Do Guineas eat pollinators

trailhiker

In the Brooder
Sep 17, 2021
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Do Guineas eat pollinator species? I will be new to Guineas in October. I have Lyme disease for several years and recently became infested with over 800 seed tick bites. I need the guineas for tick control. However, I am also an organic gardener and do everything I can to attract and protect pollinator species. Will the guineas eat monarch and other butterfly caterpillars and larvae, will they eat pollinator bees and flies and moths? I don't want to choose between my health and pollinators which we need for healthy food. I can put in some expense to keep the guineas out of the garden but my flower, herb and vegetable gardens will be too expansive to protect it all from the guineas. I appreciate all the responses to this question.
 
A healthy garden (and ecosystem if you will) always attracts beneficial insects. I wouldn't worry about the guineas eating pollinators as there will always be plenty. I would focus on your wellbeing and keeping yourself safe from any more ticks! I pray you get better my friend! Guineas will be wonderful additions to your garden😊
 
Yes they will. It is sad but true.

But…. From my experience guineas will stay within a certain distance from home. 20acer radius for example from their coop.
Pollinators travel mush farther then that. So you will have plenty coming in to pollinate your plants. I have many fruit plants and some trees and never have an issue.

They do love monarch caterpillars. So each year I plant more and more milkweed in different locations to try and give caterpillars a better chance at making it to maturity unseen.

To me it is well worth having guineas for pest control. My dog got lime disease and took two rounds of treatment to get better. He got lucky. Now I don’t see ticks anymore and my dogs haven’t gotten lime since. I’m so sorry to hear about your troubles with lime. It is a horrible disease 😞
I hope you do give guineas a try. Just be sure you get a flock big enough to handle the area you need cleared of ticks.
I have around 10acres and 15 guineas did a wonderful job. Of course I have way more guineas then that now that I’ve fallen in love with them🙈
 
Yes they will. It is sad but true.

But…. From my experience guineas will stay within a certain distance from home. 20acer radius for example from their coop.
Pollinators travel mush farther then that. So you will have plenty coming in to pollinate your plants. I have many fruit plants and some trees and never have an issue.

They do love monarch caterpillars. So each year I plant more and more milkweed in different locations to try and give caterpillars a better chance at making it to maturity unseen.

To me it is well worth having guineas for pest control. My dog got lime disease and took two rounds of treatment to get better. He got lucky. Now I don’t see ticks anymore and my dogs haven’t gotten lime since. I’m so sorry to hear about your troubles with lime. It is a horrible disease 😞
I hope you do give guineas a try. Just be sure you get a flock big enough to handle the area you need cleared of ticks.
I have around 10acres and 15 guineas did a wonderful job. Of course I have way more guineas then that now that I’ve fallen in love with them🙈
I didn't know dogs can get Lyme disease! Yes, I think s/he didn't need to worry much overall. In the end the pollinators will do their job if the environment is right for them. The guineas should be a great asset to the garden
 
Do Guineas eat pollinator species? I will be new to Guineas in October. I have Lyme disease for several years and recently became infested with over 800 seed tick bites. I need the guineas for tick control. However, I am also an organic gardener and do everything I can to attract and protect pollinator species. Will the guineas eat monarch and other butterfly caterpillars and larvae, will they eat pollinator bees and flies and moths? I don't want to choose between my health and pollinators which we need for healthy food. I can put in some expense to keep the guineas out of the garden but my flower, herb and vegetable gardens will be too expansive to protect it all from the guineas. I appreciate all the responses to this question.
I think they eat whatever they develop a taste for. I have caterpillars all over, and have not witnessed anyone eating them, despite having them walk right infront of them. I've read abt one person having to pay her neighbor for the honey bees they gobbled up. I believe the neighbor relocated his set up after that. But I've only seen mine take down a bumble bee once. But mine also avoid going INTO the veg garden - they prefer to scan the outskirts of it. I do teach them to free range in the flower garden, bc that was where I wld pick up ticks every spring. Hopefully if any hornets nest in there they get those as well, bc there's nothing worse than stumbling on their nest during fall clean up.
 
I think they eat whatever they develop a taste for. I have caterpillars all over, and have not witnessed anyone eating them, despite having them walk right in front of them. I've read abt one person having to pay her neighbor for the honey bees they gobbled up. I believe the neighbor relocated his set up after that. But I've only seen mine take down a bumble bee once. But mine also avoid going INTO the veg garden - they prefer to scan the outskirts of it. I do teach them to free range in the flower garden, bc that was where I wld pick up ticks every spring. Hopefully if any hornets nest in there they get those as well, bc there's nothing worse than stumbling on their nest during fall clean up.
My honeybees visit the guinea pen daily in their search for nectar, pollen and water. Some get eaten but not enough to matter. If the guineas have access to a bee hive, it can be a different matter.

I have seen the Monarch butterflies in their pen flitting about freely without the guineas going after them. Grasshoppers are a different story as their lives are in great danger from the guineas.

Millers are a highly sought after and immediately gobbled up goody.

I cannot say anything about Monarch caterpillars as I rarely notice them and have not noticed any in the guinea's pen. Woolly bear caterpillars are a different story. My guineas will not touch a woolly bear caterpillar even if it is placed right in front of them.
 
My honeybees visit the guinea pen daily in their search for nectar, pollen and water. Some get eaten but not enough to matter. If the guineas have access to a bee hive, it can be a different matter.

I have seen the Monarch butterflies in their pen flitting about freely without the guineas going after them. Grasshoppers are a different story as their lives are in great danger from the guineas.

Millers are a highly sought after and immediately gobbled up goody.

I cannot say anything about Monarch caterpillars as I rarely notice them and have not noticed any in the guinea's pen. Woolly bear caterpillars are a different story. My guineas will not touch a woolly bear caterpillar even if it is placed right in front of them.
And locusts are delectable-apparently. 😄
 
Very interesting question! My husband works for the Xerces Society in conserving/restoring pollinators, so this was really important to him when we discussed getting guineas. I’m happy to say that we’ve had the guineas for three years and still have many many pollinators. My guess is that the height of these plants is wrong for guinea predation, but even the low plants still have these insects and caterpillars. We have many butterflies (including monarch, which are usually mildly toxic to birds), caterpillars, bees, and pollinator beetles. Hubby takes real photos with a real camera and uses them for work presentations. I just ran out and snapped some crappy iPhone pics ;) of pollinator beetles (forgot their name), bumble bee, checkerspot butterfly caterpillar, and milkweed bug.
 

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Thank you, everyone for the replies. I'm especially happy to hear that Mixed Flock Enthusiast had the same concerns and stated that it the guineas do not seem to impact the pollinators and butterflies. But, sad to hear from My2butterflies that they do eat her monarch caterpillars. I am really looking forward to starting my flock. I love gardening so I will have plenty of flowers for the pollinators.
 

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