Bats As Pollinators What Plants Do Bats Pollinate

Many people are unaware that over 500 plant species rely on bats to pollinate their flowers, including species of mango, banana, durian, guava and agave (used to make tequila).

What plants do bats pollinate?
What flowers depend on bats for pollination?
How many plants are pollinated by bats?
How do bats pollinate crops?
Why do bats and moths like white flowers?
Can bats and bees coexist?
What type of flowers do bats prefer?
What color flowers are bats attracted to?
Do insect eating bats pollinate?
Do bats help make tequila?
Do bats like honeysuckle?
Do bats eat flowers?

What plants do bats pollinate?

Bats pollinate some of your favorite foods almost exclusively! Saguaros, agave, cocoa, bananas, mangoes, guavas, and eucalyptus all rely on pollination from bats. Don't worry about them getting intoxicated though – bats feed on the nectar of the agave plant, not the fermented agave that becomes tequila.

What flowers depend on bats for pollination?

In the tropics and deserts, bats are often the pollinators of nocturnal flowers such as agave, guava, and morning glory. The flowers are usually large and white or pale-colored so that they can be distinguished from their dark surroundings at night.

How many plants are pollinated by bats?

There are more than 530 species of flowering plants that rely on bats as either their major or exclusive pollinators. Some of these plants include agave (which are harvested to supply the multimillion dollar tequila industry), bananas, and balsa trees (which produce the world's lightest timber).

How do bats pollinate crops?

Simply speaking, white or pale crop flowers attract the night pollinators to feed on them. Mexican long-nose bats can fly extensive distances to gather nectar from specific plants. A lesser long-nosed bat pollinates a cross section of a saguaro cactus flower.

Why do bats and moths like white flowers?

After dark, moths and bats take over the night shift for pollination. Nocturnal flowers with pale or white flowers heavy with fragrance and copious dilute nectar, attract these pollinating insects.

Can bats and bees coexist?

However, most bats are nocturnal and only fly and feed during the night. And most bee (including the honey bee) don't fly at night. So they are unlikely to cross paths. ... So bats could feed on some bees, but there are relatively few species that fall into this category.

What type of flowers do bats prefer?

Such plants are called chiropterophilous, or “bat-loving” (bats being mammals of the order Chiroptera). Plants that rely primarily on bat pollinators cater to them with large, white flowers, which bats can spot easily at night.

What color flowers are bats attracted to?

Bats are attracted to dull white, green or purple flowers that emit strong, musty odors at night. Bees are attracted to bright white, yellow or blue flowers and flowers with contrasting ultraviolet patterns that have fresh, mild or pleasant odors.

Do insect eating bats pollinate?

Across all agricultural production, consumption of insect pests by bats results in a savings of more than $3 billion per year. While many bats eat insects, others feed on nectar and provide critical pollination for a variety of plants like peaches, cloves, bananas and agaves.

Do bats help make tequila?

The lesser long-nosed bat helps to pollinate agave plants. Bats play such a crucial role in agave pollination that many tequila brands now market themselves as being bat-friendly tequila. That said, there are also tequila producers that cultivate in ways that specifically recognize bats' role in the whole process.

Do bats like honeysuckle?

Flowers that release scent at night, such as sweet rocket and soapwort, attract both insects and bats alike. Plants with blooms that are pale in colors, such as dahlia, thyme, raspberry, or honeysuckle, also attract insects that bring in the bats.

Do bats eat flowers?

Most bats eat insects and are called insectivores. ... There are some bats that like to eat fruit, seeds, and pollen from flowers. These bats are called frugivores. Their favorite foods are figs, mangoes, dates, and bananas.