Bats are interesting and, for many people, terrifying creatures, due to their association with vampires. However, you will be surprised to know what bats eat and perhaps understand that they are not entirely carnivorous. We invite you to continue reading this article where we present to you what the feeding of these animals is like.
What do bats eat?
With the large number of species of this flying and in most cases nocturnal animal, according to studies carried out by various associations, it should not surprise us that bats consume many different types of food. They are also excellent hunters who can find the faintest sounds and the slightest movements. So what do bats eat? But first, it should be noted that this creature normally consumes about 1/3 of its own body weight in food per night.
eat insects
Considering the aforementioned stat, this can quickly add up to a lot of bugs. It is estimated that these animals ingest a significant amount of four tons of insects per year. Without these creatures, the number of these insects would be too high. There are two types of insects that bats consume. Most people assume that they only eat the ones that are in the air. These are called aerial bugs and this action can occur with a rapid cleaning speed.
They usually use their tails to catch prey, then stop and start eating it. They also feed on other types of insects that live on the ground and for this, the bats have to go down and catch them. Also, it is common for them to stay on the ground long enough to consume them and then move on again. However, there are bats that do not use their tails to gather food, so the only viable option left is to hold their prey with their teeth.
On the other hand, it can be seen that the method used depends on the particular type of bat that is being discussed. Most bats eat insects and are called insectivores. Also, it is important to mention that these bats like to eat beetles, moths, mosquitoes and other insects. The following example can be offered as an interesting fact to consider because a small brown bat can eat up to 500 mosquito-sized insects in an hour.
What fruits do bats eat?
When it comes to fruit-eating bats, avoid those that are brightly colored or have a strong odor. They use their teeth to pierce the fruit and extract the juice from it. They will spit out the seeds and pulp of the fruit, and this is how the seeds of the fruit are often spread. The bats that consume the nectar of the flowers use their long tongues to reach it. These types of bats have the highest risk of extinction.
Often this is due to the fact that they have a hard time finding more food than bats, which eat insects or fruit. Bats that love to eat fruits, seeds, and flower pollen are called frugivores. His favorite foods are figs, mangoes, dates, and bananas. Some frugivores are known to drink sugar water from hummingbirds. What other types of food do bats eat? There are some kinds that eat birds, fish, frogs, lizards and even others of the same species. Learn more below.
blood-sucking bats
There are even some that feed on blood and that is why they are called creatures of fantasy tales. There are only 3 types of vampire bats, all of which live in Central and South America. And don't worry, they don't drink human blood. They mainly obtain blood from cows, sheep and horses. To obtain blood, they make a small incision in the skin of a sleeping animal and suck some of the blood. On the other hand, they only need about 2 teaspoons of blood a day, which is such a small amount that often the cow or sheep doesn't even wake up while this is happening.
What meats do they eat? bats?
A very small number of these flying creatures are able to ingest the flesh of other animals and are therefore known to be carnivores of these animals. They consume frogs, lizards, small birds, and even members of their own family. Fish is also an excellent food for this type of bat. Only the vampire bat specifically feeds on blood just to survive. Many people don't realize that the bat needs to use water to survive. Some of them even have the option to drink while they are still flying.
Importance of having these creatures close
Bats are some of the kindest, most helpful and even necessary animals on earth. They occupy almost every place on the planet, except the poles, which are very cold. Wherever they live, they are essential to the balance of life, eating tons of insects (including mosquitoes, which carry diseases like dengue and malaria). To get an idea, an insectivorous bat can eat up to 3000 insects in a single night. Also, a group can eat about half a million insects per night.
Everyone knows that birds like the hummingbird pollinate flowers and therefore these mammals are also great pollinators, not only of flowers, but also of fruits and trees, otherwise, without them we could not eat bananas, cashews, mangoes and many other fruits. Several studies show that if they did, many tropical forests would disappear. In places like Florida, people who have learned the benefits of having insectivorous bats around build shelters for them. However, there are already many species of bats in extinction, as they are eliminated by people who consider them pests due to lack of information.
Auditory system to get food
The echolocation process of many species allows them to feel movement and vibration around them, which is why this high-frequency sound helps them locate their prey. As a result, they certainly have an advantage over their prey. When it makes a noise, it gets the echo, and depending on how it hears the echo, it knows exactly where its prey is. Studies show that it is capable of finding and capturing prey even in complete darkness. They also have a mouthful of tiny teeth that are extremely sharp and are used to catch prey.
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