Why are hummingbirds immune to Mountain View trumpet plants?

DEAR JOAN: Hummers come to my garden for a variety of flowers, no problem. I also have an Angel’s Trumpet, a plant known for its psychotropic qualities and death if too much is consumed. The hummers flit around the plant even when it’s not in bloom, seemingly licking the leaves.

Is this action common? Am I misunderstanding what the birds are doing? After all, other animals are known to seek out something to make them drunk or high but the hummers do not seem to have any adverse reaction, whatever they’re doing.

— Warren Snaider, Mountain View

DEAR WARREN: Hummingbirds, and some moths, feed freely from the highly toxic Angel’s trumpet plant because they don’t ingest any of the poisonous parts. The nectar might contain some toxins, but the hummers and moths don’t drink enough to be harmed.

As for their habit of licking the leaves, they are probably lapping up dew or slurping up ants and other tiny insects.

DEAR JOAN: How can I keep ants out of my hummingbird feeder? Putting water in the top does not work.

— Kathryn Riley, Mountain View

DEAR KATHRYN: Ant moats are the most effective way of keeping ants out of the feeder if the ants don’t have an alternate route. I don’t know your set up, but is it possible they’re bypassing the moat?

It’s important that you keep the moat filled with water. You can add a drop or two of liquid dish soap that makes it more difficult for the ants to cross. Check it often to make certain the ants aren’t using the bodies of their drowned brethren as floating bridges.

Be sure to wash your feeder twice a week, both inside and out, and check for drips or leaks. Remove anything in the area that could be attracting ants, such as fallen fruit. You also can try moving the feeder to a new spot. The hummers will find it but it might take the ants a while to locate it.

If your feeder is suspended from a pole or shepherd’s hook, you can spread wood ash at the base of the pole to stop the ants in their tracks. I haven’t tried this, but some people swear that putting aluminum foil on the access points to feeders will stop the ants. Using fishing line to suspend the feeder also makes it hard for the ants to navigate it.

Some suggest coating the string or pole with petroleum jelly, but please don’t do that. Birds visiting the feeder can get the goo on their wings, hampering their ability to fly and possibly leading to their untimely deaths.

DEAR JOAN: We would like more information on the ranch that is located on the east side of I-680, south of Stone Valley Drive. There are many exotic animals there, including zebra, camels, and lamas, all visible from the freeway.

— Bill and Judy, Danville

DEAR BILL AND JUDY: The exotic animals live on a private ranch owned by the Seeno family, longtime developers and home builders.

They use the animals for weed and pasture control, reducing fire hazards.

Keep an eye out for them, but be mindful of the traffic.

The Animal Life column runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at [email protected].