Bees, often recognized for their industrious pollination efforts and honey production, are integral to many ecosystems. Despite their defensive sting, these insects are a natural part of the food web and serve as prey for various animals. This predation helps regulate populations and contributes to biodiversity.
Insects That Prey on Bees
Many insect species are direct predators of individual bees, employing diverse hunting strategies. Wasps, such as European hornets and yellow jackets, are significant threats. European hornets (Vespa crabro) are large social wasps that hunt various insects, including honey bees, to feed their larvae. They often patrol hive entrances, ambushing returning foragers. Yellow jackets are also known for raiding beehives, snatching bees in mid-air, and even consuming larvae.
Robber flies (family Asilidae), also known as assassin flies, are aerial predators that ambush bees in flight. They possess spiny legs to grasp prey and a long proboscis to inject paralyzing enzymes, liquefying the bee’s internal organs for consumption. Praying mantises, with their powerful raptorial forelegs, are ambush predators that wait for bees on flowers or foliage, swiftly capturing them. Dragonflies will also snatch bees out of the sky.
Birds That Hunt Bees
Many bird species regularly include bees in their diet. Bee-eaters (family Meropidae), found across Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe, are particularly adept at consuming bees and wasps. They often catch bees in mid-flight and then rub the captured insect against a branch or hard surface to remove the stinger and discharge venom before swallowing.
Other avian predators like shrikes, swifts, martins, and some woodpeckers also target bees. Swifts and martins are aerial insectivores that opportunistically catch bees during their foraging flights. Shrikes are known for impaling their prey on thorns or barbed wire. Woodpeckers, such as the green woodpecker, may consume bees, and some species like the honey buzzard will even tear apart bee hives to access larvae and honey.
Mammals That Target Bees
Mammalian predation on bees often involves targeting the entire hive rather than individual bees. Animals like bears, badgers, skunks, and raccoons primarily seek the honey, larvae, or pupae within the bee nest. Bears, for instance, are well-known for ripping open hives to access the nutritious honey and protein-rich bee larvae.
Skunks frequently visit hives at night, scratching at the entrance to lure out guard bees. Once bees emerge, skunks capture them, often rolling them in the dirt to remove stingers before consuming the bee’s internal fluids. Badgers, powerful diggers, may unearth ground nests of bees, including bumble bees and honey bees, to feast on the contents. Raccoons also raid hives, using their dexterous paws to pry open structures and access the honey and bees inside.
Other Predators of Bees
Beyond insects, birds, and mammals, other diverse groups of predators opportunistically consume bees. Arachnids, particularly various spider species, are bee predators. Crab spiders (family Thomisidae) are ambush hunters that do not spin webs for capture but instead camouflage themselves on flowers, often changing color to match their surroundings. When a bee lands on the flower, the spider swiftly attacks, injecting venom to paralyze its prey. Orb-weaver spiders construct intricate webs that can ensnare flying bees.
Amphibians and reptiles also pose a threat to bees, typically consuming them opportunistically. Frogs and toads, with their long, sticky tongues, capture any moving insect that fits into their mouths, including bees, especially if they are near water sources or hive entrances. Some lizards and snakes may also consume bees if they encounter them.