Scientists have found that bats are one of the most ancient inhabitants of the planet, because they have been living on Earth for almost 50 million years! Their ancestors, known as Icaronicteris, did not differ much from modern species. How mice developed the ability to fly scientists have never been able to figure out, but for now they suggest that they evolved from insectivores that lived in trees.
Appearance
Representatives of different species may differ in size and color, but any bat looks so characteristic that it is simply impossible to confuse it with another animal.
Her body is covered with short hair, which has a lighter shade on the abdomen. The wingspan is from 15 centimeters to 2 meters, their shape can vary significantly, but the structure always remains the same.
The bat has well developed forelimbs, short strong shoulders and a very long forearm, which is formed by only one radius. She has very long fingers - of which the large one ends in a sharp hooked claw, andthe rest serve to support the lateral membranes of the wings.
The length of the tail and body shape can vary depending on the species of bats, but they all have a bony outgrowth, which is also called a spur. With its help, the wings of the animal unfold to the very tail.
They fly with the help of synchronous beats of membranous wings. And at rest, the wings are pressed tightly against the body.
Lifestyle
Although bats live in a variety of natural environments, their habits are surprisingly similar - they are exclusively nocturnal, and sleep hanging upside down during the daytime.
The bat prefers to live in large groups, it does not like loneliness.
These animals spend the winter in hibernation, hiding from the cold in secluded places and closing their wings, and they have a warm season for creating and raising offspring.
Most often the bat is found in caves, dark mountain crevices, abandoned mines, hollow trees, old non-residential houses.
She spends most of her waking hours foraging, and uses her rest time to clean up her wings, belly and chest.
All bats have a natural gift of echolocation, thanks to which they can perfectly navigate in space and "see" even the thinnest wires and small ripples in the water raised by fish.
What do bats eat
Mostly they eat insects, buteveryone has different taste preferences: some species love butterflies and midges, others love spiders and beetles, others hunt dragonflies, and someone gets tree larvae. They most often grab their prey on the fly, and some use their wings as a net, picking up insects and sending them to their mouths.
The bat can also be carnivorous, but there are very few such species. Small rodents and small birds are eaten. There are also several species that catch and eat fish.
The image of the vampire bat also did not appear out of the blue: in South America there are species that feed exclusively on the blood of animals and humans. They make a small incision in the skin of their prey and suck out some blood. This is not fatal at all, and can only be dangerous because of the possibility of contracting rabies - the bat is known to be a carrier of this disease.
So you shouldn't be afraid of these animals at all - all the scary stories about them are too exaggerated, if not invented.
