This is the time of year when those of us in the desert southwest need to pay particular attention to the hummingbirds. It's hot, really hot, so there's not a lot blooming that these wonderful creatures can eat. The Costa's and Anna's who live here all year need a bit of help from their human friends.

Food
Hummingbird nectar is the easiest thing in the world to make. You can also buy it, but here's a good recipe.

1 part sugar
4 parts water

Bring the sugar and water to a boil, just enough to dissolve the granules. Cool and store it in the refrigerator. It should last about two weeks. Never use honey or artificial sweeteners. Also, never use red food dye because it can hurt the birds.

If your birds don't lap up the nectar in a day or so, replace the food with a fresh supply, especially in hot weather, and wash the feeder with hot water every few days. If you see black spots in the feeder, it needs washing with hot water and mild soap that is easily rinsed out. Black spots mean mold and that can make your birds sick.

Our best advice is to start by filling your feeder only halfway to see how much the birds can eat in two to three days.

The Bee Dilemma

Some feeders seem to attract bees more than others - we're not sure which ones or why. We just know that occasionally we get a call asking how to get bees away from a feeder. The thing to remember is that bees and wasps like the same kind of nectar as hummingbirds.

If you find you have a bee problem it's probably because hummers lap the nectar, they don't suck, and in lapping a small amount of nectar ends up on the outside surface of the feeder near the ports. The best thing you can do is wipe off the feeder with a wet cloth. You can also try moving the feeder to a different spot in your yard. Rest assured, the birds will find it.

If and when ants become a problem, invest in an ant moat. A moat is a small, inexpensive vessel that's easily attached to most feeders. It goes between the feeder and the ant source - usually a tree - and the little pests can't get across.

Attracting hummers
Out here in the southwest we have hummingbirds all year round. There are two migratory - Black-chinned and Broad-tailed hummers - and two here all year - Anna's and Costa's. All you need to do to attract them is have some tubular shaped flowers in your yard - any color will do.

Shrubs such as (all common names) Arizona yellow bells, valentine bush, fairy duster and butterfly bush are favorites as are the flowers hollyhocks, penstemen, lantana, hibiscus and firecracker plant.

Hummingbirds are very territorial, so if you have two or three fighting over a feeder, put a second feeder across the yard. To entice them to a new feeder, pick a flower from one of your yard plants and insert it in one of the feeder holes. They'll find it quickly.

Now sit back, near the window of your cool, air conditioned home, and watch these energetic birds enjoy your hospitality. They will dart and buzz and fly backwards and forwards. It's quite a show. Next thing you know, you'll recognize them as your birds.