Bee-Guard Hummingbird Feeder

Most hummingbird feeders end up feeding wasps and bees instead. This one is built around that problem: the ports are shaped so a hummingbird's bill reaches the nectar easily while insects cannot, and a guard keeps ants from climbing down into the reservoir. Fewer insects means the birds keep coming back.

The feeding surface uses a raised hexagonal pattern, which reads to a hummingbird the way a cluster of flowers does. Birds locate the ports faster than they do on a plain flat dish, and the raised geometry gives them something to hover against. Red, purple and blue are all colours that carry across a garden and draw attention from a distance.

Cleaning is where most feeders become a chore, so this one is moulded as a single body rather than assembled from parts that trap residue in the joints. It comes apart, rinses out and refills in a couple of minutes. Clean it every few days in warm weather, since sugar solution ferments quickly in the sun, and hang it in partial shade where you can see it from a window. A wide mouth on the reservoir makes topping it up straightforward without a funnel, and a sturdy hanging loop takes a bracket or a shepherd's hook.

• Product type: Hummingbird nectar feeder
• Colours available: Red, Purple, Blue
• Design: Raised hexagonal feeding ports
• Protection: Bee guard and ant guard
• Construction: Uni-body, easy to clean and refill
• Placement: Hang in partial shade, visible from a window
• Care: Rinse and refill every few days in warm weather
• In the box: 1 x hummingbird feeder