The whine of a mosquito in your ear is enough to drive you crazy and make you wish these pests had more natural predators. But what animals eat mosquitoes?
Even though they do not significantly reduce mosquito populations, there are several species of birds, bugs, and other creatures that include mosquitoes in their diet.
Let Mosquito Joe provide a helpful guide on what eats mosquitoes …
What Birds Eat Mosquitoes?
Mosquitoes have several airborne adversaries including certain birds and their nocturnal winged relatives, bats. Here are a few winged species that feast on these minute menaces:
Purple Martins
Denizens of river and marsh areas, these songbirds can consume hundreds of mosquitoes in a single day.
Barn Swallow
Descending from above in swooping dives, these avian acrobats can snatch up to 60 mosquitoes per hour.
Waterfowl
Ducks and geese residing in marsh and wetlands commonly make easy meals of aquatic mosquito larvae.
Bats
While not of the avian persuasion, these nocturnal mammals are also insectivores that will not turn down a mosquito morsel.
What Animals Eat Mosquitoes?
Mosquitoes also face threats from frogs, turtles, and even fish:
Frogs
While not an integral part of the adult frog diet, the premature tadpole occasionally consumes mosquito larvae.
Turtles
Another aquatic predator, turtles such as the red-eared slider will make an easy meal of mosquito larvae.
Fish
Freshwater species such as bass, bluegill, and the aptly named mosquitofish are not hesitant to gulp down vulnerable mosquito larvae.
What Insects Eat Mosquitoes?
Mosquitoes also experience predation from other insects. Below are a few that consume mosquitoes:
Dragonflies
Though called “mosquito hawks,” adult dragonflies do eat mosquitoes, but most predation occurs when they are in their aquatic phase: dragonfly nymphs will feed on mosquito larvae.
Damselflies
Similar to the dragonfly, the damselfly also feasts on mosquito larvae while in the aquatic nymph stage of their life cycle.
Predacious Mosquitoes
Some mosquitoes will prey on their own kind, most specifically the mosquitoes belonging to genus Toxorhynchites, which are also known as elephant mosquitoes. This occurs in the larvae stage where these predatory mosquitoes will consume other mosquito larvae.
Spiders
Although technically not insects, arachnids will consume mosquitoes that become trapped in their webs.
The answer to the question, “What eats mosquitoes” includes adversaries from birds to bats, frogs to turtles, and even predatory types of their own species, yet the overall impact of natural predators on mosquito populations is negligible.
To take a real stand against the aggravating mosquito and dampen their presence in your yard, seek out the assistance of a mosquito control professional. Contact Mosquito Joe online or call us today to reclaim your backyard and make outside fun again!
