You might have heard a lot about bumblebee bats, but no one has ever seen a bumblebee except for those who stay near limestone caves. Did you know that bumblebee bats are considered the smallest mammal in the world but they are also the scariest? We have enlisted more amusing bumblebee facts that you have never heard before. Go through our blog to know more about the bumblebee bat habitat.
Top 10 Amazing Bumblebee Bat Fun Facts
- Bumblebee bats were first discovered by a Thai biologist named “Kitti Thonglongya” in 1973. His colleague, John E. Hill named the species in honor of the biologist Kitty Thonglongya as he passed away from a heart attack.
- Being such a small mammal, bumblebee bats have so many names. Some people call it a hog-nosed bat while others call it a Kitti’s hog-nosed bat. The scientific name of this smallest bat is Craseonycteris Thonglongya.
- Female bumblebee bats give birth only during the dry season which is in the month of April. They give birth to only one offspring every year.
- Baby bats are extremely small when they are born and these baby bats always remain attached to their mother’s nipples all the time.
- Bumblebee bats have pig-shaped noses with very small eyes behind their fur. It has wide wings that are darker than its fur.
- Bumblebee bats prefer to live in a warm temperature which is why they are mostly found in the limestone caves in Thailand and they are also found in the southeastern parts of Myanmar.
- Bumblebee bats are active only during dusk. They leave their caves only for 30 minutes at dawn for foraging. They normally fly along the top of bamboo trees, teak trees to capture their prey. And, they do not fly more than 1 kilometer.
- Recently, human activities endanger the bumblebee bat habitats. Ever since the discovery of bumblebee bats in Thailand and Myanmar people started to rush to these sites to have a look at these bats.
- Some people are against the monks as they were meditating at these caves which can potentially harm these bats. Since then, monks in Myanmar started to protect the caves and also prevented hunters from entering the caves and destroying the natural habitats.
- Bumblebee Bats are insectivores. They eat only flying insects like flies, mosquitoes, spiders, and wasps with their 28 teeth. They also munch on barklice, spiders, and beetles.