Do Any Insects Eat Mosquitoes?

There are natural mosquito predators throughout nature. Do any insects eat mosquitoes?

The most notable insect mosquito predators are damselflies and dragonflies. Both these mosquito predators enjoy a tasty meal of mosquito larvae and mosquito adults, too. One very misunderstood insect, commonly referred to as a mosquito predator in error, is the crane fly, also known as the mosquito hawk. What other creatures eat mosquitoes?

Do spiders eat mosquitoes?

Arachnophobia might drive you to tear down spider webs around your home and destroy the webs’ diligent builders, but you may want to think twice about destroying their handiwork if you detest mosquitoes as much as we do.

Spiders will most definitely eat mosquitoes that get trapped in their webs. And since spiders are less deadly than mosquitoes, it stands to reason that we should leave them alone to allow nature to take its course.

Do bats eat mosquitoes?

Yes, without question, bats eat mosquitoes as well as aquatic flying insects, such as moths, beetles, and midges.

Bats are our most important natural predators of night flying insects as they hungrily consume mosquitoes, moths, beetles, crickets, leafhoppers, cinch bugs, and much more. Even more significant is the fact that many of the insects that bats enjoy eating are serious agricultural dangers and others that spread disease to humans or livestock.

Without a wide variety of natural predators such as larger insects, spiders, and bats, insects such as mosquitoes could multiply at astonishing rates and cause far more havoc than they currently do.

Fish eat mosquitoes too!

In addition to hummingbirds and bats, fish enjoy a mosquito snack on occasion. Goldfish, guppies, bass, bluegill, and catfish prey on mosquito larvae. But the most important fish predator, by far, is the Gambusia Affinis, commonly known as the mosquito fish. This is probably the most effective predator of mosquito larvae and is used by many mosquito control agencies to augment their control efforts.

Gambusia Affinis Fish, also called Mosquito Fish, are important to Nashville mosquito control. They eat mosquito larvae as soon as mosquitoes hatch from the eggs, thus reducing the mosquito population. The Mosquito Fish feeding habits also include a variety of insects and plant materials.

Do mosquitoes eat any insects?

That’s a great question.

Based on what you read on our Mosquito Squad blog, you may be surprised to learn that blood makes up a very small portion of a mosquito’s diet. It’s the female mosquitoes that feed on blood from humans and animals in order to reproduce, while male mosquitoes don’t feed on blood whatsoever.

As larvae, mosquitoes feed on algae, bacteria, and other organic material in the water within which they live. And adult mosquitoes, male and females alike, feed on nectar from flowering plants. It is interesting to note that mosquitoes require frequent sugar intake in order to survive. Similar to other insects, both male and female insects feed primarily on nectar, plant sap, and honeydew for nourishment.

Insofar as spreading mosquito diseases goes, male mosquitoes are not responsible for transmitting diseases. Just their blood thirsty female counterparts are the culprits!

Mother Nature provides many mosquito predators, but if they were enough, mosquitoes would not be so plentiful! Trust Mosquito Squad of Nashville for tried and trusted mosquito control at your Nashville area home or business. Contact us at 615-492-3662.

Also Read: Do hummingbirds eat mosquitoes