Bats, annoying?

2001/01/29 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Zoologia

Yesterday, in a television movie, at a time of great tension, we could see how a group of bats "attacked" the actor who was scared. They also star in stories and legends and not for good. In reality this does not happen.

In fact, all bat species in our environment feed exclusively on insects (also from Transylvania). Once the day falls asleep, they hunt insects at night, both those who are flying and those who are standing on the ground, herbs, trunks, etc. However, in winter, there are usually not many insects and, in the absence of food, they usually sleep. Bats, fruits, flowers, nectar and small vertebrates from other areas of the Earth. In South America there are also vampires that feed on the sorption of a few drops of blood to animals. In any case, they do not attack what is said in movies and stories.

In the skeleton of the image you can see the footprint of one of the most remarkable arrangements of bats: their ability to fly. The bat is the only group of mammals that fly over, so its bones of arms and fingers are so long. They have other extraordinary abilities, but we leave them for another occasion.