Bees are integral to ecosystems worldwide, known for pollination and honey production. Despite their defensive sting, these insects serve as a food source for a diverse array of animals. Many predators have developed remarkable adaptations and hunting strategies to overcome bee defenses, safely incorporating them into their diets.
Birds: Aerial Hunters
Many bird species actively prey on bees, showcasing specialized hunting techniques to avoid stings. Bee-eaters consume bees and wasps, which can comprise a significant portion of their diet. These birds are adept at catching insects in mid-flight from an open perch. Once captured, bee-eaters return to a branch and repeatedly hit or rub the insect against the surface to remove the stinger and discharge its venom. Some species, like the European bee-eater, can consume around 250 bees daily.
Other birds also include bees in their diet. Shrikes, sometimes called “butcher birds,” impale their prey on thorns or barbed wire, a method used to process bees. Woodpeckers, particularly green woodpeckers, target beehives to access bee larvae and honeycomb, especially in winter when other food sources are scarce. They create significant holes in hives to reach the protein-rich brood.
Birds like purple martins and certain tanagers exhibit impressive aerial skills, catching bees in flight. Summer tanagers, for instance, might rake a captured bee across the ground to remove its stinger before consumption.
Mammals: Ground-Level Foragers
Mammals that prey on bees often target nests on the ground or in trees. Bears, particularly black and brown bears, raid beehives, primarily for protein-rich bee larvae and pupae, not just honey. Their thick fur provides some protection against stings, though less protected areas like the face and ears can still be stung. Bears use strong paws to break open hives and access the contents.
Badgers, such as European badgers, sometimes prefer bumble bee hives. They dig up nests and consume bees and larvae, seemingly impervious to stings.
Skunks are frequent nocturnal visitors to bee colonies, scratching at hive entrances to draw out guard bees. Once bees emerge, skunks eat them, often consuming the insides and discarding exoskeletons. Their thick fur provides protection, and they appear to tolerate stings. Smaller mammals like shrews, with their high metabolism, opportunistically prey on bees, especially during colder months. Shrews may remove a bee’s head or make a hole in its thorax to access the inner contents.
Insects and Arachnids: Stealthy Ambushers
Many invertebrates employ stealth and specialized adaptations to prey on bees. Praying mantises are ambush predators that wait camouflaged among foliage or flowers, striking quickly to capture unsuspecting bees. Dragonflies are highly agile aerial hunters that snatch bees, along with other flying insects, directly from the air. They possess strong jaws and quickly subdue their prey.
Robber flies, also known as assassin flies, are effective predators of bees. These flies are equipped with spiny legs to grasp prey in flight and a strong proboscis that injects paralyzing saliva and digestive enzymes. The enzymes break down the prey’s internal tissues, allowing the robber fly to consume the liquefied contents.
Various spider species also prey on bees, often utilizing webs or ambush tactics. Orb-weaving spiders trap bees in their sticky webs, while crab spiders, which do not spin webs, camouflage themselves on flowers and ambush bees that come within reach. Crab spiders inject venom to paralyze their prey, allowing them to safely consume the bee.