Yep, spiders eat bats all across the world – except for Antarctica that is. Bats rank among the most successful groups of mammals, with the more than 1,200 species of bats comprising about one-fifth of all mammal species; aside for humans, they have very few natural enemies, and usually, their numbers are large enough to survive even amidst several predators. However…
For some invertebrates, bats are often on the menu. Not only spiders, but also giant centipedes and even some cockroaches sometimes feast on bats (or their young ones).
This was a known phenomena, but was thought to occur pretty rarely. Recent studies of a web-building spider species (Argiope savignyi) and a tarantula species (Poecilotheria rufilata) both killing small bats led researchers to suggest that bat captures and kills due to spiders might be more frequent than previously thought.
Enjoyed this article? Join 40,000+ subscribers to the ZME Science newsletter. Subscribe now!
