Do Barn Swallows Eat Mosquitoes

Barn swallows love the insects that we humans consider pesky mosquito especially mosquitoes gnats and flying termites.

Do barn swallows eat mosquitoes. Barn swallows like all swallow species are somewhat difficult to care for in zoos because they capture their food in the air. The audobon society estimates that one swallow can consume 60 bugs per. That means they also consume some of your. Barn swallows are birds that eat mosquitoes and other flying insects.

And their graceful movements are among the loveliest of any bird. They catch those little buggers one at a time and eat them right up. Although the barn swallow helps with mosquito control they prefer larger insects for more benefit for their effort. Barn swallows are related to the purple martin and are also famous as one of the kinds of birds that eat mosquitoes.

Because of this they must live in large aviary structures with plenty of flying room. Barn swallows will catch flying prey by chasing after it and zigzagging through the air while in pursuit. Barn swallows are common in north america and are usually found on farmland near or in suburbs marshes and lake shores. Barn swallows are an insectivore meaning they only feed on insects.

Barn swallows eat insects on the fly. Insects that barn swallows feed on include mosquitoes different types of flies grasshoppers moths beetles and other types of flying insects. Mosquitoes flies grasshoppers crickets dragonflies beetles and moths 99 of their diet. Barn swallows tend to feed at lower heights than purple martins and therefore come across more mosquitoes.

A relative of the purple martin barn swallows are agile acrobatic hunters of flying insects including mosquitoes. And their graceful movements are among the loveliest of any bird. Because they feed selectively they tend to go for larger insects such as flies dragonflies or flying ants. According to the rural survival website swallows can eat their body weight in mosquitoes and other insects each day.

A single barn swallow can consume 60 insects per hour or a whopping 850 per day. Linda dekort writing for the flathead audubon society states that insects make. They often swoop and dive to catch their prey in aerial acrobatics. However mosquitoes are small and swallows must eat their weight in insects on a daily basis.

Of course plenty of insects around is also a must. Considering the hundreds of thousands of barn swallows all over the country well that s roughly a. Swallows eat mainly flying insects including mosquitoes and other harmful species so people benefit from swallows being around. That s 25 000 fewer insects per month that might have joined your summer barbecue.