Bats can survive without food or water for up to 24 hours. The precise duration depends in part on the bat’s size, species, the season, and whether or not it is nursing young.
Because flight is an energy-intensive mode of locomotion, bats must consume up to 110% of their body weight in food each night. Some bat species hibernate, which significantly lowers their metabolism. In this circumstance, it can survive without food for up to six months. Numerous insectivorous bats have proven beneficial to farmers by consuming insects that prey on their crops.
How Regularly Do Bats Eat?
Bats can survive without food or water for months. Some bats endure months without food or drink when hibernating. There are more than 1,300 species of bats, so this will vary between species. Some bats consume fruit, others consume insects, and others are predatory and suck blood. The weight of bats ranges from.07 ounces to 3 pounds, thus they do not require a large amount of food to consume their entire body weight.
Consuming more than one hundred percent of their body weight aids in the development of fat reserves that aid in migration and hibernation. Since bats are not marsupials, they are not need to carry offspring when flying. According to Terminix, bats typically eat for an hour or two before taking a break.
How long do bats typically live?
The majority of bats do not live beyond 20 years. There are six bat species reported to survive beyond 30 years. According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, one bat can live for 41 years. Disease and deforestation are more likely to kill bats than natural predators.
