While it’s clear that there are mosquito-eating birds, just how many mosquitoes birds eat may have been misreported. You can also tell these two arthropods apart by their flight patterns: Dragonflies are powerful and direct in their flight, while damselflies flutter about. Damselflies look like smaller, slimmer dragonflies and have the same taste for mosquitoes as their larger cousins. Crane flies sometimes feed on mosquito larvae, but many of these mosquito look-alikes don’t live long enough to feed on anything. As mentioned above, dragonflies are notorious mosquito predators. The term is loosely applied to three types of flying insects: dragonflies, crane flies and damselflies. Mosquito hawks aren’t actually hawks, or any specific creature for that matter. They also feed on mosquito larvae, especially during the immature stages of the dragonfly life cycle. They have no problem catching these easy targets, since dragonflies can zip around at speeds between 25 and 30 miles per hour, snatching their prey right out of mid-air. Since mosquitoes need water to successfully breed, they are a favorite meal of the dragonfly. They feed on many different types of insects, especially ones found around water. Of course, if you’ve ever been out in the woods at dusk during the summer, you already know that there are more mosquitoes in the world than nature can take care of.ĭragonflies are excellent hunters with hawk-like vision. Some creatures, like the small brown bat, can catch up to 600 mosquitoes in just one hour. Birds, frogs, tadpoles, fish, toads, salamanders, spiders, red-eared slider turtles and many types of insects all play vital roles in keeping the mosquito population at bay. Some feed on adult mosquitoes, but many feed on mosquito larvae. There are a number of insects and animals that can be considered mosquito predators. Looking to turn the tables on those pesky mosquitoes that invade your space with mosquito-eating birds? Natural mosquito predators like these might not be the most efficient form of mosquito control, but learning about what eats mosquitoes can help you decide which animals and bugs are beneficial in your backyard.
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