Homemade hummingbird nectar solution will ferment or spoil very quickly. Have you ever wondered what causes this? This post will provide you with the answer and it may even surprise you.
The cause of the fermentation or spoilage of nectar solution is due to the growth of microorganisms which are transported to the feeder on a hummingbird’s bill. It is not due to a problem with the water source you are using, as is often a common misconception held by some people.
Any unused homemade nectar solution can be kept in the icebox for up to a week. Be sure to put it in a container that has been labeled as nectar solution and dated. If in doubt as to if the solution is still good, please use caution and get rid of it and make some fresh nectar solution.
The best way to avoid the fermentation of your homemade nectar solution is to change it often and keep your feeder extremely clean. Also, do not hang your hummingbird feeder in direct sunlight.
A clean feeder is of vital importance to a hummingbird. Which is why I cannot stress enough the need for hummingbird feeders to be cleaned very frequently. Just how often is that? Hummingbird feeders should be cleaned at least every 2-3 days in hot weather or a good rule of thumb is to just wash it each time the feeder must be filled again with fresh nectar solution which ever comes first.
5 replies on “What Causes Nectar to Ferment?”
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