Quick Answer
Hummingbirds do eat fungus gnats, which are a good source of protein for them. Fungus gnats are small flying insects that are attracted to the nectar in hummingbird feeders. When hummingbirds are feeding, they will also catch and eat any small insects around the feeder, including fungus gnats. Feeding on insects provides hummingbirds with essential amino acids that are not found in nectar.
Do Hummingbirds Eat Bugs?
Yes, hummingbirds regularly eat small insects and bugs as part of their diet. While nectar is their main food source, hummingbirds need more than just sugars – they require proteins and nutrients to survive.
Insects provide hummingbirds with important nutrients not found in nectar, including protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids. Eating bugs allows hummingbirds to obtain a balanced diet.
Some of the insects and bugs hummingbirds are known to eat include:
- Spiders
- Flies
- Mosquitoes
- Gnats
- Aphids
- Caterpillars
- Ants
- Bees
- Moths
Hummingbirds have excellent eyesight and hand-eye coordination, allowing them to precisely pick off tiny insects even while hovering in midair. As opportunistic feeders, they will eat any small bugs that are around their nectar feeders or flowers.
Eating insects also provides hummingbirds with an important source of protein for their high-energy lifestyle. Hummingbirds have very fast metabolisms and require a lot of energy to power their rapid wing beats. Protein from bugs helps maintain their muscle mass and supports their active lifestyle.
Do Hummingbirds Eat Fungus Gnats?
Yes, hummingbirds readily eat fungus gnats. Fungus gnats are those tiny dark flies with long legs that are attracted to nectar. They like to congregate around hummingbird feeders or rotting fruit.
Fungus gnats provide hummingbirds with a high-protein snack that helps supplement their nectar diet. Hummingbirds will opportunistically pick the tiny gnats right out of the air as they buzz around the feeders.
The gnats are nutritious – packed with protein, vitamins and nutrients like iron, magnesium and zinc. This makes them a healthy addition to a hummingbird’s diet. Eating gnats allows hummingbirds to replenish their energy reserves and get essential amino acids.
Some tips to attract more hummingbirds and fungus gnats:
- Use an open-style feeder instead of a bottle style
- Change nectar frequently to prevent fermentation
- Allow overripe fruit or vegetables to rot to attract gnats
- Use a nectar recipe with minimal added sweeteners
- Avoid treating areas near feeders with insecticides
With an open feeder in a site that attracts gnats, hummingbirds will have plenty of insect snacks to complement their nectar diet.
Why Do Hummingbirds Eat Bugs?
Hummingbirds eat insects and bugs for several important reasons:
Protein
The nectar that hummingbirds feed on is rich in sugars but low in proteins. Eating bugs provides hummingbirds with an essential source of proteins needed to build muscle mass and maintain their high energy lifestyle. Protein is particularly important during breeding season and helps females produce enough protein-rich eggs.
Essential Amino Acids
Nectar lacks many of the essential amino acids that hummingbirds need to survive. Feeding on insects provides these essential compounds like lysine and methionine that are not found in plant sources. Without sufficient essential amino acids in their diet, hummingbirds would develop nutritional deficiencies.
Micronutrients
Insects provide hummingbirds with important micronutrients not present in nectar. These include vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and carotenoids. Carotenoids produce vivid plumage colors that may attract mates. Eating bugs supplies hummingbirds with the full spectrum of micronutrients required for their health.
Energy
The fast hovering flight of hummingbirds requires a tremendous amount of energy. The protein in bugs helps maintain the muscle mass needed for rapid wing beats. Fatty acids give hummingbirds an energy dense food to power energetically expensive activities like courtship displays.
Foraging Strategy
Hummingbirds are opportunistic foragers. Taking advantage of any available food source increases foraging efficiency. Eating insects when they are abundant requires less energy expenditure than seeking out alternate food sources. This foraging strategy allows hummingbirds to maximize their food intake.
Raising Young
Female hummingbirds rely heavily on insects when raising chicks. The protein requirement of rapidly growing chicks is extremely high, more than can be provided by nectar alone. Bug eating allows mother hummingbirds to produce protein-rich eggs and crop milk to feed their chicks.
Benefits of Fungus Gnats for Hummingbirds
Here are some of the key benefits fungus gnats provide hummingbirds:
Excellent Source of Protein
Fungus gnats are packed with protein – analysis shows they contain 60-70% protein content by dry weight. This is a richer source of protein than nectar, which is mostly carbohydrates and water.
Essential Amino Acids
As flying insects, fungus gnats contain significant amounts of the essential amino acid lysine and other amino acids that are scarce in nectar. Consuming gnats helps hummingbirds meet their amino acid requirements.
Vitamins and Minerals
Fungus gnats provide good amounts of B vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin and thiamine. They also contain minerals like calcium, iron and magnesium that hummingbirds need.
Healthy Fats
The fat content of fungus gnats ranges 10-20%, providing hummingbirds with a concentrated source of energy-rich fats in their diet. These healthy fats fuel hummingbird metabolism and activity.
Convenient Snack
Gnats congregate right around hummingbird feeders, so they are a convenient protein supplement readily available as hummingbirds drink nectar. This saves energy as opposed to chasing down insect prey.
Abundant Food Source
Fungus gnat populations can grow rapidly, providing a plentiful and self-renewing source of food for hummingbirds that returns each season.
What Do Fungus Gnats Eat?
Fungus gnats in the larval stage primarily eat fungus and decaying plant material. The adult gnats feed on nectar, pollen, algae, root exudates, and insect secretions. Here’s a more detailed look at fungus gnat diet:
Larvae
- Fungi – feed on hyphae, spores, yeast, algae, molds
- Decaying organic matter – plant roots, leaves, wood
- Living plant material – can sometimes damage seedlings
Fungus gnat larvae have chewing mouthparts adapted for consuming fungi, organic debris, and plant material. They feed on mold, mushrooms, rotting vegetation, and compost.
Adults
- Nectar
- Pollen
- Honeydew
- Fungal secretions
- Algae
The adult gnats have sucking mouthparts and feed on liquid foods. They use their long legs to help locate and access nectar sources. Adults do not actually eat solid plant or animal material, though they remain strongly associated with fungi.
So in summary, the larvae consume decomposing matter while adults stick to liquid feeds from plants and fungi. This diet supports large gnat populations on which hummingbirds can feed.
What Attracts Fungus Gnats?
There are a few key factors that attract fungus gnats:
Decaying Organic Matter
Fungus gnat larvae thrive on rotting wood, leaf litter, compost, and other decaying organic substrates. Adults lay eggs on these materials so the larvae have abundant fungi to feed on.
Moisture
Fungus gnats need a moist environment for breeding. Wet soil, high humidity, irrigation, and damp organic matter promote gnat reproduction.
Yeasts
Gnats are particularly attracted to yeasts growing on decomposing plants or fruit. Yeasts indicate a prime habitat for larvae to develop.
Sugary Substances
Adult fungus gnats seek out nectar, sap, and honeydew as food sources. Sugary hummingbird feeders are excellent gnat attractants.
Poor Sanitation
Letting organic wastes and debris accumulate provides ideal gnat habitat. Food spills, uncleaned containers, and trash buildup can worsen gnat problems.
Fungal Pathogens
Some pathogenic fungal species support large fungus gnat populations. For example, Pythium root rot causes plant damage and also attracts gnats.
Taking steps to eliminate excess moisture, thoroughly compost wastes, and control fungi will discourage fungus gnats. For hummingbird feeders, allow some gnats by changing nectar regularly and not over-cleaning.
Fungus Gnat Life Cycle
Fungus gnats undergo complete metamorphosis with four life stages:
Egg
* Tiny oval eggs about 0.9 mm long
* Translucent white color
* Laid in clusters of 10-200 on damp organic material
* Hatch in 4 to 6 days
Larva
* Legless maggot-like grubs up to 5 mm long
* Light gray or transparent body
* Feed on fungi and decaying matter
* Go through 4 larval instars over 2-3 weeks
Pupa
* Occurs in thin, silken cocoons
* Pale yellow brown color
* Pupal stage lasts approximately 1 week
Adult
* Fragile-looking flies 2-3 mm long
* Gray or black color; long legs
* Feed on nectar for 1-2 weeks
* Females lay several hundred eggs
The entire life cycle lasts 2-3 weeks in optimal conditions. There are usually multiple, overlapping generations continuously breeding throughout the year. Peak populations occur in damp spring and fall conditions.
Do Fungus Gnats Bite Hummingbirds?
No, fungus gnats do not bite or harm hummingbirds. At the adult stage, fungus gnats do not have mouthparts capable of biting. They have sucking mouthparts adapted for feeding on liquids like nectar.
Fungus gnat larvae also cannot bite or infect hummingbirds, as they only consume decomposing organic matter. They do not have any means or reason to come into contact with hummingbirds.
Furthermore, there have been no recorded incidents of fungus gnats biting, stinging, or spreading diseases to hummingbirds. Hummingbirds appear to suffer no ill effects from close association with the gnats.
In rare cases, very high densities of fungus gnats could theoretically obstruct hummingbird feeding or movement. However, in general the presence of gnats does not negatively impact hummingbirds. In fact, the gnats provide a beneficial food source and are considered harmless commensal organisms.
Do Fungus Gnats Harm Hummingbirds?
No, fungus gnats do not harm hummingbirds. There are a few reasons why fungus gnats are not problematic for hummingbirds:
Non-Parasitic
Fungus gnats do not parasitize, bite or feed on hummingbirds. They are primarily decomposers not adapted to live on bird hosts.
Non-Toxic
Gnats accumulate in the soil but do not sequester toxins or spread diseases that could sicken birds. Consuming gnats is not toxic.
Low Competition
Gnats do not compete with hummingbirds for floral resources. Their feeding methods and food preferences differ.
Beneficial Prey
Rather than harmful, gnats provide hummingbirds with an abundant nutritious food source conveniently located around flowers and feeders.
No Damage Documented
There are no scientific reports of fungus gnats damaging hummingbirds. The two co-occur in nature without issues.
So while they may be a nuisance to humans, fungus gnats are neutral or even beneficial from the perspective of hummingbirds. Allowing some gnats to persist around feeders creates a reliable protein source that boosts hummingbird health.
Do Hummingbirds Control Fungus Gnats?
Hummingbirds help control fungus gnat populations by preying on the adults. Though they do not eliminate fungal breeding grounds, hummingbirds contribute to keeping gnat numbers in check by eating them.
Here are some ways hummingbirds help regulate fungus gnats:
Direct Consumption
Hummingbirds directly reduce local gnat populations by preying on the adults. Their insectivorous appetite helps restrict gnats.
Lower Reproduction
With fewer adults, fewer gnat eggs will be laid to produce the next generation. Hummingbird predation thereby lowers reproductive success.
Scattering Effects
Gnats will disperse from areas where hummingbirds actively hunt them, reducing local densities where hummingbirds are present.
Ecosystem Balance
As part of the ecosystem, hummingbird predation contributes to stabilizing fungus gnat populations at moderate densities.
However, hummingbirds alone will not eliminate a gnat infestation. Controlling fungal sources, drying out breeding sites, and sanitation are also required to get heavy populations under control. But hummingbirds will help keep fungus gnat numbers regulated as part of their role in the natural ecosystem.
Do Hummingbirds Carry Diseases From Gnats?
There is no evidence that hummingbirds can contract or transmit diseases from fungus gnats. Here are some reasons why gnats do not spread diseases via hummingbirds:
Gnats Not Disease Vectors
There are no scientific reports implicating fungus gnats in the spread of avian diseases. Gnats are not known vectors.
Different Pathogens
Most gnat-associated diseases involve crop plants, not pathogens that can infect vertebrates like hummingbirds.
Gnats Not Parasitic
Gnats do not live on bird hosts for long periods to transmit parasites or pathogens. Their feeding habits pose low risk.
No Shared Diseases
Diseases that impact fungus gnat populations have not been reported to also infect hummingbirds.
Self-Limiting Exposure
Hummingbirds have only brief contact with gnats while feeding before digesting them. This limits any potential transmission.
So while fungus gnats may spread some plant diseases, there is no documentation or transmission route implicating them as a source of disease in hummingbirds. The brief, predatory interaction between hummingbirds and gnats makes disease transmission highly unlikely.
Conclusion
In conclusion, hummingbirds do regularly eat fungus gnats. The gnats provide an important supplemental protein source to the primarily nectar diet of hummingbirds. Fungus gnats contain essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are lacking in nectar.
By catching gnats and other small insects, hummingbirds are able to meet their complete nutritional requirements for their high-energy lifestyle. Feeding on fungus gnats poses no harm to hummingbirds, and also helps regulate gnat populations around nectar sources. The availability of gnats around flowers and feeders thus benefits the health and well-being of hummingbirds. Allowing some fungus gnats represents an ecologically balanced approach to hummingbird feeders that provides natural protein.
