Date: 3/11/26 1:36 pm From: Ann Brice (via carolinabirds Mailing List) <carolinabirds...> Subject: Re: bees on Oriole Jelly feeder
My neighbor in Wilson, NC, Fred Hite, has successfully used this suet
recipe to feed orioles for years (and his mother before him.) Maybe this
would work for you. I don't think the bees would swarm this. (I haven't
used the recipe because I have cats in my yard, but he has had as many as
22 orioles in his yard.)
Baltimore Oriole Suet
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 cup Crisco or bacon grease
1/2 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
corn meal (Tender Bake self-rising yellow)
Combine sugar, water, grease and peanut butter and bring to a boil. Add
corn meal until you get a semi-solid mixture. Fill holes in feeder.
He has feeders that he has made from a 2"x2" x 8" block of wood that he
drills holes in about 1" in diameter. He inserts pegs for perches under
the holes.
On Tue, Mar 10, 2026 at 8:29 PM Susan Campbell <susan...> wrote:
> Teri and All,
>
> Nope. There is no way to dissuade the bees given the open feeding
> scenario. And yes— bees are sure hungry right now! Cold weather will pull
> them back into their hives next week for sure.
>
> Do you have a sugar water feeder for the orioles? Maybe just use that for
> now…..
>
> Susan Campbell
> Apex, NC
>
> Get Outlook for iOS <https://aka.ms/o0ukef> > ------------------------------
> *From:* <carolinabirds-request...> <carolinabirds-request...>
> on behalf of "Herbert, Teri Lynn" <carolinabirds...>
> *Sent:* Tuesday, March 10, 2026 7:55:41 PM
> *To:* carolinabirds listserve <carolinabirds...>
> *Subject:* bees on Oriole Jelly feeder
>
>
> Does anyone have any way to discourage bees on the jelly feeders? The
> orioles won’t come near it with all the bees on it. I know, the bees don’t
> have any flowers right now, so they need it, but neighbor is worried about
> the orioles not having a chance at the jelly. Thanks for any ideas! Teri
> Lynn
>
>
