BECAUSE of their nocturnal nature and enhanced hearing ability, most people believe that bats are blind.
But is this true? Here’s everything you need to know about the flying creatures.
1
Are bats blind?
Contrary to what most people believe, bats are generally not blind – and are even believed to have sharper eyesight than most people’s.
This misconception stems from their nocturnal nature and enhanced hearing ability when hunting in the dead of night – when lighting conditions are incredibly dark.
Bats can do this because their small and sensitive eyes are attuned to low-light conditions — helping them find prey.
What do bats eat?
There are almost 1000 different species of bats – so it’s not surprising that bats eat many different types of bats food.
Most bats eat insectslike beetles, moths and mosquitoes – these are known as insectivores.
However, some bats like to eat fruits, seeds and pollen from flowers and are known as frugivores – with some of their favorite foods including figs, dates and bananas.
And some of you might be surprised to know that only a small minority of bats eat other animals — including even other bats.
These bats are known as: vampire bats and they all live in Central and South America — and rely on about two teaspoons of blood a day, which they usually get from cows, sheep, and horses.
Do bats hibernate?
If you were to look a year into the life of a bat, you would spend most of the colder winter months watching them hibernate.
In the first months of the year, bats will hibernate due to the reduction in body temperature, slower breathing and lower metabolism.
They then spend the warmer spring and summer months actively feeding, hunting – and female bats begin to form maternity colonies.
When the winter months return – from November to December, bats begin their hibernation again to conserve energy during the colder winter months.
But even during their hibernation, bats can leave their roosts on warmer nights to forage for food and water.