Insects that Eat Mosquitoes - MosquitoNix®
You are already familiar with mosquitoes and their desire to feed on humans and animals, but what eats mosquitoes? The good news is that many creatures consider mosquitoes a delectable treat or even the mainstay of their diet. Some animals, like birds fish, turtles and bats, will snack on mosquitoes, and we thank them for their efforts. They are hardly alone; insects also eat mosquitoes, making them a valuable part of our ecosystem. MosquitoNix® knows a thing or two about insects, from the annoying ones like mosquitoes to the ones that prey on them. Let's look at these bugs and how they help control mosquito populations.
What Insects Eat Mosquitoes
Obviously, not every insect has it out for mosquitoes, but some are rather fond of this plentiful food source. These bugs rely on mosquitoes at various stages of the life cycle:
Vampire Spiders
Do spiders eat mosquitoes? Yes, they do. Creepy-crawly spiders are not technically insects, but they interact with insects (like blood-sucking mosquitoes) often.
Spiders that devour female mosquitoes, which feed on human blood, are named "vampire spiders." Vampire spider mouths are too small to bite humans; therefore, they have to chow down on female mosquitoes to get their blood fix.
Vampire spiders come from Malaysia and East Africa. Some researchers want to introduce these spiders to areas dominated by mosquitoes to help with pest control. Now, all people have to do is get over their fear of spiders.
Other spiders may also make a meal out of mosquitoes, but only if they get stuck in a web. It's more a lucky accident than a standard way of spider life.
Dragonflies
Dragonflies hunt and consume larvae and adult mosquitoes, so much so that they have earned the nickname 'mosquito hawks." If you have dragonflies nearby, they can lower the number of mosquitoes buzzing around your property.
Damselflies
Damselflies are similar to dragonflies but have some distinct features. Usually, damselflies are smaller and thinner than dragonflies. They also have longer, slimmer abdomens, and when perched, they fold their wings while dragonfly wings stay open. Like dragonflies, damselflies hunt mosquitoes and can impact or limit the size of mosquito populations.
Predacious Mosquitoes
What is a predacious mosquito? Believe it or not, some mosquitoes go after other mosquitoes. These insects are larger than the average mosquito and originate from Australia. They mainly eat honeydew, fruit, nectar and sap, but they also target disease-carrying mosquitoes.
Like vampire spiders, some experts want to introduce predacious mosquitoes to areas where mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever and malaria are prevalent. The hope is predacious mosquitoes will reduce the number of mosquitoes that pose a risk to humans.
How to Get Rid of Mosquitoes
If you prefer natural mosquito-control methods, you can introduce insects (plus vampire spiders) that hunt and eat mosquitoes to your property. The only downside is that the local environment has to be conducive for these creatures to thrive.
Here's an easier solution. MosquitoNix® offers mosquito control services, including our green, eco-friendly and non-toxic mosquito control, for your residential or commercial property. Give us a call today to figure out the best options to keep you and your family safe from biting mosquitoes.
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