Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
(7 customer reviews) 60 of 63 people found the following review helpful
Don't waste your money,
April 2, 2005 Sheri (Bisbee, AZ, United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Garden Song® 443-24 Instant Hummingbird Food, 8 Ounce Package (Lawn & Patio)
You won't find a single expert on hummingbirds who recommends "instant nectar" products such as this one. Why? Because 1) they're a complete waste of your money and 2) they expose the birds to ridiculously high concentrations of inadequately tested chemicals. The cheapest and easiest feeder solution also happens to be the closest in chemical composition to natural flower nectar: a solution of 3 or 4 parts water to one part ordinary white sugar. If you want the sugar to dissolve faster, get additive-free superfine baking sugar. DON'T use honey, food coloring, Kool-Aid, Jello, or any other junk - the birds drink nectar just for the energy and get everything else their bodies need from eating insects.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
No dyes! No instant nectars!,
July 22, 2006 William M. Taylor "hummingbird biologist" (Arizona) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Garden Song® 443-24 Instant Hummingbird Food, 8 Ounce Package (Lawn & Patio)
As a field biologist involved in hummingbird studies in the SW, I can say that red--or any other color--dye is nonsense! NOT needed, quite likely harmful. Also, I question the instant nectar--instructions say it doesn't require boiling. Is there a preservative in it that retards yeast and bacterial growth? If so it would likely be extremely harmful to the gut of the hummers: it could harm their natural internal flora.
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
RED DYE WILL HARM HUMMINGBIRDS - DO NOT USE IT,
June 11, 2006 Jeanne Mulloy (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Garden Song® 443-24 Instant Hummingbird Food, 8 Ounce Package (Lawn & Patio)
THIS PRODUCT DOES NOT STATE WHAT THEY USE FOR THE RED COLORING IN
THEIR NECTAR. IT IS A WELL KNOWN FACT THAT RED DYE #40 HAS PROVED
HARMFUL TO HUMMINGBIRDS CAUSING CANCER AND IS NOT NECESSARY.
NATURAL NECTAR IN THE WILD IS CLEAR WITHOUT COLOR. USING A COLORFUL
FEEDER WILL ATTRACT THE HUMMERS AND NOT HARM THEM.