Do hummingbirds eat fruit flies? Find out the answer below.
Hummingbirds need a lot of fuel to run their hyper-rapid metabolism. Ornithologists swear that these small, unique birds can easily eat their weight in a day, feasting on carbohydrates and proteins.
It has been proven that in addition to the nectar, they get from flowers and feeders, their daily menu includes insects such as ants, aphids, mosquitoes, beetles, mites, and mosquitoes. However, do hummingbirds eat fruit flies? Let’s find out.
What Are Fruit Flies?
In short, any two-winged insect that belongs to the family Trypetidae or family Drosophilidae (more specifically, order Diptera) and whose larvae feed on fruit or other plant matter can be called a fruit fly.
It is very important to note that insects from the family Trypetidae are often called large fruit flies, in contrast to insects from Drosophilidae, which are called small fruit flies or vinegar flies.
Fruit flies are actually tiny, yellowish, red-eyed insects that are part of a large family of small flies that number about 3,000 different species. Unlike those flies, they don’t transmit any diseases, so we can confirm that they are completely harmless to our health.
They usually invade our homes through cracks in walls or pre-laid eggs inside a piece of fruit from the grocery store, and once they enter, they live and breed in drains and garbage cans, as well as on damp mops and rags.
Fruit flies prefer to lay their eggs near the surface of ripe fruits. Did you know that can lay up to 500 eggs at a time? Amazing, isn’t it? However, the good thing is that the entire life span of a fruit fly only lasts about two weeks. According to some studies, it has been proven that drinking a fermented drink allows a fruit fly to live a day or two longer than usual.
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What Does A Hummingbird’s Diet Consist Of?
We assume that the birds on the branch also know that the hummingbird needs nectar for carbohydrates, and they get it from feeders as well as from flying from flower to flower. However, in addition to carbohydrates, they also need proteins, especially while feeding youngsters. Therefore, their well-rounded diet includes nectar as well as insects.
Nectar is an excellent source of quick energy that can effectively start their metabolism, providing them with sufficient amounts of sugar, carbohydrates as well as some amino acids. Insects, on the other hand, provide them with all the necessary proteins, vitamins, and fats.
After getting hold of their prey, hummingbirds swallow it whole. Unfortunately, their arms and legs are too short, so they don’t have the ability to grab or tear prey. In addition, their beak is long and thin, which is why it is not suitable for opening a hard shell. Based on this, we can conclude that their choice of insects is limited because they can only eat soft insects that they can easily swallow.
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When given the opportunity, these birds will gladly choose to nibble on:
- ants,
- aphids,
- gnats,
- mites,
- mosquitoes,
- spiders.
However, do hummingbirds eat fruit flies? You will find out below.
Question Of The Day: Do Hummingbirds Eat Fruit Flies?
According to some research, hummingbirds have the highest metabolic rate of any known animal. They are also known as great thieves because they take insects caught in a spider’s web, and in some cases, the spider itself while it is in the process. No matter how brave they seem, they always try to avoid dangerous insects like bees that can compete for similar food sources.
Now that we know what they like and what they don’t, it’s time to find out: do hummingbirds eat fruit flies? Based on a study of their stomach contents, these birds really like to eat fruit flies.
Furthermore, according to some research, if they consumed nothing but fruit flies, they would need the equivalent of 300 fruit flies per day just to survive. However, it doesn’t seem like a very smart option in the long run, and we believe that they also share our opinion. To be honest, most people find it a bit strange that their long, slender beak is so well suited for drinking nectar and catching insects, often in the air. What do you think about it?
How To Offer Fruit Flies To Hummingbirds?
Now that you know the real answer to the question “do hummingbirds eat fruit flies”, we will show you the simplest example of including these insects in their daily menu.
All you have to do is put sliced bananas in your feeder to attract fruit flies. Once this fruit tree is ripe, it will indescribably attract these insects, which will therefore swarm and multiply in the feeder. Hummingbirds will come up to your feeder and catch buzzing fruit flies or simply sit on the perch ring and probe into the feeder’s slits.
We have to remind you that this trick may not bear fruit in your case, it is usually hit or miss as they say.
In Conclusion – Do Hummingbirds Eat Fruit Flies?
Hummingbirds feed on nectar from flowers, but they cannot survive solely on sugar water, they even need insects to get protein for the development of muscles and feathers. Fruit flies are a good source of amino acids, fat, fiber, salt, and other nutrients needed for their balanced diet. Therefore, they will rarely hesitate to eat them when they get the chance.
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