Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to write this comment. First, let me clarify that the photo of the woman with the hummers in her hand is not me … I found that photo online and had to include it in this article because it is, well … such a great photo! I too would like to be able to have hummers come land in my hand. I guess like anything else in life, it takes patience and persistence to get that to happen. I would assume that first the hummers would have to be very confident about having you around, and then over time would finally trust you enough to feel safe enough to land on you.

However, I will wager that you would have to have some hummer syrup in a small container in your hand, in order to entice them to come and land in your hand.

Since you said you’re thinking of things to invent to attract them, I did see an HGTV show many years ago where a gentleman had rigged up tiny hummer feeders on a hat. the feeders were suspended out from the hat and basically hung right in front of his face. the program showed him sitting there, with hummers buzzing all around him, and of course they were feeding from the feeders, too.

You say you only have two and they “take their time feeding”. OH BOY … you’re in for a treat one of these days because evidently you’ve not yet experienced the “battle” that most often happens between them constantly to chase each other away from the feeder. I’ve only got 3 this year and all day they are chasing each other, swooping down, up and over, hovering in mid-air … you name it, it is truly a sight to behold. Their antics are what really will get you hooked and more in love with watching them.

So … perhaps you can rig up a hat that has a couple of small feeders hanging from it and one day you’ll be writing back to say they are coming within 2-inches of your nose to feed!

Have fun!

I am 70-years of age, retired electronic engineer, and can already imagine helpful items to “Invent” for the Hummers! They are so beautiful, and I love them dearly, already! Also, I set out on the covered porch at the Table, waiting to watch them come and feed (two Hummers to date), they even land on the feeder and take their time feeding! One at a time so far! Ha! Thank you for your Picture, and article on Hummers! Bless you, Ron G.

Well traditionally you would want to use this syrup recipe in some sort of a hummer feeder. You *could* put it in a dish, but let me mention the negatives that make using an open dish not the best idea:

ANTS, BEES and WASPS!! Oh yeah … these buggers LOVE sugar syrup, and trust me they can be a nuisance even with hanging feeders. The ants will crawl down the wire or hook that you use to hang your feeder, and bees and/or wasps will be buzzing around, trying to get many tastes of the syrup.

Now in my case, I have conquered the ant problem (will tell you how in a minute), but the wasps still pester me and the poor hummers. If a wasp is buzzing around one of the feeding holes that a hummer wants to drink from … that !@%$#%@ stinkin’ wasp will go right after the hummer, chasing it away. And more often than not, the poor little hummer flies away, giving in to the wasp. So … since there isn’t too much I can do about it, I do keep a spray bottle filled with water that can also shoot a “stream” of water (like a squirt gun) on my front porch and whenever I am out on my front porch, it has become a sport of sorts to take revenge upon the wasps by squiritng them with water until THEY give up and fly away.

This all being said … normally it’s only one dang wasp hanging around … rarely do I have two. So don’t worry that you’re going to have a stampede of them … but then again … you might not even has this problem at all. I am sure it all depends upon where the feeder is hung, where you live, etc. etc.

Now on to conquering ants …. ants don’t like vegetable oil. So, I bought this little black cup that is made specifically for holding a small reservoir of liquid – in this case vegetable oil – and it gets placed between the feeder and the main hanging wire. so when the ants crawl down the wire trying to get to the feeder … they are stopped by a pool of oil! And that has completely ended my ant problem.

Before I found the cup (99-cents) I had made my own from a small plastic bottle bottom. Maybe I will post the “how-tos” on how I did it one of these days. I think I threw it out, so can’t take a photo of it to post. Sorry.

So, my dear, you can *try* an open dish, but if it were me, I’d go to a dollar store or Wal-Mart or similar budget-type store and buy a plastic feeder. They are only around $4 – $5 at most for small ones, and if you don’t have too many hummers show up (which unfortunately is my case due to where I live) … one feeder can bring you and the hummers a lot of enjoyment!

I’m trying to attract birds to my garden with bird feeders and plants for birds etc……I have read this article and can you tell me if this is placed in a dish on a bird feeder? Please as i cant wait to give it a try? I’ll let you know the outcome.