Out of all the insects that we come across, there aren’t many that are as disgusting as the tick. Essentially, they’re full of blood that they have leached from other animals and, sometimes, humans, and they can even lead to serious health issues such as Lyme disease. Therefore, you’ll probably be happy to know that the following animals are actively feeding on ticks, helping to keep this pest under control.
Guinea Fowl
The first animal on this list is the guinea fowl, a remarkable tick hunter who actively scours fields, forests, and gardens, pecking at the ground with sharp precision to find ticks hiding among the grass. Unlike chickens, they prefer wild insects to prepared feed, making them effective pest controllers, and their keen eyesight allows them to spot even the most tiny ticks.
Opossums
While they’re relatively rare in the UK, opossums do exist in this country, and they’re tick-eating machines. These nocturnal marsupials groom themselves thoroughly, consuming ticks they find on their fur, often eating thousands of ticks in a single season. Naturally, this makes them a critical part of tick control in woodland areas, and their scavenging habits mean they’ll also tackle other pests, ensuring a healthier balance in their environment.
Chickens
Just like with guinea fowl, chickens are excellent tick hunters–even if they do rely more heavily on regular chicken food. You’ll often catch them scratching through soil and grass in search of insects, including ticks, so they’re natural exterminators in backyards and rural spaces. Therefore, by keeping chickens around, many farmers enjoy the double benefit of pest control and fresh eggs.
Wild Turkeys
As you might expect, wild turkeys also love to roam forests and meadows on the hunt for food. Typically, their diet includes acorns, berries, and plenty of insects like ticks, finding plenty of them hiding under leaves or clinging to low plants. Not only does this rid picks from our lives, but their general appetite for pests contributes to healthier ecosystems, which can only be a good thing.
Ants
This might be hard to believe, but while ants are pretty tiny, their impact on ticks is far from small. In fact, species like fire ants are known to feast on ticks, especially in their nymph and larval stages, patrolling the ground in a constant search for food. Naturally, ticks often end up as part of their meal, much to our relief.
Frogs
Frogs, especially those living near water bodies, contribute to tick control more than you might think. Sure, they may not actively hunt ticks, but they do eat them when the opportunity arises, using their sticky tongues and quick reflexes to efficiently snap up small insects, ticks included.
Fire Beetles
We might not get a whole lot of fire beetles here in the UK, but they do exist, and they’re excellent insect predators. Their diet is broad and, of course, includes ticks, patrolling plants, and forest floors, ready to use their strong jaws to capture and consume these gross insects. Ultimately, they’re much more common across Europe, but you can still rely on them here in the UK to contribute to the tick-eating workforce.
Robins
It’s easy to assume that robins are cute and harmless birds, but while they might be better known for worm hunting, they’ll happily eat just about any insect–including ticks. Watch them closely, and you’ll see these garden birds foraging on the ground, picking off any food that they find in the grass. Overall, their massive presence in British gardens and parks makes them helpful allies in managing tick numbers close to human habitats.
Shrews
Despite their small size, shrews pack a big appetite for insects, scurrying through leaf litter and undergrowth to consume ticks and any other insects that they find along the way. Conveniently, their rapid metabolism keeps them constantly hunting, making them one of the most effective British tick controllers on this list.
Peafowl
Much like the guinea fowl, peafowls are another bird species that will happily munch on ticks. Found in ornamental gardens and some rural areas, they peck at insects during their foraging activities, doing humans a massive favour. Sure, they’re often kept for their beauty, but they don’t hold back when it comes to pest-eating.
Bats
Considering that they primarily feed on flying insects, it shouldn’t be too surprising to learn that bats eat ground-dwelling ticks. More commonly, though, their nightly hunts across fields and forests help reduce general insect populations, indirectly impacting ticks by controlling their prey.
Partridges
Perhaps unsurprisingly, partridges love to forage on the ground in farmlands and open countryside, consuming seeds, grains, and insects like ticks. Their ability to blend into their surroundings lets them forage in peace, reducing tick numbers in the areas they inhabit. As game birds, they contribute to pest control while supporting rural ecosystems, so give them the credit they deserve.
Hedgehogs
The spiny exteriors of hedgehogs aren’t immune to ticks, but this doesn’t mean that they won’t take care of them. When grooming, they’ll eat ticks attached to their bodies, reducing infestations in their habitats. Furthermore, their nocturnal foraging also brings them into contact with insects, including ticks hiding in undergrowth.
Ground Beetles
As with fire beetles, ground beetles patrol the soil in search of food, eating ticks, among other small insects. Unfortunately for ticks, their predatory habits make them very effective at keeping insect populations under control. Sadly, though, these beetles are often overlooked, so think twice next time you reach to shoo them away.
Pheasants
Last but not least, pheasants are glorious ground-dwelling birds that forage across British fields and meadows, eating a mixture of seeds, insects, and ticks. While primarily valued as game birds, they still provide natural pest control in the areas they roam, with their feeding habits doing wonders to help reduce ticks in agricultural and wild spaces.
Up Next: Surprising Predators in Your Garden – 16 British Animals to Watch Out For
In many ways, our gardens can feel like peaceful retreats, but don’t forget that it’s also a hunting ground for some of Britain’s stealthiest predators. It can be really rewarding to learn more about these ecosystems, so here is a list of surprising predators in your garden to keep an eye out for:
Surprising Predators in Your Garden – 16 British Animals to Watch Out For
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