FAQ: Can I leave The Ant-Mote™ outside in winter?

We are often asked whether The Ant-Mote™ can be left outside all year round. These questions refer to freezing winters and searing summers. Since we started manufacturing The Ant-Mote™ we knew this question would come up, so we began testing our products in these conditions right from the start. At our location in the northeast, we have had our ant-motes outside every day for over four years. We have not yet observed any functional degradation and little to no aesthetic impact. This is the same for ant-motes being tested for us by family in the southwest. While designing The Ant-Mote™ it was important that our product function in all environments throughout the Americas where hummingbirds and other nectar-feeding species are found. We chose the highest quality materials and worked hard to confirm that even our raw materials are manufactured in the US.

A snowy day and The Ant-Mote™

Does this mean The Ant-Mote™ can and should be left out all winter?

We do not recommend it, and here’s why. Despite using extremely high-quality materials there is no way around the fact that the cycles of extreme heat and cold temperatures will take their toll on your product. The best strategy for maintaining the longest lifespan of your Ant-Mote is to take it and the pole it is mounted on inside for the winter when, like the photo above, it is likely that snow and ice would accumulate inside the moat.