The next thing that became apparent is that the bee guards really don't do a very good job. Honeybees and wasps can't reach the solution, but some long-tongued bumblebees can, and tiny bees just crawl right inside the bee guard (and often right into the bottle!). The insects really swarm around when the solution oozes out, as it's prone to do on warm days (particularly if you refill the bottle with refrigerated solution).

It didn't take long to discover that this feeder is also not very durable. The plastic parts don't hold up to exposure to sunlight, becoming brittle and loose over time (more quickly in sunny or high-elevation areas). The hardened glass bottle is actually the most durable part of this feeder, while the yellow bee guards are the first parts to break down. The size is okay, though if you've only got one or two hummingbirds visiting you won't want to fill the feeder completely.

The best hummingbird feeders cost about twice as much as this model, but they will last at least 10 times as long. The feeders I use now are the Hummzingers from Aspects, the Droll Yankees LF, and the Hummerfest from Nature Products Inc., and the only one I've ever had to retire got a crack in the basin when I dropped it on a sharp rock (it was full at the time - I don't think it would have broken had it been empty). I never use anything in my feeders except the solution recommended by all hummingbird experts: 4 parts water to 1 part white table sugar (do not add food coloring!). This is much more economical and probably also healthier (and tastier) for the birds than chemical-laced commercial mixes. The solution should be changed every 2 to 4 days and the feeder cleaned thoroughly at least once a week, no matter what kind of hummingbird feeder you use.