Ever wondered weather, what do frogs eat in the wild? Do they eat insects?
If so, which one is their favorite.? Do they eat flies?
But wait? how do they catch then flies move so fast!
Here we will answer all the questions below.
- Do Frogs Eat Flies?
- How to Frogs Eat Flies?
- How Many Flies Do Frogs Eat?
- Benefits of Eating Flies For Frogs?
- Do Tree Frogs Eat Flies?
So let’s get started!
Do Frogs Eat Flies
Yes, Frogs do eat flies. Its extremely common to see frogs eating flies in the wild. They catch flies with the help of their fast moving tongue. The flies get stuck when it comes contact with tongue and is pulled back inside their mouth, taking flies with it.
When they are young, the baby frogs are herbivores, but once they become adults, they are fully capable of eating fies.
If you have a frog as a pet, give them a frequent supply of flies to ensure that they can survive and grow properly.
You can see frog eating flies in the video below.
How Do Frogs Eat Flies
When a fly gets into a frog’s line of sight, the frog starts to lean its body towards it. Next, the frog extends their tongue and uses it to capture the fly. The saliva on the frog’s tongue goes from a thin liquid to a sticky honey appearance.
This helps the frog deform the tongue and snaps it back. Due to the stickiness of the frog’s saliva and the way their eyeballs bulge, the frog is able to eat the fly within the blink of an eye. The frog has the reach to catch the fly off guard and have a quick meal as a result!
Scientifically speaking, when a frog eats a fly, it swallows a group of microbes that need to be checked. The Magainins are used to protect the frog’s cells from the toxins the insect might have had in their body.
How Many Flies Do Frogs Eat A Day?
Frogs eat flies at least 2-3 times a day. To frogs, flies are an easy means of food as their tongues can snatch them within a split second.
In nature, frogs are carnivores and tend to eat insects (i.e., dragonflies and fruit flies), caterpillars, grasshoppers, minnows, spiders, and slugs. Frogs have an opportunistic style of hunting: choosing to wait for their food to come their way instead of chasing after it. They aren’t picky eaters, as they will eat anything that comes their way.
People make the mistake of thinking frogs are strictly insectivorous. However, that is not the case. An insectivore is an animal that eats mainly flies. Since frogs eat other creatures than flies, they are carnivores.
- Baby Frogs: Baby frogs and high-energy frogs need to eat 1-2 times a day. You can even give them fruits and vegetables lying around in the tank for them. Baby frogs need to be fed every day to ensure that they grow into healthy adults.
- Adolescent Frogs: Give adolescents at least 5 crickets a day. Ensure that you have enough so that your frog has enough to eat, but not too much that their tank is full the next day!
- Adult Frogs: When feeding an adult frog, feed them 1-2 insects a week. These are older frogs, so they tend to find flies on their own. Still, add a few insects in their week just to be safe.
What Type of Flies Do Frogs Eat?
Frogs are prone to eat virtually any insect that comes nearby. Here are the most common types.
Dead Flies
Dead flies are the easiest prey for frogs, but they don’t tend to actively seek them. A frog can simply snatch up a dead fly with its tongue and eat it. As long as the fly isn’t poisonous, frogs can make a quick snack out of them. For the most part, dead flies are unappealing to frogs because they look for movement when hunting.
The only time a frog will eat a dead fly is out of desperation. Most people find eating roadkill disgusting, but only a small percentage do it for survival. This applies to frogs as well. Frogs will only eat dead bugs if they are unable to find an alternative form of nourishment.
Fruit flies
Frogs are a common predator of fruit flies. In fact, most owners use fruit flies as feeder food for their pet frog. When feeding them fruit flies, make sure to add dust as it prevents the fruit flies from flying out of the feeder box.
How much you feed the frog will be based on its size, the tank’s size, and how fruit fly proof the tank is. On average, you’ll want to feed your frog 12 fruit flies every other day. That means your frogs should eat them on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to ensure they’re getting proper nutrition.
You can either go up or down on the number of flies depending on how many are left in the tank the following day. If you see multiple fruit flies in the tank the next day, you can wait for the frogs to eat the rest of them. But if you see no flies in your tank, you can feed them more.
Horse flies
Horse flies are a common pest found in households. Did you know that a group of horse flies can kill a baby frog? Horse flies are aggressive predators because the females need the proteins to feed their eggs.
Most horse flies don’t fly far from where they’re born; the most they’ve flown was 40 miles away. When they are asleep, you can find them on low-hanging foliage, paths, and roads. Horse flies are attracted to porch lights and will gather around in groups to fly towards them.
In addition, the larvae eggs are venomous, which can subdue a frog if bitten. Just like any fly, the frog uses its long tongue to swallow a horse fly whole. When gathering horse flies, make sure the container is sealed shut until you place them inside the frog’s tank.
Dragon Flies
Did you know that dragonflies can fly up to speeds to 34 mph? However, that’s still not enough against the speed of a frog’s tongue. Even though frogs move at a speed of 10 mph, it takes them only 0.7 seconds to catch a dragonfly.
To feed your frogs dragonflies, start by collecting a group of nymphs at a bait shop. Feed the nymphs, flies, worms, mosquito larvae, and even small fish on occasion. Give a few feet of space for them to roam around. Approximately, the tank should be at 10-gallons, giving them the freedom they require.
When feeding dragonflies to your frog, make sure they are clean beforehand. Place at least 5-10 dragonflies in the tank and gauge your frog’s reaction. Add more or fewer dragonflies as needed.
Crane flies
Like most flies, crane flies are weak against the power of a frog’s tongue. You can use crane flies as feeders to frogs, giving them an extra boost of nutrition. Crane flies are the most dangerous in their larvae stage, as they leave brown patches on the lawn and eat the grass and crowns.
To feed crane flies, give them an open area of grass. Most yards are used for crane fly breeding grounds, as they lay their eggs in moisturized soil. Once your larvae turn into adults, place them inside the frog tank.
Frogs like crane flies because they provide the nutrients to survive. Once a crane fly is in its line of sight, the frog will leap into action and swallow it whole. Feed your frog crane flies at least 2-3 times a week.
Benefits of Eating Flies For Frogs
Flies are the main staple of a frog’s diet. Here are some reasons why:
Environment
Frogs can be protectors of your home garden. Most flies, like the crane flies, can be a nuisance as they eat your grass and destroy your plants. This is a win-win situation for the frog and the owner; the frog gets a free snack, and the owner gets a pest-free backyard.
Since frogs tend to eat insects, you should add extra plants around your garden. This ensures that more insects will appear, and your frog will be able to eat them.
Nutrition
Flies are filled with nutrition that is useful for frogs. Edible insects provide protein, giving the frog the ability to extend its tongue for so long. Giving your frog insects gives them nutrients such as fiber, fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidants.
Antioxidants
The antioxidants from the flies help give the frogs their slimy skin.
Fiber
The fiber from insects helps with improving the frog’s digestive system. This gives the frogs the ability to release waste and continue to eat flies!
Do Tree Frogs Eat Flies
Tree frogs are insectivores that eat flies. In addition, tree frogs eat insects such as crickets, wax worms, mosquitos, and moths. Be careful when feeding them worms because they can have extra fats that aren’t good for your frog.
Conclusion
Again, frogs eat insects. With their leaping ability and long tongues, they can capture flies with ease. When raising a frog, always keep a jar of flies nearby. In conclusion, by giving them flies, your frogs will be excellent protectors in your garden and backyard.
Also Read
Can frogs and Turtles live Together – Do Turtles eat Frogs?
References
https://physicsworld.com/a/frogs-use-non-newtonian-saliva-to-capture-prey/