Bird Blue Jay Eating Wasp & Larvae

Wasps are carnivorous insects but they too have predators including larger insects, amphibians, reptiles and birds. There are a number of birds that will eat wasps given the chance while other species appear to have an affinity for wasp or wasp larvae will specifically seek out nests to feed. Examples of birds that eat wasps include chipping sparrows, gray catbirds, warblers, orioles, bluebirds, chickadees, blackbirds, starlings, wrens and nighthawks. Most birds are insect eaters so this is not an exhaustive list. Given that birds prey on wasps, one may wonder whether the birds don’t get stung or aren’t affected by wasp venom. Like most other creatures, birds aren’t necessarily impervious to stings and employ interesting measures to feed on wasps.