During the months of April through October, I offer sugar water (1:4) to hummingbirds. They are a delight to watch. Before the sugar water is 1/2 gone (I normally fill the feeder with about one cup's worth), the ants have congregated and drowned themselves in the lower saucer of the feeder. My thought is that the ants are, to some extent, consumed by the hummingbirds. However, after three or four days, when it is time to refresh the supply of sugar water, this (photo, below) is how the lower saucer of the feeder looks. Lots of ants!
Thursday, when I put out a fresh supply of sugar water (in a freshly washed feeder), I failed to bring the "empty" feeder inside. It was left on the table on the patio. Yesterday (Friday) evening, when I checked the (seed, peanut, and sugar water) feeders, I noted the sugar water feeder on the patio table. It looked a little strange - as if the lower saucer had grown knobby feet. Approaching closer, this (photo, below) is what I saw.
A little closer up, the beetles are really beautiful - with iridescent greens and coppers (photo, below).
A bit of research via Google convinced me that what we have are Japanese beetles - lovely, but in the States, a pest. Now I understand what has been devouring leaves of our poke weed plants. The beetles are ravenous little beasties. Link to article on Wikipedia.
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