How Birds Affect Bug Populations
During the summer months Alabama homeowners are likely to see an influx of birds nesting on and around their homes. Before shooing them off you may want to consider how birds affect bug populations and whether they are a blessing or burden to have around the house.
Do Birds Really Help Control Bug Populations?
Birds are Mother Nature’s natural pesticide. If you look at the food chain you’ll notice that birds are right above bugs. Because of their feeding habits, typically there is a clear correlation between the bug population and the bird population.
For years scientists have studied how birds affect the presence of bugs. Across many ecosystems, from tropical rainforests to farms in the Midwest, birds have been found to aid in cutting down leaf and plant destruction by feeding on insects. There are lots of factors that can end the life of a bug, and over the centuries insects have found ways to avoid other predators. Birds, however, are a formidable foe.
Birds are so well adapted to eating insects that they can spot when a bug is infected with a parasite. They’ll leave those bugs alone and let the parasites off the insect instead. Birds can also alter their diet to feed solely off an insect that’s in abundance by changing their search image or their location. The larger food source means adult birds will have less trouble finding food and the survival rate for the young goes up. During an insect invasion that explodes the bug population birds will take full advantage of the situation by having more babies.
An indirect way that birds control insect populations is by affecting the bug’s reproduction as well. When birds are hunting them down, bugs have to go into hiding to avoid being eaten. That leaves them with less time to feed and lay eggs. As a result the next generation of bugs is smaller.
There has been increased concern of late about the lack of birds around farms due to nearby development. Crop-destroying insects are a farmer’s worst nightmare, and without birds around to feed on them insects are feasting on the crops instead. This is increasing the need for pesticides to be used on crops, which leads to a whole other bushel of potential issues and increased costs.
Birds Aren’t Always the Predators
Much of the time if you don’t see birds that’s because there probably isn’t a large food supply, or there isn’t a good place nearby to nest. However, there are instances when bugs are so bad they get to the birds, but this usually only happens when there are large populations of insects. That said if you notice an absence of birds on your property it could be because of a serious bug problem.
Recently, experts in Minnesota noted that torrential rain and an early spring had increased the bug population to the point that black flies were bugging the birds that were trying to incubate eggs. Mosquitoes will also feed on birds and spread West Nile disease that can kill. Ground nesting birds will actually avoid areas where imported black or red fire ants have created mounds, because the ants will attack the babies. If bugs are around and birds are not you may have a serious infestation that warrants immediate intervention.
If you have birds that could be a good sign that they are controlling a manageable pest population around your home. However, professional pest control is always advisable since birds aren’t going to prevent the bugs from making their way onto your property or possibly into your home. An Alabama pest control specialist will know how to treat the bugs without or hurting the birds in the process. It’s the best way to ensure you have a happy, healthy ecosystem in your yard!
Original Source: https://www.vulcantermite.com/seasonalpests/birds-affect-bug-populations/