What Eats Mosquitoes?

What eats mosquitoes?

1. Spiders
2. Lizards
3. Bats
4. Dragonflies
5. Fish
6. Frogs
7. Birds

 

Mosquitoes can be considered as one of the top pests that people need to avoid. Not only are they annoying and cause a lot of itching, but they are also prime disease spreaders, which even earned them the title of the most lethal animal in the world. There are many man-made solutions against mosquitoes, but there are also plenty of natural predators that help us control mosquito populations. This begs the question: what eats mosquitoes?

Most of these animals can be found near our homes — in our backyards, in the pond, and even on our ceilings! While they eat mosquitoes on the regular, we don’t notice it enough and take them for granted. Many people would kill or chase these animals away, even if they’re harmless to humans.

If you don’t know what animals in your house are helping you with the war against mosquitoes, we’ve compiled a list of some natural mosquito killers you might encounter. Keep reading to learn more!

 

Spiders

As we all know, spiders love chowing down on insects. Their main diet is comprised of all sorts of insects, mosquitoes included! Any type of spider would enjoy a good mosquito on the menu. If you see a spider web around, you can be sure that any unlucky mosquito that gets caught in it will be spider dinner.

Because they wait for their meals to come to them instead of actively hunting them, spiders don’t make much of a dent in mosquito populations. Adding to that is our tendency to take down the spider webs that we see around the house. However, if we let the spider webs be, then we’d have a natural pest filter around that won’t bother anyone else.

 

Lizards

Another common sight in Filipino homes, lizards are also friendly pest munchers. They like to eat insects of all kinds, and they’re always on the hunt. If a mosquito makes the mistake of hovering too close to the ground (or ceiling, or wall, wherever the lizard is!), they’ll become lunch for sure.

 

Bats

There are many types of bats out there, and yes, some of them eat fruit (and blood). But plenty of bats are insectivorous.  They would eat any type of insect as long as they can catch it, and with their flying skills, they can catch almost anything! Their echolocation also helps them locate insects and snap them up even in mid-flight. With a large population of bats hanging around, mosquitoes will always have their numbers reduced at night.

Because they prey on a wide range of insects, bats won’t focus on mosquitoes only. The presence of bats is helpful, but they are not enough to put a damper on that mosquito problem you may have.

 

Dragonflies

Dragonflies are excellent mosquito predators. First, they have air superiority over them. They can fly faster and have better maneuverability mid-air, with wings that let them zip around at 40-48 kilometers per hour. They also have better vision, the better to see the mosquitoes with. Compared to dragonflies, mosquitoes are lumbering around in the air, easy to snatch up and devour.

Also, since dragonflies like to hang around near water, they prey on young mosquitoes and even mosquito larvae. Even immature dragonflies, who still live in the water, make snacks out of mosquito larvae.

 

Fish

Almost any type of fish would feast on mosquito larvae that they find in the water. But the Gambusia affinis, or mosquito fish, have a particular liking to eating mosquito larvae. They like to do this so much that some pest control agencies use them to get rid of mosquito larvae in affected waters.

 

Frogs

If given the chance, adult frogs would most likely eat something else other than mosquitoes. After all, they are too small to fill them up. That doesn’t mean they won’t snap up any mosquitoes with the gall to hover close enough to them. Also, younger, smaller frogs won’t be as picky as the adults, making mosquitoes good targets for them.

Some species of tadpoles have also been known to prey on mosquito larvae, but they rely mostly on plant-based particles in the water. They can, however, compete with mosquito larvae for sustenance if they’re in the same area.

 

Birds

Of course, we won’t forget one of our best allies when it comes to natural pest control: birds. Most birds would be happy to eat a mosquito or two if they come upon them. In the Philippines, the maya or the Eurasian Tree Sparrow is one of the most common birds, and they like to fly after mosquitoes too!

With their sharp eyes and quick reflexes, birds of all kinds will be glad to control pest populations in exchange for a good meal!

 

Key Takeaway

Even though we’ve come up with a list of what eats mosquitoes, they still won’t be enough to combat your mosquito problem entirely. These natural mosquito predators are only there when they want to be, and their diets are not limited to mosquitoes only. While their presence surely helps, solving the problem would call for other measures.

If you’re having mosquito problems, then a professional pest control service should help! Getting in touch with Topbest, the leading pest control solutions provider in the Philippines, is your best bet for losing all your pest problems! You can contact us here for a free consultation!