Insect Feeding Assembly

A insect feeding assembly includes a pedestal that may be positioned on a support surface. A plurality of watering units is provided and each of the watering units is coupled to the pedestal. Each of the watering units may be mounted by an insect and each of the watering units contains water for drinking by the insect. A feeder is coupled to the pedestal and the feeder is selectively mounted by an insect. The feeder contains a fluid food thereby facilitating the insect to consume the fluid food. Additionally, the pedestal is positioned in a high traffic area with respect to the insects thereby facilitating the insects to rest on the feeder and the watering units during pollination.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure and prior art relates to feeding devices and more particularly pertains to a new feeding device for providing a stopping point for pollinating animals.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a pedestal that may be positioned on a support surface. A plurality of watering units is provided and each of the watering units is coupled to the pedestal. Each of the watering units may be mounted by an insect and each of the watering units contains water for drinking by the insect. A feeder is coupled to the pedestal and the feeder is selectively mounted by an insect. The feeder contains a fluid food thereby facilitating the insect to consume the fluid food. Additionally, the pedestal is positioned in a high traffic area with respect to the insects thereby facilitating the insects to rest on the feeder and the watering units during pollination.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As best illustrated inFIGS. 1 through 7, the insect feeding assembly10generally comprises a pedestal12that is selectively positioned on a support surface14such as ground or the like. The pedestal12has a first end16, a second end18and an outer surface20extending therebetween. The outer surface20of the pedestal12flares outwardly toward the first end16to define a foot22for retaining the pedestal12in an upright position. A plurality of watering units24is provided and each of the watering units24is coupled to the pedestal12. Each of the watering units24is mounted by an insect26and each of the watering units24contains water28for drinking by the insect26. The insect26may be a pollinating insect26such as a honey bee, a butterfly and any other pollinating animal.

Each of the watering units24comprises a stem30that is coupled to and extends laterally away from the outer surface20of the pedestal12. The stem30has a distal end32with respect to the outer surface20and the stem30curves upwardly between the pedestal12and the distal end32. Thus, the distal end32is directed toward the second end18of the pedestal12. Each watering unit24includes a dish34that has a bottom surface36and a perimeter edge38. The bottom surface36is coupled to the distal end32of the stem30such that the dish34may be mounted by the insect26and the water28is selectively poured into the dish34.

Each of the watering units24includes a plurality of first petals40and each of the first petals40is coupled to and extends laterally away from the perimeter edge38of the dish34. The first petals40are distributed around an entire circumference of the dish34. Additionally, a perimeter edge corresponding to each of the first petals40is contoured such that each of the first petals40resembles a flower petal. Thus, the first petals40present the ornamental appearance of a flower thereby attracting the insects26to the dish34.

A feeder42is coupled to the pedestal12and the feeder42is selectively mounted by the insect26. The feeder42contains a fluid food44, such as nectar or the like, thereby facilitating the insect26to consume the fluid food44. The pedestal12is positioned in a high traffic area with respect to the insects, such as a flower garden or the like. Thus, the insects26may rest on the feeder42and the watering units24during pollination. Additionally, the insects26may feed on the fluid food44and drink the water28thereby increasing the insect's26ability to successfully return home after pollinating.

The feeder42comprises a plate46that has a top surface48, a bottom surface50and an outer edge52extending therebetween. The bottom surface50of the plate46is coupled to the second end18of the pedestal12and the plate46has a chamber54positioned between the top surface48and the bottom surface50. The top surface48has a first aperture56extending into the chamber54and the first aperture56is centrally positioned on the top surface48. The top surface48has a plurality of second apertures58each extending into the chamber54. Moreover, the second apertures58are spaced apart from each other and are distributed around the first aperture56.

A receiver60extends upwardly from the top surface48of the plate46and the receiver60surrounds the first aperture56. The receiver60has an inwardly facing surface62and the inwardly facing surface62is threaded. A plurality of second petals64is provided and each of the second petals64is coupled to and extends laterally away from the outer edge52of the plate46. The second petals64are distributed around an entire circumference of the plate46. A perimeter edge corresponding to each of the second petals64is contoured such that each of the second petals64resembles a flower petal. Thus, the second petals64attract the insects26to the plate46.

The feeder42includes a container66that has a first end68, a second end70and an outside surface72extending therebetween. The container66is hollow and the container66contains the fluid food44. The first end68of the container66is open to release the fluid food44from the container66. Additionally, the outside surface72has an inset portion74extending from the first end68of the container66toward the second end70of the container66. The inset portion74threadably engages the inwardly facing surface62of the receiver60such that the container66is inverted and releasably coupled to the receiver60. In this way the fluid food44is gravity fed through the first aperture56and into the chamber54in the plate46thereby facilitating the insects26to consume the fluid food44through the second apertures58.

In use, the pedestal12is placed outdoors in a high traffic area with respect to the insects26, such as spot in yard that is adjacent to a flower garden or the like. Each of the watering units24is filled with water28and the container66is filled with the fluid food44. The container66is coupled to the receiver60thereby facilitating the fluid food44to fill the chamber54. Thus, the insects26may consume the fluid food44through the second apertures58in the plate46. The watering units24and the feeder42provide a resting point for the insects26when the insects26are journeying from a pollen source to the insect's26home. In this way the insect's26chances of successfully returning home are increased by allowing the insect26to rest, drink and eat.