Bats Imitate Bees to Protect Themselves

Every day, scientists make new discoveries about animals and reveal how fascinating features these creatures have. Now, a new study published in Current Biology has revealed new information about bats we know with their interesting abilities.

Researchers announced that they had discovered an ingenious feature used by some bats. According to the statements made, some of these mammal species, which we encounter at night, imitate other animals as a defense mechanism when they are in danger. According to experts, bats in such situations buzzing like a hornet.

A first for mammals!

Scientists say this is the first time such behavior has been recorded in mammals; However, he stated that it was seen in other animal species. Giving an example of this, the researchers cited the way moths shape their wings like more dangerous insects.

Stating that the findings obtained from bats provide an important idea about the evolutionary process of bats, the researchers stated that how these species follow to defend themselves under danger was also discovered in more detail. This kind of mimicry implies that a species that could be described as ‘unarmed’ behaves as an ‘armed’ species to deter predators. ‘Batesian imitation’ It should be added that the name was given.

One of the researchers, Danilo Russo, said that this behavior seen in big-eared bats (Myotis myotis) gives animals an advantage for a few seconds; that too enough time to escape reported that. Finally, it was stated in the statements made that bee imitation is part of an evolutionary process that emerged as a result of the pressure created by owls to hunt bats over the years.