So, “bat species” are not all that we want to tell you about bats …
Bat Week continues, and that’s why we publish interesting bat-facts for you.
What do bats eat? There is a myth that bats feed on blood, but this is not true. 80% of bats are insectivorous (all Ukrainian species too), others eat fruits, or nectar and fish. Bats, which feed on blood, really exist, but there are only 3 species and they live only in South America.
In the wild, bats are using ultrasound for hunting, that’s why bats can “see” the insects flying near them.
Bats are the important part of ecosystems. Each night, bats (depending on the species) can eat from 1 to 10 grams of insects. And, for example, a colony of Noctula bats of 50 individuals can eat up to 50 kg (!) insects per year. That is why they are so needed to maintain equilibrium in ecosystems!
On rehabilitation, bats feed on larvae of Zophobas beetle and mealworms. This winter, we used up to 5 kg of beetles larvae every week to successfully rehabilitate those bats!