Someone who was out of granulated table sugar asked me "can’t I just substitute diluted honey in the hummingbird feeder? Absolutely not! This is what has prompted me to write this post as an important reminder to those wanting to fill their hummingbird feeders. Never put honey in your hummingbird feeders! The honey can develop a fungus that is fatal to hummingbirds.
The only thing that should be used to make homemade nectar is white granulated table sugar. This is because its chemical composition is closest to the sugar concentration found in flower nectar. If a flowers nectar concentration is less than 15% the hummingbirds will pass the flowers by because the hummingbirds want the sugar concentration to be around 25%.
No other sugars should be used to make homemade nectar solution. Please do not use the following: diluted brown sugar,molasses, or artificial sweeteners. These things can’t provide the hummingbirds with the sugar concentrations necessary for the birds to survive.
One reply on “Never Use Honey in Hummingbird Feeders”
Thumbs up and keep it going!