Which animals eat insects? with examples

There are several types of animals that eat insects : birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, arachnids, and even some species of insects. All of them feed on the proteins provided by insects and are mostly called insectivores.

Some animals that will be mentioned below also eat leaves, vegetables, fruits and stems, but if they have something in common, it is that they all eat insects. We are going to detail 15 animals so that you know their characteristics and then we will make you a list of more than 50 animals that eat insects .

15 animals that eat insects

1. Armadillo

Although armadillos have a strong armor made up of juxtaposed plates, these long-tailed animals have a light diet, consuming insects within it. However, his other two tastings are plants and carrion.

2. Sugar glider

This wild animal of only 20 centimeters and a maximum of 160 grams in weight, is very striking in Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea and Indonesia. In fact, sometimes they want to have it as a pet, which is not a good idea, even if we think it will keep the home free of insects.

In addition to being one of the animals that eat insects, this is not the only food in its diet, since it is an omnivorous animal that includes insects, birds, nectar and small mammals in its intake .

3. Geckos or geckos

For geckos, insects are good food. In fact, it could be said that these scaly sauropsids consume any type of food to survive in hot regions of the world. They can hunt small birds, lizards, arachnids, arthropods, and centipedes.

In addition, it has been detected in them, that sometimes they do not skimp on having to resort to cannibalism, if the seasons produce a high level of food shortages.

4. Dragon-fly

Dragonflies are considered a species of paleopteran insects, since they cannot gather their wings around the abdomen, but they have a great capacity for flight to detect their food. They are one of the types of insects that eat insects. His favorites are flies, moths, butterflies and flies.

5. Mantis

Also known as Praying Mantis, this insect distributed in four of the world’s continents, also feeds on other insects . Its two front legs are like blades and are very helpful during hunting. Its five centimeters in size, it also gives it a great advantage over other insects.

However, this is not the only food in its diet, since the mantis can also hunt small birds, rodents, lizards and frogs. On the other hand, females reach cannibalism, after the mating ritual.

6. Marquita

These beautiful insects that present different colors among their more than 4,500 types, also eat insects. However, they are preferred by humans for their special beauty of red color with black spots and in other species with orange, white and yellow wings, which impact children and adults.

But the greatest quality for which they are chosen by adults is for their characteristic function in pest control. Taking as a preference among their food, mites, mealybugs, flies and aphids.

7. Little owl

It is a 25-centimeter bird of prey, which is frequently confused with the owl due to its brown or brown plumage and white areas. Its origins are from Europe and Africa. This animal feeds on insects that are large, although they also have the ability to hunt small birds, rodents and worms.

8. Indiana bat

Not all bat species consume insects, but the Indiana bat does. This 60-millimeter animal is found in some states in North America. Its diet is exclusive of insects, going out to feed every night, consuming up to half its weight. Their favorite food is beetles, moths, and other flying invertebrates.

9. Anteater

This animal can measure up to two meters, but they feed on insects. It consumes termites and ants thanks to its long, cylindrical and sticky tongue that it can introduce into the hiding places of these insects, trapping them by sticking to its tongue.

10. Gray flycatcher

It is a 10-inch songbird that eats insects and plants. But their main diet is made up of coleopterans, dipterans and elderberries.

11. Lunar rat

This rodent of almost 5 centimeters, has a diverse diet, which includes insects, but also aquatic vertebrates and fruits.

12. Common gecko

It is a nocturnal reptile of 15 centimeters, characterized by presenting colors that are easy to camouflage. Their diet is based on the consumption of any type of insects, but in the seasons where there is a shortage of food, they reach cannibalism by eating small geckos or lizards.

13. Common toad

The nocturnal habit of this amphibian is due to its preference for food, as are insects, although they also hunt small mammals.

14. Web-footed tenrec

It is a mammal of 40 centimeters and little known, because it is a vulnerable species by the IUCN Red List. Their diet includes insects and crayfish.

15. Star-nosed mole

This nocturnal mammal feeds on insects, hunting their prey underground. His favorites are worms and mollusks, finding the latter thanks to his swimmer quality.

50 Animals that eat insects

Insectivorous birds

Insectivorous birds have tiny hairs (vibrissae) around their beaks, with which they detect the vibrations of the flapping of their prey in the air. They are also characterized by having a pincer-shaped beak to remove insects from places that are difficult to access.

1. Bee-eater
2. Hoopoe
3. Starling
4. Swallow
5. Blackbird
6. Sparrow
7. Woodpecker
8. Flycatcher
9. Parulids
10. Robin
11. Mockingbird
12. Tyranids

Insectivorous mammals

There are more than 400 species of insectivorous mammals, but here we will only name a few. Among its characteristics, most are related to having a small size, except for some cases.

13. Armadillo
14. Aardvark
15. Sea urchin
16. Mongoose
17. Bat
18. Shrew
19. Anteater
20. Meerkat
21. Mole

Insectivorous amphibians

Its main characteristic is to have a tongue with a sticky substance that has the function of catching its prey to devour them.

22. Harlequin frog
23. Country frog
24. Glass frog
25. Flying frog
26. Salamander
27. Marine toad
28. Midwife toad
29. Green toad
30. Triton

Insectivorous reptiles

There are many reptiles that eat insects. Some eat insects at birth, but then change the type of diet.

31. Chameleon
32. Gecko
33. Cinderella lizard
34. Long-tailed lizard
35. Pipe lizard
36. Rock lizard
37. Crystal lizard
38. Gecko
39. Red bellied snake

Insectivorous insects

There are some insects that eat other insects, such as the following:

40. Wasp
41. Lacewings
42. Bullet ant
43. Pharaoh ant
44. Ant-lion
45. Dragon-fly
46. Praying mantis
47. O
48. Killer fly

Insectivorous arachnids

Spiders are characterized by being insectivorous and here we mention some:

49. Camel spider
50. Corner spider
51. Wheat spider
52. Red back spider
53. Wolf spider
54. Chick Spider
55. Scorpion
56. Tarantulas
57. Black widow