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If you were asked to name a creepy animal, bats would probably be at the top of the list! But what makes bats so scary? Is it because they go out at night, with sharp fangs and large beady eyes? Yes, this is the beginning! But should you be afraid of bats? What about vampire bats? Do they really drink our blood? Let’s find out what bats actually eat!
What kind of bats are there?
Microbats are small bats the size of your hand that live in caves, hollowed out trees, and buildings. It is the most common species of bats and can be found all over the world, with the exception of the colder regions at the poles.
Megabats are usually larger than microwing bats and live in the tropics. Fruit bats are a type of mega bat. They are found in Africa, Europe, Australia and Asia and are found in dense forests.
Vampire bats are actually a species of microwing bats, but they are very different from any other species of bats. Unlike other bats, they feed on blood both in food and water. They can also run, walk, and jump, allowing them to leap onto potential prey. They are found only in Mexico, South and Central America.
How do bats hunt for food?
Microbats use echolocation to find food for themselves. They go out at night and fly through the air, making high-pitched noises that bounce off insects and return to the bat for them to find. They can fly for hours, collecting insects from the air.
They don’t use echolocation; instead, they have an amazing sense of smell and can locate food. Research has shown that some bats, such as the spear bat, gather fruits together to increase their chances of finding food sources. They found that the bats alerted other bats when they found food and followed each other to the food source.
They go out at night in search of food and also use echolocation, but do not look for mosquitoes and moths. Vampire bats feed on the blood of animals such as horses, cows, pigs, and birds. They do not attack their prey as violently as we think; often the owner does not even know that they are there. They can land on a sleeping cow, make a small incision that the cow cannot feel, and drink blood while lapping it like a kitten rather than sucking blood. Vampire bats have a heat-sensitive nose that can help them find the best place on the animal to access their blood. They can walk or run using their feet, thumbs, and wrists to sneak up on the animal!
What do bats eat?
Micro bats, such as the small brown bat and the eared northern bat, fly around eating insects. They eat mosquitoes, moths, crickets, bedbugs and beetles.
Megabats like bats and flying foxes feed mainly on fruits. They can eat figs, bananas, guava, or papaya. Some bats also eat pollen and nectar.
Wamuar bats live exclusively on the blood of other animals. They get all their nutrients from the blood. They also have a very small amount of fat, so they cannot survive without food for more than a couple of days, otherwise they will die.
A complete list of what bats eat:
- Mosquitoes
- Moths
- Insects
- Crickets
- Beetles
- Chinch bugs
- Fruits
- Fig
- Bananas
- Guava
- Papaya
- Nectar
- pollen
- Blood (vampire bat only)
Do bats eat upside down?
Bats will eat their food upside down, but there is a more serious reason why bats are so often seen hanging upside down.
Firstly, they are inaccessible to many predators, if necessary, they can easily fly away from this position, and this is relaxing. Their claws actually cling to each other and do not require energy to hold this position, and because they are small, their hearts are able to pump blood throughout their bodies without blood flowing to their heads. It is also the position in which some bats hibernate. Finally, there is the simple fact that, unlike birds, bats cannot fly into the air. Falling upside down from branches, bats can fly without taking off from the ground.
Are bats dangerous to humans?
The biggest threat to humans is that the vampire bat doesn’t suck your blood (they don’t, remember). It is very rare for a person to be bitten by a vampire bat. The biggest threat to humans is that some bats carry rabies, a viral disease that can be fatal. Other animals such as raccoons, foxes, and coyotes can carry rabies, as well as pets such as cats and dogs, but most pets have received rabies vaccines, so it is rarely transmitted from pet bites. If you are bitten by a bat, it is recommended that you seek immediate medical attention.
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