# What birds or insects have you seen eating bees?



## BeeGhost (May 7, 2011)

Bees are part of the food chain, and tasty ones at that!! I have a male resident mocking bird that will sit on the fence and pick off a few bees flying in or out from the hives. But, not enough to wipe out my hive.

All dragon flies eat insects, no matter the color. Ive watched them catch and eat butterflies but not my bees yet. I have quite a few swallows that hang around, but im betting they eat more mosquitos than bees as I mostly see them flying around in the evening when most of the bees are in the hives.

I imagine spiders hidden in bushes and stuff catch a few bees, ive watched jumping spiders catch large flies on my orange tree blooms! 

I think the only thing that will consume large amounts of bees at one sitting would be skunks. Bears are probably more into the brood and honey than concentrating on adult bees.


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## mvan (Oct 4, 2010)

Robber flies.


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## berkshire bee (Jan 28, 2007)

i see catbirds hanging around the hives quite a bit, but haven't actually seen them eating bees, although a fellow beekeepers curses them


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## Katharina (May 2, 2011)

Ducks love bees, they also love wasps. My ducks dug up a wasp nest in the ground and ate everything, including larva, honey... All was left was a huge crater. I was quite happy about that, but I do have to watch my duck so they do not eat my bees. So far they have not discovered the hives, but I think eventually I have to fence it in to protect the bees.


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## ArkansasBK (Mar 5, 2011)

Purple Martins will eat honey bees. So will bumble bees. I bet I've killed a hundred bumble bees this year at the entrance to my hives, catching bees and trying to fly off with them.


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

_"So will bumble bees. I bet I've killed a hundred bumble bees this year at the entrance to my hives, catching bees and trying to fly off with them." _

I doubt that it is a "real bumble bee" that is catching bees and trying to fly off with them. One of the predators mentioned is robber flies which generally prey on other insects. Some species of robber flies [Laphria] look like or mimic bumble bees. > http://bugguide.net/node/view/5234/bgimage Some are common in AR.

I have seen what appeared to be a bumble bee by my hives and will have to look more closely as to whether it is really a robber fly. I don't know why they are sometimes seen near the hives. Are these bees [bumbles] looking for a place to build their own nests? Are they attracted by the smell of nectar? It would not be a good policy to kill bumble bees since they are one of our "alternative pollinators".

I have not seen any reference to bumble bees entering honey bee hives to rob nectar or pollen,..or kill honey bees.


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## Brent Bean (Jun 30, 2005)

Wild Turkey, they will dart in and grab a few bees then run for the woods.


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## Jerry J (Jan 12, 2004)

Summer Tanger, Worst of them all. Checked on the internet and Birds books and they love bees. Never saw one before, Perch on the hives and edge of the woods. I don't mind a few bees like the cat birds take but the Summer tanger can hurt the breeding nucs. Beautiful Red Male. South Iowa line is suppose to be their northern range but I know they come farther north.


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## Ron Mann (Jul 17, 2009)

King Birds aka Bee Martins are the worse around my house.


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

Ron Mann. The bird in the photo looks like a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow-billed_Cuckoo

 Same photo! I guess birds have different names in other parts of country.

Bee Martin. _"Bee martin and bee bird are merely popular names for the common American kingbird, a member of the flycatcher family. This species lives chiefly on insects captured on the wing. It has a bad reputation because of its alleged preference for honeybees. This habit, however, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, is much less prevalent “than generally supposed and probably does not result in much damage to beekeepers. Government scientists examined 665 stomachs of kingbirds collected from various parts of. the country. Only twenty-two of them contained the remains of honeybees. In the twenty-two stomachs there were sixty-one honeybees in all, of which fifty-one were drones, eight were workers,.." > http://www.4information.com/trivia/martin/_


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## ArkansasBK (Mar 5, 2011)

Oldbee said:


> _"So will bumble bees. I bet I've killed a hundred bumble bees this year at the entrance to my hives, catching bees and trying to fly off with them." _
> 
> I doubt that it is a "real bumble bee" that is catching bees and trying to fly off with them.


These are bonafied black face bumble bees. Not robber flies as I know what robber flies are. All the members of my bee asso. agree also. I'm 65 years old and born and raised on a farm, & been farming ever since so I know full well what a bumble bee is. I've killed full nests of them in hayfields etc.

They catch a bee in flight in front of the entrance, take it to the ground, kill it, then fly off with it.
They are NOT looking for pollen or nectar, or looking for a place to make a nest. They are after bees.


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## LampBurner (May 4, 2011)

Well far as insects goes, just yesterday I was observing mine and a bumble bee hovered and then landed on the landing board and walked around for a few seconds till it began to enter. Suddenly 2 of my bees jumped on it. They all 3 wreseled on the landing board then fell off to the ground. Then one of my bees flew away and the bumble bee flew away and the other of my bees was left on the ground dyeing.
Then today, I was adding more ventaltion to my top bar hive so I removed the lid. There between the lid and top bars was a spider of some kind I don't know what, that has been liveing on this hive somewere for a long time. It had one of my bees in it's clutches carrying it sucking the blood out of it, I think thats what it was doing. I just continue working on what I was doing to the hive and later observed that same spider doing the same to another spider of a differient species on the under neith side of the hive.
I always worry about my virgen queens makeing it back from her mateing flight without being eaten by a bird of some kind.


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## notaclue (Jun 30, 2005)

Birds of different types. But this year I'm seeing a lot of a black spider (heavy body short legs) a little larger than the bees, wait next to the entrance on the side of the box. Every so often one will snatch a bee and head towards the back of the hive with the bee still twitching and fighting to get loose.


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

European Hornets. We call them mountain hornets.


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## LampBurner (May 4, 2011)

notaclue that does fit the discription of that spider to a tee.


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

_"I'm 65 years old and born and raised on a farm, & been farming ever since so I know full well what a bumble bee is. I've killed full nests of them in hayfields etc."_

Oh yeah,..so what!? I am *68 years old* and have been living out in the country [an orchard] for 60 of those years observing nature, bumble bees and honey bees. I even studied entomology [insects] and learned how to identify them at college. Have you?

_"*Bumble bees* are *beautiful creatures*. Their social behaviors are fascinating and they are amazingly efficient native pollinators. But I have to admit, as a die-hard beekeeper of honey bees it took me a while to appreciate the nuances of rearing *bumble bees*._

_"Bumble bees are becoming increasingly scarce as they have had to compete with humans for "housing space'.They are also often exposed to the pesticides we use to kill other insects. Thus it is very important to cultivate bumble bees native to your region_,".....From the foreward to the book:.. "Befriending Bumble Bees" [A practical guide to raising local bumble bees] by Dr. Spivak.

Dr. Marla Spivak
Profeesor of Entomology
University of Minnesota
March,..2007.


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## ArkansasBK (Mar 5, 2011)

Oldbee said:


> I even studied entomology [insects] and learned how to identify them at college.


Glad you went to college to study entomology so you could identify a bumble bee or other insects when you see one. But there is a world of people out there that never even went to college who knows what a bumblebee is. I can even recognize an grasshopper when I see one.

The discussion was about what was catching our honey bees if you missed that.


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## Joseph Clemens (Feb 12, 2005)

I've seen about a half dozen different reptiles (lizards) roaming through the apiary eating bees, especially if they land on or near the ground. I've had Colorado River Toads voraciously gobble bees that had entrances where they could reach them, hence I now use top/upper entrances. I'm sure that at least some of the birds around here eat bees, I just haven't caught them at it, yet.


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## ArkansasBK (Mar 5, 2011)

Oldbee said:


> I even studied entomology [insects] and learned how to identify them at college.


Glad you went to college to and studied entomology, so you know exactly what a bumblebee and other insects look like. Truth of it is, there is a lot of us that never studied entomology that know what a bumblebee looks like, believe it or not! The discussion was about things that catch honey bees. 
If someone told you that you didn't know what a bumblebee was, what would you have to say?.


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## rmaro (Feb 22, 2011)

I have had some sort of Assassin bug killing some of my bees, I have kille 3 of these in the last week. Solid black with red trim along the edges, each had a bee and was eating......


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## Oldbee (Sep 25, 2006)

OK....... ArkansasBK, you go out as soon as you can and kill one of those "bumble bees",  and you tell me just how many wings does it have.?  You have to have it in your hand and examine it very closely,..no fudging.!! Bee honest about how many wings the insect in question has!

It would be conclusive if you could catch one of those "bumble bees" that actually_,.."catch a bee [a honey bee] in flight in front of the entrance, take it to the ground, kill it, then fly off with it._
_They are NOT looking for pollen or nectar, or looking for a place to make a nest. They are after bees." _


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## CharlieN (Feb 23, 2011)

ArkansasBK said:


> So will bumble bees. I bet I've killed a hundred bumble bees this year at the entrance to my hives, catching bees and trying to fly off with them.


Maybe it's only Arkansas bumble bees that mess around hives, dunno. I do know I've seen a lot of them around my hives up here in NW Arkansas. To me, they seem particularly drawn to new splits, nucs or hives that are weak for some reason or another. Maybe they're hoping they can sneak in for a quick bite. I've killed more than one while working the bees when they won't leave me alone. Pretty sure they're bumblers - sting like 'em - right through the suit too.

Summer Tangers are pretty thick here this year also and they sure like the bees. They like to swoop down an munch the drones flying around.


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## DutchBee (Jul 14, 2009)

Not a bird or insect..... but I had huge problems with Skunks last year. killed around 6 skunks total at the hives eating the bees. They scratch the hive and when the bees come out they eat them. Hoping I have it under control this year as when the skunks are bothering the bees it gets the bees pissy and they take it out on me!

.17 hmr skunk medicine


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## MassKeeper (May 15, 2011)

CharlieN said:


> Maybe it's only Arkansas bumble bees that mess around hives, dunno. I do know I've seen a lot of them around my hives up here in NW Arkansas. To me, they seem particularly drawn to new splits, nucs or hives that are weak for some reason or another. Maybe they're hoping they can sneak in for a quick bite. I've killed more than one while working the bees when they won't leave me alone. Pretty sure they're bumblers - sting like 'em - right through the suit too.
> 
> Summer Tangers are pretty thick here this year also and they sure like the bees. They like to swoop down an munch the drones flying around.


Here in Mass I've seen a lot of Flickers in my yard since I started having hives there.

Charlie; Where in Garfield are you? I own property on 12 Corners Road. ....Small world


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## Adam Foster Collins (Nov 4, 2009)

Sparrows eat 'em live here. And Starlings eat them dead off the ground.

Bumble Bees try to get into the hive - and get killed. They don't attack and kill bees here...

Adam


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## CharlieN (Feb 23, 2011)

MassKeeper said:


> Charlie; Where in Garfield are you? I own property on 12 Corners Road. ....Small world


 Ya, it is and gettin smaller all the time. We're just about 5 miles south by southeast of 12 Corners Church as the bee flies.


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## Hornetnester7r (Jul 7, 2015)

Can anyone go to Arkansas with a camera to find out if they are bumble bees attacking honey bees?


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## Tejones121 (Apr 28, 2015)

enchplant said:


> I posted a video of scrub jays eating bees in my garden,
> 
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svG8oHZYg1w
> 
> ...


Not sure of the type, but we have large dragon flies here. Solid dark bodies about 4" long or so with a wingspan equally wide. They are around my hives ever morning and late evening catching bees out of mid air or even grabbing them off the landing board.


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## OhioSunnyDay (May 12, 2015)

We were hoping to get guinea fowl but decided against it for fear of them eating the bees. Does anyone have any experience with guineas? I have lots of dragon flies, bumble bees, sparrows & swallows but haven't witnessed those as a big problem. I'm thinking that a guinea fowl, with their head to the ground all the time would pick my bees right off the clover!


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## FlowerPlanter (Aug 3, 2011)

Guinea fowl don't eat bees, they do eat ticks and do a very good job at it.

Got one with a property we bought, it was great until a predator got it.


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## mcon672 (Mar 5, 2015)

Hey Dutch bee, I'm curious did you shoot the skunks near your hives? If so how did they react to the intense smell? I get the occasional skunk here and just curious if I set a trap near the hives and dispatch skunk how that will affect the bees.


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## Browtine (Apr 13, 2014)

Jerry J said:


> Summer Tanger, Worst of them all. Checked on the internet and Birds books and they love bees. Never saw one before, Perch on the hives and edge of the woods. I don't mind a few bees like the cat birds take but the Summer tanger can hurt the breeding nucs. Beautiful Red Male. South Iowa line is suppose to be their northern range but I know they come farther north.


This immature Summer Tanager almost landed on a frame I was working and snatched a bee! He'd sit on adjacent hives not 10' from us and occassionly swope down and grab a bee in mid air. Not spooky of people at all. Hung around for about a week and we haven't seen one since. He didn't look like he could do much damage though. I would like to see one in their bright red adult plummage!


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## BeeGora (Oct 22, 2013)

Interesting conversation about bumblebees. I'm 64 yo and grew up on a farm. I always thought bumblebees gathered nectar like honeybees and weren't predators like wasps and hornets. However, I didn't go college and study entomology so what do I know? BTW.....we called those yellow hornets Japanese Hornets.....I had one climb into bed with me in the middle of the night while I was sleeping and it stung me three times before I could get out.


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## scorpionmain (Apr 17, 2012)

I am just another guy here that has observed bumbles catching bees at the entrance.

Don't believe the "experts", they don't know it all.
The "experts" have claimed for as long as I've been alive that there are no mountain lions in KY either.
The locals have been spotting them forever.
Finally, Fish & Wildlife had to shoot one this past year.
The "experts" still dismiss hard evidence.


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## Brent Bean (Jun 30, 2005)

Praying Mantis and Turkeys, however once the bees taught the turkey's about stinging they stay away.


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## Snapset (May 2, 2015)

Junco's are my biggest bird problem. I used to like those birds. Not as much as cedar wax wings, and they don't eat my bees.


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## BadBeeKeeper (Jan 24, 2015)

Brent Bean said:


> Praying Mantis and Turkeys, however once the bees taught the turkey's about stinging they stay away.


Plenty of turkeys here, they don't seem interested in bees. Lots of kinds of dragonflies too, haven't seen them go for the bees (yet).

Those big, black and yellow Orb Weaver spiders though, they'll spin webs right in front of the hives if I don't keep the growth down.


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

ArkansasBK said:


> Purple Martins will eat honey bees. So will bumble bees. I bet I've killed a hundred bumble bees this year at the entrance to my hives, catching bees and trying to fly off with them.


I've heard this and read is half a gazillion times, BUT Purple Martins eat a ton of Dragonflies. Dragonflies eat bees.

I have over 100 pairs of nesting Martins at my house each year, AND I have raised a few queens since starting beekeeping. I have yet to have a virgin queen that the hive accepted not return successfully mated. I tried introducing virgin queens into splits last year and that didn't go well, but it was the bees that killed the queens, not Purple Martins.


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

Some of you folks have some dang mean bumble bees. I haven't seen a bumble bee kill or eat a bee.

I have seen Eastern Kingbird eat bees. Some of the old timers around here call them Bee Martins because at a distance they favor a young Purple Martin.


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## jbeshearse (Oct 7, 2009)

Cardinals and Mockingbirds


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## NeilV (Nov 18, 2006)

A pair of Eastern Kingbirds nest in my little pole barn every year. Until it warms up and more insects are around, they eat my bees. I've also seen Scissor-tailed Flycatchers eating my bees. They are the Oklahoma State bird and are fun to watch, even if they are eating bees.


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## BattenkillJB (May 9, 2012)

I hate to chime in on bumble bees but there are also wood boring bees from my barn that look almost exactly like the bumble bees that I know and love from pollinating my blueberry bushes. They are a bit larger. My honeybees have killed bumblebee like entruders no problem. We should respect all the critters that are part of this magical ecosystem.


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## jadebees (May 9, 2013)

The mountain bluebirds eat them. Also the flycatchers catch them . I have seen bluebird parent birds using my hives to teach the fledglings to jump insects. I have also seen the little birds get stung. It really devastates a 2 oz. bird. They basically crash, and can't fly for a while. I'm surprised they live.

We have something called a scorpion fly, that hangs out near hives all summer. They will snatch a forager from the air, land and suck it dry. They do a few a day, 1 at a time and are not much bigger than a bee. They have a nasty bite, they will sometimes bite you if in the mood. They kill bees quickly, the bite may be venomous,somewhat. It does hurt.


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