot glue gun.

Drill a hole in bottom of dish.Try not to crack the bottom. I used a knife to squiggle a hole out of the plastic.Shove the prepared coat hanger thru the hole.

Take the silicone. Have someone hold the dish and coat hanger still.
Don't let it wobble.

Or you'll be sorry. It will be crooked. Like mine. So NO WOBBLING.

After using the silicone, take the hot glue gun. Keep fingers clear.

Or you'll be sorry. Let dry. You have to hold it still after each application.If you don't hold it straight it will not be straight. Remember that. So you'll have two things: burnt fingers, and a dish that is askew.

But if it IS crooked, it will have character. And the hummers won't care.

When dry hang up on outdoor peg. Hang feeder on the hanger hook. Add water to the dish above. Watch ants become befuddled and bewildered. They will try to climb down, ending up in the water. Sometimes they will swim. Sometimes they drown.

If you are kind hearted, you can scoop ants out and add more water. You can find other ideas for Ant Moats on the internet; ones that require hardware. (That would mean a trip to the hardware store and buying all sorts of hardware thingys.) My Lazy Ant Moat works just fine, even though it could be a lot straighter......( cha cha cha).