What Do Bats Eat?

The Bumblebee bat species mainly consume insects, which they get by nibbling them from leaves.

• This species is classified in the Family Craseonycteridae.
• The bumblebee bat is considered to be the smallest mammal in the world, weighing in at 2 grams.
• It gets its name from the fact that its size is almost like that of the bumblebee.
• This species commonly inhabits limestone outcrops next to rivers, bamboo forests, and caves.

The Greater False vampire bat is mostly carnivorous. Its diet includes insects and small vertebrates.

• This bat species are classified in the Family Megadermatidae.
• It is found in wide distribution in Pakistan, China, Malay Peninsula, and Sri Lanka, and its body length ranges between 6.5 to 9.5 cm, and the average weight of between 40 and 60 g.
• The greater false vampire bat mostly inhabits tropical areas, and its terrestrial biomes include scrub forests, rainforests, and other kinds of forests.

The New-zealand lesser short-tailed bat mainly consumes insects, nectar, pollen, and fruits.

• This species is classified in the Family Mystacinidae.
• As its name suggests, this species is native to New Zealand, and it is further subdivided into 3 subspecies.
• The lesser short-tailed bat mainly inhabits old-growth temperate forests, especially in areas with large trees and leaf litter.

The Cuban greater funnel-eared bat mainly feeds on soft-bodied insects with examples of crickets and moths.

• This bat species is categorized under the Family Natalidae.
• The Cuban greater funnel-eared bat was rediscovered in 1992 after it was previously declared extinct.
• This species inhabits only one home in the world, a cave in the western parts of Cuba.

The Seychelles fruit bats primarily dine on plant material, including floral resources, leaves, fruits, and seeds.

• This species is classified under the Family Pteropodidae, and it is considered to be an old-world fruit bat.
• The Old-World fruit bats are found in the old-world tropics, particularly the eastern Mediterranean region, Africa, the islands of West Pacific, and South Asia.
• These bats are generally dubbed as flying foxes. The Seychelles fruit bat mostly inhabits coastal areas and islands.

Bats hunt via a mechanism dubbed echolocation.

• As they fly, they make sounds, whose returning echoes make them know about what is ahead of them.
• They can then launch an attack to capture their unsuspecting prey.

Bats are mostly nocturnal, meaning they tend to be more active at night. They will be found hunting for their food and eating at night.

Bats have a fast metabolism and mighty flight muscles, which means they need high energy intake.

• These organisms feed very often, and they can eat up to 500 insects per hour, and 3,000 per night.
• During winter, when food supply is limited, they feed less often.

Bat predators include owls, hawks, snakes, and mammalian carnivores.

• Other bat species consume bats, and this is evidenced among some old-world bat species and new world species such as the Vampyrum spectrum.

Bats play an essential role in the animal food chain as prey and predators.

• In their role as predators, these mammals help limit the populations of the organisms they feed on, thus promoting a balance in their ecosystem.
• In their role as prey, bats provide an excellent source of protein to organisms that consider them to be vital delicacies.