And if you keep bees, you might be wondering if a frog is really dangerous for your bees. As you may know, birds, bears, skunks, raccoons, and many other animals are very interested in honeybees. You may have asked yourself, do frogs eat bees? Yes, frogs do in fact eat bees. Let’s discuss.
There are approximately 5,000 species of recorded frogs in existence, with scientists continually discovering many more. Frogs come in different sizes and colors and inhabit a wide variety of environs. They are however not found in extremely cold areas of the world such as Antarctica.
Frogs belong to amphibian species that are ideally small vertebrates that require moist conditions or water for survival. Within this species are some common vertebrates such as frogs, newts, toads, and salamanders. Their common characteristic is that they can all absorb water through their skin and they can also breathe.
As masters of capturing insect prey, frogs and toads frequently snack on stinging critters like bees, wasps, and ants. Their quick reflexes allow these amphibians to snatch bugs out of the air with their sticky tongues. But what protects them from getting painfully stung inside their mouths? Are frogs and toads immune to the venom from hymenopterans?
Do Bee and Wasp Stings Hurt Frogs?
Frogs do have pain receptors that allow them to feel discomfort from stings. So bee and wasp stings are not pleasant experiences for frogs and toads. The sting reaction also varies by species. Generally though, hymenopteran venom is not severely toxic to most frogs. While painful, a single sting is rarely life-threatening.
However multiple stings could potentially overwhelm a small frog’s system. And certain highly venomous species like hornets may be dangerous even in isolated stings. So frogs are not fully immune to the effects of hymenopteran stings. But their behaviors and biology provide defenses.
Frog Adaptations That Prevent Stings
Frogs have several key adaptations that help avoid getting stung while hunting insects:
-
Lightning fast tongue – A frog’s tongue can snap forward in just 007 seconds, too fast for insects to react.
-
Sticky saliva – Frog tongue saliva instantly adheres prey so it can’t maneuver to sting.
-
Wide mouth – Their huge gape allows swallowing insects immediately.
-
Slimy mouth lining – Makes it hard for insect stingers to penetrate.
-
Immobilizing bite – Strong jaws clamp down on insects, preventing stinger use.
-
Toxic skin secretions – May repel some insects from stinging sensitive areas.
These adaptations enable frogs and toads to hunt bees, wasps, and ants as prey while avoiding most stings. But they don’t make them 100% sting proof.
What Happens When Frogs Do Get Stung?
If an insect is able to sting the inside of a frog’s mouth, here’s what happens:
-
Pain – Nerve receptors trigger discomfort signals to the frog’s brain.
-
Inflammation – The sting site becomes red, swollen and itchy.
-
Numbness – Venom can temporarily paralyze nearby muscle tissue.
-
Impaired movement – Jaw motion may be slowed for a period.
-
Increased secretions – Irritation leads to more mucus production.
-
Healing – Damaged tissues regenerate over a day or two.
So like most animals, frog bodies react negatively to stings but recover quickly. The brief suffering is worth the nutrient gain for frogs.
Do Bees Deter Frogs From Eating Them?
Interestingly, frogs don’t seem deterred by bees’ potential to sting. Despite the temporary pain, frogs will readily eat bees again. Two factors contribute to this fearlessness:
-
Prey abundance – Bees are everywhere, so frogs can’t avoid them.
-
Nutrient rewards – Bees provide key proteins, fats and minerals that aid frog health.
The plentiful nutrition appears to outweigh the sting risk. Frogs even hang around hive areas to snatch emerging bees. Their skill compensates for not being sting-proof.
Why Don’t Beekeepers Use Frogs as Pest Control?
Frogs relish eating nuisance bees around apiaries. So why aren’t they employed as natural pest control? Two main reasons:
-
Messy feeders – Frogs crush bees, spilling honey in hives.
-
Indiscriminate – They will eat workers along with pests.
Having frogs roaming colonies would make beekeeping operations messy and reduce productivity. So beekeepers stick to other methods that target only hive-invading insects.
Are Any Frogs Truly Immune to Stings?
No known frogs or toads are totally immune to hymenopteran stings. Even species like the bee-eating Pacman frog suffer temporary pain when stung. And severe allergic reactions can occur in rare cases.
But thanks to their adaptations and behaviors, most frogs are highly resistant to serious sting effects. While not pleasant, getting an occasional sting won’t stop frogs and toads from feasting on bees, wasps and ants. These amphibians brave the venom risks to enjoy the nutritional rewards.
So while not completely immune, frogs have developed excellent defenses through evolution. Their speed, reflexes and hardy biology enable them to hunt stinging insects with minimal harm. Bee and wasp venom packs only a temporary wallop for these voracious amphibians.
Nutritional Preference of Frogs
With frogs being generalist predators, it means they can stomach almost anything imaginable. They have gotten very good at living in the wild, where they can find a lot of different kinds of food. Butterfly, spider, fly, grasshopper, rat, and anything else you can put in their mouth, frogs will eat it. The frogs that primarily live in aquatic environs will rely heavily on aquatic invertebrates.
For frogs kept as pets, their food should be of the right size. The frog’s intestines can only handle the right sized feed. Gut-loaded insects make the best food for frogs since these contain the required nutrients. The feeding patterns of a frog and amount of food required will vary with frog species. Furthermore, the activity level and age of the frog will also come into play. And just like with people, a frog’s eating habits will have a direct effect on its health. That can explain why you will find some healthy and others obese. Frogs kept as pets should not be overfed; otherwise it will lead to obesity.
There are types of frogs, like the dwarf frog, the young frog, and toads, that need a lot of food because they are high-energy. In other words, they need to eat all the time and eat huge amounts of food at least twice a day. Such frogs can pose a serious risk to your hive if they come close to a susceptible beehive.
You will also find some frog species that are not heavy feeders. These will generally feed after every third day. These species are not much demanding when it comes to their food intake. Interestingly, you will find some large frog species that never consume too much food. They do, however, eat big animals like mice and stay for another week or two before looking for another meal.
Another interesting fact about these creatures, is the fact that they do not drink water directly. Instead, their skin absorbs water which can then be utilized within their system. Experts recommend the provision of dechlorinated water to frogs kept as pets. You will need to build a small pond or avail a pool of water.
For frogs, some of the common food they enjoy include, but are not limited to the following:
Large frog species will devour mice, from baby mice to adult mice. Newborn mice are particularly the best food for frogs. However, it’s only the bigger frog species that can swallow huge prey such as mice. These include the African bullfrog and the Pacman frog.
The easiest prey around for frogs to feed on. These are available in local stores and can also be raised at home. It is a popular diet for pet frogs.
Frogs feed on worms and caterpillars especially those of the right size. These are usually available almost anywhere including local stores. In the wild, worms and caterpillars exist in abundance as well making them an easy catch for frogs.
These are an excellent delicacy for frogs, not only in the wild but also for domesticated ones. These are particularly common at fishing bait stores. They can also be raised at home to make it easily accessible for your pet friend.
Blackworks, bloodworms, and brine shrimp
These in addition to other small worms make an excellent and main diet for aquatic frogs.
These make an excellent addition to a frog’s diet. They are not available in local stores. Wild frogs easily hunt and consume grasshoppers and locusts since they exist in large numbers in the wild.
Why Bees Die After They Sting You (ouch)
FAQ
Are frogs immune to venom?
Can a wasp sting a frog?
Do frogs feel pain when stung?
Are bullfrogs immune to stings?
Are frogs immune to bee stings?
There’s a myth that frogs and toads are immune to bee stings. However, this myth is untrue since there is evidence that bees can sting frogs. When a frog eats a bee, it typically swallows the insect before it can sting. In some cases, though, frogs can be stung before they have the chance to swallow the bee.
Why might that bee sting be good for you?
The bee venom has been in use in traditional medicine practices, research is going on to clearly define the benefits.
Can frogs be stung if they eat bees?
Although these efforts typically reduce the risk of stinging, frogs can still be stung when they eat bees. Frogs can be stung while eating bees because bees can sting even after death. The muscles, nerves, exoskeleton, and venom sac can all work together to sting for several minutes after the frog catches a bee.
Can a bee sting a frog?
This allows them to push venom into a frog’s body, even after death. A bee’s stinger can still poke through a frog’s skin and cause pain long after a bee has died. However, frogs typically don’t register dead insects (including bees) as a food source, so they are unlikely to be stung by dead bees.
Do frogs eat stings?
Some species, like the African Bullfrog, can eat a variety of creatures with venomous stings. Despite being stung by bees, wasps, and scorpions, these frogs seem impervious to pain. However, reactions to stings vary greatly between different frog and toad species.
Can a frog be a pest for a bee hive?
If you ask a beekeeper if a frog can prove to be a pest for his bee hives, his answer will be yes. Frogs enjoy hunting bees, and giant frogs like the gray frog, common frog, American bullfrog, and Red-eyed tree frog are all dangerous amphibian predators of bees. They are often known to stay near bee hives to hunt bees.