I'm curious if ducks eat bees, wasps, yellow jackets, etc. I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere. We have a number of plants in the backyard that attract bees and just wondering if I will need to move or give them away (plants not ducks....lol). We don't have ducks yet but are trying to get our ducks in a row so to speak before we get some. I have posted this in 2 other forums as well and am waiting for responses. Thanks in advance.
Loreen
Do ducks eat bees?
Hummm....I have not actually SEEN our ducks eat bees. I have a lot of bee friendly plants, like monarda and echinacea and lavenders and such. I see the ducks eating bugs that fly up from the grass, and I have seen them go after crickets, but not bees. The ducks do not hang out in the flower garden much. Sometimes they decide to make a nest under my clematis plants, but otherwise, they tend to hang out in groups in the shade of trees or near the pond. Ducks are a bit slow in their movements. I'd be surprised if they could really catch bees or wasps very well. Chickens are pretty fast, but ducks are waddley and slow.
I do not think you need to worry about your bee-attracting plants.
Happy to hear that! My front yard is already crammed with plants (as is the back), I'd have to talk DH into making the lawn smaller; if it were up to me I'd have no lawn. I am going to be moving some around so we can have an herb garden in the front. The only plant I'm concerned the ducks might eat is the aconite (monk's hood), the whole plant is poisonous. My DH wants me to get rid of it, but I told him I will put chicken wire around it so the ducks can't get to it. It's funny, he still isn't 100% sold on getting ducks but he's more concerned about what plants might be bad for them then I am.
I find that with my sheep and goats, they don't eat plants that are poisonous to them. I think it would probably be the same with ducks. They seem to have a natural ability to smell (?) or taste something and know they should not eat it. I would not even worry about the aconite. They are unlikely to try to eat it. They do not, in general, eat my ornamental plants. This spring they ate some tulip flowers. Something at my prized delphinium but I don't know what. Otherwise, my ornamental plants are left alone.
I keep bees and I was warned when looking into poultry that lots of types of chicken and ducks do in fact eat them....IF they can catch them. I don't think it would be a problem just around the flowers since bees are fast and agile. more of a concern around hives :-)
I think some birds learn to sit outside beehives and snatch the bees as they emerge--which shouldn't be a problem with bees casually visiting flowers--unless you have a demonically focused duck.
That's pretty much what I've been hearing from the BYC duck forum. There is one person who said "Bees and ducks can cohabitate just fine. Mine catch them when they land in the water, but otherwise, not so much. Lots of chasing. Not much catching. When something a little bigger, like a yellow jacket, gets falls in the pool, they go nuts. We call it "going pirhana" at my house." They can eat ALL the yellow jackets they want. I was attacked by one once, it was one of the scariest things I've experienced.
I have ducks and I have bees, I just keep the hives seperated by a little fence. It doesn't take much to keep out a duck, the fence is only about 8 inches high. If they snag the occasional bee, I don't mind, the slugs and earwigs they eat more than makes up for it. I just wish they would eat box elder bugs!