Hummingbirds are known for their ability to hover in midair as they drink nectar from flowers. Their long, slender beaks and tongues are perfectly adapted for accessing nectar from even the deepest tubular flowers. But do these petite birds also feast on spiders and insects?
Do hummingbirds eat spiders?
The short answer is yes, hummingbirds do eat spiders. While nectar is their main food source, hummingbirds also need protein. They get this primarily from small insects such as gnats, fruit flies, aphids, and leafhoppers. Spiders can provide an excellent source of protein as well.
Hummingbirds have excellent vision and the ability to swiftly change direction in midair. This makes them adept at snatching up spiders from leaves, branches, and even spider webs. They are known to pluck spider silk to extract spiders and insects trapped in the webs.
One study observed over 200 spider predation events by hummingbirds in the wild. Some species were more likely to eat spiders, such as Anna’s hummingbird and Broad-tailed hummingbird. The spiders consumed were relatively small orb-weaving varieties. Large spiders do not appear to be on the hummingbird menu.
So while nectar makes up the bulk of their diet, hummingbirds do take advantage of the high protein boost spiders can provide. The extra nutrients spiders contain are especially important during demanding life stages like migration or nesting when energy needs are high.
Do hummingbirds eat insects?
Yes, hummingbirds readily eat insects along with spiders to obtain essential protein. Some species get as much as two-thirds of their daily protein requirement from insects. Aside from spiders, here are some of the insects hummingbirds are known to eat:
- Ants
- Aphids
- Beetles
- Fruit flies
- Gnats
- Leafhoppers
- Mosquitos
- Termites
- Thrips
- Wasps
They use their sharply pointed beak to stab and capture the small insects. Their feeding method varies by prey type. For example, to eat fruit flies, they may catch them mid-flight. For ants and aphids, they pick them directly from plants and trees.
Hummingbirds occasionally practice a technique called “hawking.” This involves sitting on an open bare branch and sallying out to catch flying insects. They return to the same perch between prey captures.
Interestingly, female hummingbirds tend to consume more insects than males. This may be attributed to higher protein needs as they prepare for breeding and nesting.
Why do hummingbirds eat spiders and insects?
Hummingbirds need more than just sugary nectar to survive. Here are some key reasons they include spiders and insects in their diet:
- Protein source – The protein obtained from arthropod prey is essential for muscle development, egg production, and other important bodily functions. Without it, hummingbirds would suffer severe protein deficiency.
- Metabolic needs – The high metabolic rate of hummingbirds requires a nutrient-dense diet. Spiders and insects provide key micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fats.
- High energy requirements – Hummingbirds have one of the highest energy turnovers per unit body weight of any animal. The additional calories from insects and spiders help meet these fast calorie burning rates.
- Feeding young – Female hummingbirds rely heavily on arthropods to produce protein-rich crop milk to feed their chicks. Nestlings cannot survive on nectar alone.
- Migration and breeding – The extra demands of migration and reproduction mean hummingbirds eat more insects during these stages to fuel up properly.
Without supplementing their nectar diet with spider and insect protein, hummingbirds would simply not thrive or survive. The two food sources work together to provide a balanced diet.
What kinds of spiders and insects do hummingbirds eat?
Hummingbirds are opportunistic foragers and eat a wide variety spiders and insects. However, they prefer small, soft-bodied invertebrates that are easy to digest. Here are some of their favorite spider and insect prey:
Spiders
- Orb-weaving spiders – e.g. garden spiders, barn spiders, silver argiope
- Crab spiders
- Jumping spiders
- Flower spiders
Insects
- Mosquitos
- Fruit flies
- Gnats
- Aphids
- Moth larvae
- Beetles
- Leafhoppers
- Ants
- Termites
- Thrips
As a general rule, hummingbirds avoid larger insects with hard outer shells or painful stingers like beetles, bees, and wasps unless desperate. They prefer soft bodied insects and spiders that are easy to digest.
How much do hummingbirds eat?
The amount of food a hummingbird eats depends on factors like its size, life stage, and activity level. But these petite birds have shockingly high caloric demands. Here’s a look at hummingbird food consumption:
- Up to 8 times their body weight in nectar and insects per day
- Hundreds of fruit flies and spiders each day
- Thousands of flowers visited per day for nectar
- Nearly their entire weight in nectar on a daily basis
- Up to half their weight on an hourly basis
Their intake is regulated by their high metabolism which requires huge amounts of energy. During high activity like migration or nesting, they may eat up to 150% of their body weight daily.
Given their tiny size, it’s incredible that hummingbirds are among the biggest eaters in proportion to their body weight of any animal on Earth!
What is their feeding behavior like?
Hummingbirds have specialized feeding behaviors and adaptations that allow them to thrive on their high calorie diet of nectar, spiders, and insects.
- Visits hundreds to thousands flower per day
- Can lick nectar up to 13 times per second
- Only spends 10-15 seconds at each flower
- Regurgitates undigested food from crop for re-eating to fully extract nutrients
- Uses tongues that are forked with fringed edges ideal for nectar uptake
- Has excellent memory of flower locations and bloom status
- Aggressively defends flower territory and food sources
- Adapted to feed from a variety of specialized flower shapes
- Nimble flyers that can consume insects and spiders midair with great precision
Their feeding method depends on the food source. For nectar, they use their unique beak and tongue structure. For spiders and insects, they employ speedy midair strikes or glean them directly from plants and webs.
Do hummingbirds help control insect pests?
Hummingbirds provide an important ecosystem service by acting as natural pest control. By feeding on harmful plant-sucking insects like aphids, leafhoppers, thrips, and mosquitos, they help protect gardens and agricultural areas from infestations.
Research indicates the beneficial impact hummingbirds can have on controlling pests:
- A study of tomato plants showed an 86% reduction in aphid numbers when hummingbirds were present.
- Hummingbird spider predation may aid pest control by reducing spider populations that interfere with other insectivores.
- Their consumption of mosquitos makes them one of the few predator groups to feed on these disease-carrying insects.
So by acting as tiny pest control agents, hummingbirds can enhance plant health and crop yields while reducing disease transmission by mosquitos. Their appetite for spiders and insects benefits the greater ecosystem.
Do hummingbirds ever eat too many insects or spiders?
It’s unlikely hummingbirds can overdose on eating too many spiders or insects. Here are some reasons why:
- Their main diet still consists of nectar, not insects.
- They prefer soft-bodied insects that are easy to digest.
- Not equipped to handle ingesting an excess of hard exoskeletons.
- Their stomachs are only around 0.1ml in size so can’t gorge.
- High metabolism prevents buildup of toxins from spiders/insects.
- Instincts prevent them overhunting prey sources.
Hummingbirds are precision hunters adapted to getting just the right amount of insect and spider nutrients to balance their nectar intake. While they may snack on more insects during demanding times energetically, they’re unlikely to eat more than they can comfortably digest and tolerate.
Do hummingbirds get caught in spiderwebs?
Despite actively feeding on spiders, hummingbirds can still occasionally fall victim to spiderwebs themselves. However, they have adaptations that help them avoid getting trapped.
- Excellent vision to identify webs and avoid flying into them.
- Hovering ability allows them to approach flowers cautiously.
- Sharp beaks can cut themselves free if they do contact a web.
- Soft and slippery feathers make it hard for webs to adhere.
- Intelligence to learn web locations and avoid repeated issues.
While hummingbirds have been observed extracting insects and spiders from webs, they tend to be nimble and smart enough to avoid becoming entrapped themselves in most circumstances.
Do hummingbirds ever eat honey bees or get stung?
Hummingbirds generally avoid eating stinging insects like honey bees. However, they do still occasionally get stung when collecting spider silk and insects from around nests.
- Observed rubbing crushed bees on feathers – may be using sting venom as fungicide/insecticide.
- Will eat dormant bees from hives during cold weather.
- Seen eating bees in midair but this is higher risk tactic.
- Have fast reaction time to avoid stings.
- Stings can be dangerous but don’t deter them from revisiting nests for prey.
While capable of moving fast enough to capture bees, hummingbirds avoid direct consumption and stings when possible. But the nutritional rewards they gain from nest sites outweigh the stinging risks.
Summary
In summary, hummingbirds do eat spiders and insects to obtain essential protein, calories, vitamins, and minerals. Small soft-bodied spiders like orb weavers and insects like mosquitos, fruit flies, and aphids make up a key part of their diet. They need this nutritional boost to keep up with their supercharged metabolism. So while we perceive them primarily as nectar drinkers, hummingbirds would not thrive without feasting on spiders and insects as well!