Spiders usually eat roughly 10 percent of their body weight in food every day, of which most is protein sources such as mosquitoes and other insects. A medium sized spider can weigh 25-75mg and mosquitoes weigh around 2.5mg therefore a medium spider can eat 1-3 mosquitoes per day.
What Influences How Many Mosquitoes a Spider Can Eat?
The size, location and season will affect the number of mosquitoes a spider can eat.
The interesting thing about spiders that eat mosquitoes is that spiders don’t actually seek out mosquitoes to eat. Instead, most spiders simply eat whatever they manage to catch in their web.
While they do prefer insects, spiders have been known to eat many other things, including pollen. In addition to mosquitoes, spiders also eat flies, moths, earwigs, and even roaches.
They spin a web and wait for these creatures to get stuck in it. When they do, they bite the prey to inject venom in it and paralyze it, then they either eat it immediately or save it for later.
Mosquitoes and other insects are just a part of the overall diet of most spiders. In addition to insects, most spiders also eat grasshoppers, locusts, and even butterflies. Larger spiders can eat things such as small birds, frogs, fish, and lizards.
There are many different types of spiders, and not all of them build webs and therefore, they have to stalk and get to their prey in different ways. Some spiders can camouflage themselves and pounce on their prey when they get close enough.
So if you want to know what influences how many mosquitoes the average spider can eat, that depends on the spiders’ size, what type they are, whether they’re inside or outside, and of course, what types of insects and other creatures they have access to at any given time.
How Many Mosquitoes Does the Average Spider Eat in a Year?
If you think that spiders eating 10 percent of their body weight in food each day is not a big deal, let’s compare it to humans. Spiders eating this amount of food is roughly the same as a 200-pound man eating 20 pounds of meat every day.
That is a lot of meat! But keep in mind that most of a spider’s diet is protein, whereas humans eat protein, meat, vegetables, and fruit. Also, spiders do not have to eat every day. Large spiders sometimes go days without eating, whereas smaller spiders try to eat every day if they can.
We also know that spiders eat an estimated 400- to 880-million tons of insects each and every year, which of course includes mosquitoes. When you compare that to humans, who only eat around 450-million tons of meat and fish in a year, it certainly makes a statement.
While we cannot say for certain how many mosquitoes are consumed by spiders on a daily or yearly basis, we do know that they eat quite a bit of mosquitoes and other insects.
Some people have estimated that spiders eat 15-20 mosquitoes in a day, but this is an estimate that isn’t actually verified. But when you consider that they can eat around 880-million tons of insects in a year, it makes you realize how much protein they get on a regular basis.
Can Spiders Control Mosquito Populations?
This is a common question that a lot of people are curious about, and the most simplistic answer is, “it depends.” Spiders do eat a lot of insects, which includes mosquitoes, so there’s little doubt that they can reduce the mosquito population.
But that doesn’t mean that there will come a day when mosquitoes will be completely eliminated. If you mean the eventual annihilation of mosquitoes when you ask this question, the answer is “no.” If you mean, is the number of mosquitoes more manageable because spiders are eating them regularly, the answer is “yes,” it is.
This is why even entomologists recommend not killing spiders if you see them in your home. Instead, relocate them to the outdoors so that they can continue to eat pesky insects and other creatures that we as humans would prefer not to have around.
It’s a simple solution made even easier once you remember that spiders actually do have a purpose. And that purpose is an important one!
How Many Bugs Do Spiders Eat in a Day?
Once again, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly how much of anything the average spider will eat in a day. They eat all types of animals, including other spiders, and they eat all types of bugs as well.
The estimate mentioned earlier – up to 880-million tons of insects – includes all types of insects and bugs. While they do eat other things, including pollen, smaller animals are easier for them to get to and therefore make up a large part of their diet.
Do Spiders Drink Anything?
Yes, spiders do drink water because moisture is important to their survival. They need moisture and water for their bodies to survive, but this doesn’t mean they need a lot of it.
Spiders can soak up water if there’s a lot of humidity or other forms of moisture around them, so they don’t have to actually drink the water for it to benefit them. This is why you often see spiders in your sink or even your bathtub. They are lured to places such as this simply because of the moisture.
The longer spiders go without food, the greater their need for water. They can go long periods without either food or water, and sometimes just being in a high-humidity area is all they need for their bodies to get the moisture they need to grow and thrive.
They do need both food and moisture (water), but they do not need a lot of either of these.
Conclusion
Spiders eat up to 880-million tons of insects and bugs every single year, but they also eat other things. They eat insects such as mosquitoes, flies, and grasshoppers, as well as bugs such as earwigs, locusts, and roaches. Spiders eat anything they can catch in their web, although they prefer insects.
I am an accredited practicing dietitian, experienced gardener and a dedicated cook. I love writing and sharing my experience so you can learn from my successes and mistakes.