These Bats Buzz Like Hornets to Scare Off Predators
Scientists say they have discovered the first case of mammals mimicking insects to defend themselves from being eaten.
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Scientists say they have discovered the first case of mammals mimicking insects to defend themselves from being eaten.
Researchers have found a rare case of sound-based Batesian mimicry in bats - they buzz like hornets to drive away predatory owls.
Researchers have identified what may be the first known case of a mammal mimicking an insect.
After being captured by an owl, the greater mouse-eared bat might fool an owl into thinking it is a stinging insect for just long enough to escape.
Researchers from Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II in Portici, Italy found that the bats imitate the buzzing sound of hornets to discourage predatory owls from eating them.