We have seen lizards can prey on a lot of moving small creatures. But do lizards really eat bees?
Yes, lizards can eat bees. But not all types of lizards eat bees. Only a few types of lizards that are comparatively large can eat bees. Usually, small lizards that we see in a house won’t eat bees.
This post will help you with every necessary thing you should know about lizards eating bees.
Which Predators Eat Bees?
There are a lot of predators around who can be a threat to your honey bee colony. Predators like bears, raccoons, spiders, frogs, etc can eat bees.
Specially raccoons and bears are the biggest threat to a honey bee colony. When bears attack a colony they destroy the beehive. They eat bee larvae, honey, and even large bees too.
Woodpeckers also eat carpenter bee larvae. So, having carpenter bees in your house will lead woodpeckers to your house. Woodpeckers probably start pecking your house, if they find any bee larvae inside the wooden material of your house.
There are plenty of other predators that can eat bees. So, if you are a beekeeper you should take the necessary steps to save your colony.
Do Lizards Eat Bees?
Only large lizards often called skinks or giant lizards can eat bees. No small lizards usually seen inside the house won’t eat bees. Even small lizards fear bees. As soon as they see bees they run away.
Lizards are mainly carnivorous they eat small insects to large mammals too. Small lizards can only eat small insects, fruits, and vegetables.
Dead bees are risk-free and easy to consume without harm. That’s why lizards are more likely to eat dead bees instead of attacking a swarm.
Why Do Lizards Eat Bees?
Bees are full of protein and nutrition. Especially bee broods contain almost all kinds of nutrition. That’s why if bees are easy to catch for large lizards they won’t hesitate to consume it.
Though bees contain a lot of nutrients lizards do not only prey on bees. Lizards won’t attack a beehive if they have sufficient other food sources.
They won’t eat bees as they can get stung by bees. But large lizards who usually do not live inside the house can eat bees. When lizards attack a beehive, a bee swarm will attack them. So, lizards will choose single bees or a few bees, instead of a bee swarm to catch.
Which Type Of Lizards Can Eat Bees?
As I already told you not all lizards attack bees. Because when bees find any danger they will attack that with their entire force.
Small lizards usually fear bees. So, they even do not think of eating bees. When a small lizard are behaving like a threat to a beehive entire bee swarm will attack it. Bees will start contiguous stinging to the lizards. They can even kill the lizards.
But dead bees are risk-free. So, any type of lizard will eat dead bees. They can also eat bee larvae from any abandoned beehive.
But large lizards well known as skinks prey lizards. They specially attacks a beehive for bee larvae and honey. They will attack large bees if they aren’t large in numbers.
How Large Lizards (Skinks) Eat Bees?
Skinks can easily catch and eat a small swarm. While they are hunting for food they came to the beehive. First, they will wait for the right turn of attacking the hive.
When they identify the right time for attacking the beehive they will attack the hive. As they are large they won’t fear about bees.
In most cases, they are successfully able to eat some bee larvae, and honey and run away. But sometimes if they are not large enough or weak they got injured by bees.
A strong colony is always very active to protect itself. So, when a comparatively small lizard tries to attack a honey bee colony bees attack it. Bees will start continuously stinging the lizard.
They will cover the entire body of the lizard and continue to sting it until eat die. But a honey bee colony is unable to protect itself from large skinks.
So in most cases, large skinks when attacking a beehive are successful to eat bees.
Do Lizards Get Hurt When They Eat Bees?
Yes, lizards do get hurt when they eat bees. They through their tongue to catch the bees and pour it instantly into its mouth.
Bees will have a few seconds before it dies inside the lizard’s mouth. So, it will try to defend itself. It will sting a lizard’s tongue or any parts inside its mouth.
Even lizards can get stung by bees while eating dead bees. Dead bees still have a sting. So, while the lizard is swallowing the bees its esophagus may get hurt by the bee sting.
How To Get Rid Of Lizards In A Beehive?
Bees will try to defend themselves against any danger. So, when a lizard attacks a beehive bees will definitely try to defend themselves.
But large skinks are too much for the beehive. So, bees probably not be able to defend themselves against those skinks.
So, beekeepers should ensure there are no harmful skinks that can be a threat to their bees.
As a beekeeper, you can take the following steps to prevent lizards from attacking a beehive.
- Keep The Hive Above Ground: This is the first step to prevent your hive from getting attacked by any predators. Keep your hive at least 1 meter above the ground. This will reduce the risk of getting the hive attacked by skinks and other predators.
- Use Traps: You will find a lot of predator traps. That will help you to catch harmful predators like lizards, earwigs, spiders, etc. This will protect your hive from danger.
- Place A Screen: You can place a robbing screen around your beehive. This will allow your bees to pass through but prevent other predators.
- Reduce The Entrance: You can prevent predators from attacking a hive by reducing the entrance of the beehive. Make sure the entrance of the hive is enough that bees can pass through. But it is not possible to go through by other large insects and predators.
- Use Natural Deterrent: Try to find something that does not harm bees but is not liked by lizards. Like some essential oil or plenty of natural deterrents available that will keep skinks away from a beehive.
If lizards become a serious problem for your beehive, make sure to call for pest control specialists. They will effectively help you to protect your hives from lizards and other predators.
Do Bees Eat Lizards?
Bees only rely upon pollen and a nectar-rich diet. So, they only collect pollen and nectar from flowers for their diet. They won’t eat anything else.
So, bees never think of eating lizards. You might see a few bees covering a lizard. That is not because bees are thinking of eating the lizard.
This is probably because the lizard has tried to attack the beehive. So, bees attacked it and kill it. Now they are trying to remove it at a safe distance from their hive.
Conclusion
Small lizards do not eat bees, but large lizards like skinks do. So, beekeepers should be aware of protecting their colonies from skinks.
Now you can read my article on how to get rid of blackjack bees.
