What animals eat bees?

Some bee predators will break into bee nests, or hives, and eat everything, including stored food, brood, wax and the adult bees. These animals include badgers, skunks, foxes, weasels, bears, mice and shrews. Hedgehogs will even break into nests that are above ground and eat all of the grubs inside. read more

Other birds who eat bees do so only on occasion, not as a main diet staple. These include kingbirds, swifts, mockingbirds, thrushes and martins. In most cases, these birds grab bees off the ground, not in flight. Woodpeckers can single in on a hive and enjoy the protein boost. read more

Many species of animals eat honey bees including other insects, amphibians, birds and mammals. Mammals kill more bees than other vertebrates, with bears and honey badgers being some of the most prolific bee killers. read more