Fly larvae clean bee-eater's nest
Tuesday, November 22, 2016 - 08:31
in Biology & Nature
Bird nests are home not only to the bird parents and their offspring but also to other inhabitants, such as insect larvae, which take advantage of the favourable climatic conditions and abundant supply of food in the nests. So far, there has been no research into the possible benefit for birds from this living arrangement. A team of researchers from Vetmeduni Vienna has now shown that fly larvae in nests of European bee-eaters help clean the nest by foraging on faeces and uneaten food. This "waste removal" has a positive effect on offspring development and benefits the nest ecosystem. The study was published in the Journal of Ornithology.