The bird normally perches on a high vantage point where it can keep a lookout for flying insects. Once it spots an
insect, it sallies forth, catching and bringing it back to its perch to be processed. This involves striking it against the
branch to stun it and rubbing it against a hard surface to remove the sting and venom sac. Once the insect has been
properly processed, it is tossed in the air and immediately swallowed. Pellets have been found inside a nest chamber of
the blue-throated bee-eater (Wells, 1999) and under a winter roost of blue-tailed bee-eater (Medway & Wells, 1976).