Editing Bee-eater (section)

==Predators and parasites==
[[File:Green Bee-eaters (Merops orientalis) at Sindhrot near Vadodara, Gujrat Pix 254.jpg|thumb|[[Green bee-eater|Asian green bee-eater]]s [[dust bath]]ing to keep down parasites]]

Bee-eater nests may be raided by rats and snakes,<ref name="frybeeater" /> and the adults are hunted by birds of prey such as the [[Levant sparrowhawk]].<ref name="christie" /> The little bee-eater and red-throated bee-eaters are hosts of the [[greater honeyguide]] and the [[lesser honeyguide]], both [[brood parasite]]s. The young honeyguides kill the bee-eater's chicks and destroy any eggs. The begging call of the honeyguide sounds like ''two'' bee-eater chicks, ensuring a good supply of food from the adult bee-eaters.<ref name="frybeeater" /><ref name="stab" />

Bee-eaters may be infested by several blood-feeding [[fly|flies]] of the genus ''[[Carnus (fly)|Carnus]]'',<ref name="carnus" /> and the biting fly ''[[Ornithophila|Ornithophila metallica]]''.<ref name="frybeeater" /> Other parasites include [[Mallophaga|chewing lice]] of the genera ''[[Meromenopon]]'', ''[[Brueeliaa]]'' and ''[[Meropoecus]]'', some of which are specialist parasites of bee-eaters,<ref name="saudi" /><ref name="hungary" /> and the stickfast flea ''[[Echidnophaga gallinacea]]''. The hole-nesting lifestyle of bee-eaters means that they tend to carry a higher burden of external parasites than non-hole-nesting bird species.<ref name="frybeeater" /> Bee-eaters may also be infected by [[protozoa]]n blood parasites of the genus ''[[Haemoproteus]]'' including ''[[Haemoproteus meropis|H. meropis]]''.<ref name="iraq" />

Fly [[larva]]e of the genus ''[[Fannia (fly)|Fannia]]'' live in the nests of at least European bee-eaters, and feed on faeces and food remains. Their presence and cleaning activities appear to benefit the developing bee-eaters.<ref name= fannia>{{cite journal | last1 = Krištofík | first1 = Ján | last2 = Darolová | first2 = Alžbeta | last3 = Hoi  | first3 = Christine |last4= Hoi |first4=  Herbert |year =2016| title  = Housekeeping by lodgers: the importance of bird nest fauna on offspring condition | journal = Journal of Ornithology | volume = 158| pages = 245–252 | doi =10.1007/s10336-016-1384-9| s2cid = 43638499 }}</ref>