Bees are vital pollinators for many plants, including crops essential for human food production. Their work supports biodiversity and ecological balance. Despite their importance and defenses, bees are a food source for diverse predators. These predators use various strategies to capture and consume bees, highlighting their vulnerable role in the food web.
Insect Predators
Many insect species prey on bees, using specialized hunting techniques. Robber flies, also known as assassin flies, ambush bees mid-flight. They use strong, spiny legs to grasp prey and a sharp proboscis to inject paralyzing enzymes and digestive fluids. Some species, like the Florida bee killer (Mallophora bomboides), mimic bumblebees, aiding their hunting success.
Praying mantises are ambush predators that wait for bees on flowers or foliage. Their camouflaged bodies help them blend into surroundings. Their powerful, spiky forelegs snap shut quickly to seize a bee. Once captured, the mantis holds its prey firmly.
Wasps, particularly hornets and yellow jackets, are common bee predators. Hornets often raid beehives, attacking adult bees and consuming larvae and honey. Female beewolves (genus Philanthus), a type of solitary wasp, hunt honey bees. They paralyze bees with a sting and transport the immobilized prey to their underground nests to provision their larvae.
Dragonflies are opportunistic predators, using aerial maneuverability to snatch bees from the air. They target any suitable flying insect with their strong jaws.
Avian Predators
Birds are another group of bee predators, often adapted for catching stinging insects. Bee-eaters (family Meropidae) are well-known specialists found across Europe, Asia, and Africa. These colorful birds catch bees in mid-air and strike them against a perch to remove the sting before swallowing.
Other bird species frequently include bees in their diet. European honey buzzards primarily consume wasp and bee larvae from nests, using specialized plumage to protect against stings while excavating. Shrikes impale bees and other insects on thorns or barbed wire for storage. Woodpeckers access bees by pecking into tree hives, seeking larvae and pupae but consuming adult bees. Flycatchers and swallows opportunistically prey on flying insects, including bees.
Mammalian Predators
Mammals also consume bees, though their predation often focuses on hive contents rather than adult bees. Bears are attracted to the honey and bee larvae. When raiding a hive, they consume adult bees incidentally while accessing the comb.
Badgers and skunks dig into ground nests or beehives for larvae and honey. Skunks scratch at hive entrances, waiting for bees to emerge. They swat bees, roll them on the ground to remove the sting, and then consume them. Raccoons may attempt to open hives to feed on honey and brood. Shrews, small insectivorous mammals, opportunistically prey on bees encountered at ground level.
Other Notable Predators
Beyond insects, birds, and mammals, other animals also prey on bees. Various arachnids, particularly spiders, are bee predators. Crab spiders, camouflaged to match flowers, ambush bees visiting blossoms. Orb-weaver spiders build webs to ensnare flying insects, including bees, which they subdue and wrap.
Reptiles and amphibians can also be opportunistic bee predators. Certain lizard species may snap up bees within reach. Frogs and toads, with their sticky tongues, catch foraging bees that land nearby or fly close to the ground. These predators rely on surprise and quick reflexes, making them a less specialized, but still notable, threat.