Lizards are a highly diverse group of reptiles, with most species classified as insectivorous. They are largely opportunistic, consuming whatever small prey is readily available. Lizards utilize keen eyesight and rapid movements to capture a wide array of arthropods. This foraging strategy makes them significant predators in many ecosystems.
Are Bees Part of the Lizard Diet?
The short answer is that bees, wasps, and other stinging insects are indeed part of the diet for many lizard species worldwide. Lizards are not generally deterred by the potential for a sting if the prey offers a substantial nutritional reward. Insects like bees are rich in protein and fat, offering a concentrated energy source for a small predator. This high nutritional value makes the risk of a single sting an acceptable trade-off for a hungry lizard.
Lizards consume stinging Hymenoptera opportunistically rather than as a specialized diet item. They are more likely to target bees near nectar sources, or when the bees are weakened or preoccupied. Consumption is directly tied to local availability, often increasing near beehives or flowering plants. This practice is widespread, observed across different lizard families, from the smallest geckos to larger terrestrial skinks.
Specific Lizard Predators of Bees
Several specific lizard species actively prey on bees, demonstrating a global ecological overlap. The Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis), common across the southeastern United States, occasionally targets honey bees, especially those moving slowly near hive entrances or on flowers. While its primary prey is smaller insects, the anole is often observed near bee activity.
The larger invasive Knight Anole (Anolis equestris) in Florida has also been observed consuming bees, sometimes ambushing workers near hives. Generalist predators like various Skink species and Spiny Fence Lizards regularly include bees in their diet, particularly in arid regions where foraging insects are a major food component.
Gecko Species
Geckos, such as the African House Gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia), frequent beehives, often targeting wax moths and other pests, but they will also consume encountered bees. In Australia, certain feral gecko species have been documented preying on native stingless bees, sometimes posing a local threat to a hive.
How Lizards Handle Stinging Prey
Lizards employ a combination of behavioral tactics and physical adaptations to avoid or neutralize the bee’s stinger. A common behavioral strategy involves rapid capture and manipulation of the prey item before ingestion. Some lizards will strike the insect and then immediately rub the bee against the substrate, such as a rock or the ground, to dislodge the stinger or head before swallowing. This quick action is crucial for minimizing the time the bee has to deploy its defense.
For specialized predators, such as the Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum), which feeds on venomous ants, the strategy is even more precise. These lizards use their tongues to target the prey’s mesosoma, or thorax, deliberately avoiding the head with its mandibles and the gaster, which contains the stinger. This demonstrates a highly refined ability to strike the safest part of the venomous insect.
Physical traits offer another layer of defense against stings. The tough, scaled skin of a lizard provides protection, particularly on the body. For any venom that is successfully injected, some lizards have evolved physiological defenses. The Texas Horned Lizard, for instance, possesses a blood plasma factor that helps neutralize the venom of the ants it consumes, and it secretes copious amounts of mucus to incapacitate prey internally.