thank you for the article. We have 7 feeders and have noticed that the hummingbirds are feeding at twice the normal rate. We had wondered why, but the article states that they have the ability ot lower their temperature to compensate for temperature drops, and perhaps that is what we are seeing. We usually have about 20 or more hummingbirds that are feeding almost continuously now. They will go through 7 larger feeders (32 Oz) in a day, so they have ferocious appetites.
Live outside of Omaha and have gone through about 30 lbs of sugar. The hot weather has really pulled them to the feeders. I fill 4 2 cup feeders a day. My orioles are still eating on the grape jelly. Usually when they hatch their eggs, they move onto insects.
Years ago, I had my feeders hanging off wooden boards. One day I see a hummer in one of our bushes. After it hadn’t moved for a bit, I went to check on it and a preying mantis was eating on it.
Thought that was kind of odd and within a week, I had dozens of 4-6” preying mantis hanging upside down on my feeders trying to catch them. Google it, it’s crazy. Replaced the wood with steel feeder poles and haven’t seen any since.