The Pallid Bat mostly eats ground dwelling arthropods, such as desert scorpions and centipedes, rather than catching insects in the air. But pallid bats have also been found visiting cactus flowers and are effective pollinators!1yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Unlike most other ducks, the wood duck has sharp claws for perching in trees and can, in southern regions, produce two broods in a single season—the only North American duck that can do so.3yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Japanese honey bees (Apis cerana japonica) have a unique defense against raiding “murder hornets”. They mob the intruder and vibrate so intensely that they boil the hornet alive.1yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Due to their diet, it is not possible for pregnant bats to acquire sufficient calcium. Mother bats donate the calcium from their own skeleton to their developing infant and experience osteoporosis for a time. At birth, bat pups may already be 20% or more of their mother’s mass.1yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Bats are too small and their hearts are too powerful for blood to pool in their heads while hanging upside down.1yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
There are more than 530 species of flowering plants that rely on bats as either their major or exclusive pollinators.1yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
No bat species is blind and flying foxes rely on their large eyes and nose to navigate. They are unable to echolocate.1yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
B ats use their voices to echolocate, but they also use them to croon. The more biologists look at bat courtship behaviors, the more they are finding accomplished singers.1yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
This is a brown long-eared bat pup (Plecotus auritus). When fully grown, they use those large ears to the locate insects it feeds on. They are found throughout Europe and will sometimes roost in human structures, such as bridges and buildings.2yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Golden Moles have eyeballs, but they are covered by skin so they don’t really work. Oh well.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
An adult North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) has about 30,000 quills that cover almost all of its body. The quills are hollow and used primarily for defense, but also serve to insulate their bodies during winter. They cannot throw their quills.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Sea Otters are keystone species in kelp forests. They feed on sea urchins, which eat kelp. Without the otters, these otherwise productive ecosystems turn into urchin barrens.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The steelblue ladybird (Halmus chalybeus) can act as a biological control agent, acting as a predator to smaller insects that can damage plants. Ladybird beetles can ooze their blood, which is toxic, out of the joints for defense.1yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
April 17th is Bat Appreciation Day. Bats play important roles in many ecosystems as predators, prey, and pollinators. Even their poop plays an important role as a bridge between sunlight and caves, a means for plants to spread seeds, or as an historical component in gunpowder!6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Bats are not rodents. They are their own group called Chiroptera. They are more closely related to cats than rats.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Wombats are herbivores; their diets consist mostly of grasses, sedges, herbs, bark, and roots. Their incisor teeth somewhat resemble those of rodents (rats, mice, etc.), being adapted for gnawing tough vegetation.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Burrowing owls do not dig their own burrows and rely on other animals to create them. One man has made 182 artificial burrows for them on the site of a WWII military base.5yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Alpacas have been bred for centuries for their luxurious fiber. It is both water and fire resistant.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
It takes the Olm (Proteus anguinus) fourteen years to reach maturity. It can survive without food for a decade. And estimated life span of around sixty years. It never completes metamorphosis. Regional folklore held that they were baby dragons.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The regal moth (Citheronia regalis), also called the royal walnut moth or the hickory horned devil, is one of the largest moths in North America. The adult form dies a week after exiting their cocoon; they don’t have a functional digestive system!6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Due to their advanced kidneys which filter protein from blood, Chupacabras can drink sea water! An adult will drink the blood of up to three goats a month.5yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Honduran White Bats (Ectophylla alba) save themselves a great deal of energy by converting large leaves into tents. Their energy expenditure may increase up to 50% when roosting under an unmodified leaf.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Owls can adjust their hearing by tuning the feathers in their facial disc. The concavity of the facial disc forms a circular paraboloid that collects sound waves and directs those waves towards the owl's ears.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
If cornered by a threat, the green iguana will extend and display the dewlap under its neck, stiffen and puff up its body, hiss, and bob its head at the aggressor. If threat persists the iguana can lash with its tail, bite and use its claws in defense.5yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
To keep animals mentally and physically stimulated, Zoo animals are often given “enrichment items” like this snow.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The tapetum lucidum is a layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrates. Lying immediately behind the retina, it reflects visible light back through the retina, increasing the light available to the photoreceptors.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Bats waggle their heads just like your adorable dog does to pinpoint where sounds are coming from. Some bats also change the shape of their ears to improve auditory acuity.5yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The rhinoceros iguana (Cyclura cornuta) lives on islands in the Caribbean. It plays an important role there by spreading seeds, some of which germinate more quickly after being passed. It is the largest native herbivore on many islands.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Since being found in Washington and British Columbia in 2019, there has been a lot of hubbub about “Murder Hornets”. The Asian Giant Hornet (Vespa mandarinia) is the largest species of hornet, but is a greater threat to agricultural honey bees than humans.4yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Mantises are an order (Mantodea) of insects that contains over 2,400 species in about 430 genera in 15 families. They are well known for their grasping forelimbs, acute vision, and occasional sexual cannibalism.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Unlike most birds of prey, the secretary bird is largely terrestrial, hunting its prey on foot. Secretarybirds are kept as pest controllers by farmers as they will eat snakes, small mammals, and insects.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Both male and female Indian Rhinoceros (Rhinoceros unicornis) develop a single horn. The horn is made from keratin, just like hair and fingernails, and takes many years to develop.4yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The koala's curved, sharp claws are well adapted for climbing trees. The large forepaws have two opposable digits (the first and second, which are opposable to the other three) that allow them to grasp small branches.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Bats have a unique vestibular system anatomy. When exposed to zero-G, bats do not undergo the series of righting reflexes that most mammals do to correct orientation because they are accustomed to resting upside-down.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Jerboa are hopping, desert rodents ranging across Northern Africa and Asia. They come out of their burrows at night to forage for food (mostly plants but also some insects).6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Despite their shambling walk, sloth bears can gallop faster than a human can run.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Most flying insects have two pairs of wings. In beetles, the first pair are rigid and serve as protective wing-cases for the hindwings when they aren't flying.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Birds are modern descendants of therapod dinosaurs. Other therapods included tyrannosaurus and velociraptor. How many species in the Mesozoic had feathers is still unknown, but many may have resembled this young heron.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
***Awwducational Event for the Month of October!*** Make a new post with a fact about bugs, bats, or cats to receive special flair!4yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Bats are the pollinators of blue agave, the plant from which tequila is refined. The plants are often harvested before flowering, which isn’t great for the bats or the genetic diversity of the agave.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Just like humans, bats can recognize the voices of individuals they know. Also like humans, the pitch of their voice will change in response to how stressed they are.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Cheek pouches are pockets on both sides of the head of some mammals between the jaw and the cheek. Cheek pouches have several roles; they allow the rapid collection of food, but also serve as temporary storage and transport. The cheek pouches of some rodents are remarkably well-developed.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The Northern Ghost Bat (Diclidurus albus) lacks pigment in its wings allowing you to see the veins! The skin of some bat wings is thin enough that gases can diffuse through it, allowing bats to breathe through their wings!5yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The coconut crab (Birgus latro) is a species of terrestrial hermit crab and the largest terrestrial arthropod. Adults weigh about as much as a healthy cat.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The penis of the Dark-winged Lesser House Bat (Scotoecus hirundo) can measure >25% of their body length.10mo ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Historically, hunting had decimated the American Alligator population, and they were listed as an endangered species by the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The species was removed from the list in 1987 following conservation efforts.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Capybara are the largest species of rodent. They may exceed 100lb. They are semiaquatic.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Honduran White Bats (Ectophylla alba) sleep in cozy groups inside leaf tents. At night they fly out to find figs, their favorite food.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
It's Halloween! It's time to thank a bat for pollination and spreading seeds!8yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Eyebleach
Free-ranging domesticat cats kill 1.3–4.0 billion birds and 6.3–22.3 billion mammals annually in the United States and are likely the single greatest source of anthropogenic mortality for US birds and mammals. They are considered one of the top 100 worst invasive species.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Hoary Bats can be found from Canada to Argentina. They migrate in small groups in spring and fall but spend the rest of the year living alone in trees. They wrap themselves in their furry tail during the day.5yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Pikas have distinct calls that vary in duration. The call can either be short and quick, a little longer and more drawn out, or they can be songs. The calls are used as either a warning signal or as a way to attract the opposite sex.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Unlike birds, bats do not have hollow bones. This guy, a Bonda Mastiff Bat (Molossus bondae), is perhaps a little more big boned than most!6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Several bat species will use old, dead palm fronds as roosts. These should not be trimmed back during summer months when bats use them as nurseries.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
At least eight species of horned lizard (genus: Phrynosoma) are able to squirt an aimed stream of blood from the corners of the eyes for a distance of up to 5 feet (1.5 m).6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Opossums (Didelphis virginiana) are omnivorous and eat a wide range of plants and animals such as fruits, grains, insects, snails, earthworms, carrion, snakes, mice, and other small animals. This one is eating a strawberry!7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
As a rule of thumb the foraging area around a beehive extends for two miles (3 km). Experiments have shown that beehives within 4 miles of a dank food source will gain weight, but beyond that the energy expended is greater than that gained during the foraging flight.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Each individual bat has an unique “wing print” that can be used to identify them similar to our fingerprints.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The height of a full-grown, full-size llama is 1.7 to 1.8 m (5.6 to 5.9 ft) tall at the top of the head, and can weigh between 130 and 200 kg (290 and 440 lb). They were used by the Inca for food and as pack animals. They can carry about 30% of their weight!6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The nictitating membrane is a transparent or translucent third eyelid present in some animals. It generally functions to protect the eyes or to clear debris.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Nautiluses are scavengers and opportunistic predators. They eat molts of lobsters, hermit crabs, and carrion of any kind. They are sometimes described as living fossils as extant species apparently differ little from their ancient ancestors.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
All the genetic traits for albinism are recessive traits and must be inherited from both parents to be expressed in their offspring. In mammals, albinism occurs once in every 10,000 births, but in birds, the rate is once in every 1,764 births.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The aardwolf is a relative of hyenas but this fox-sized creature eats insects. One aardwolf can eat about 250,000 termites during a single night, using its long, sticky tongue to capture them.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Just as birds can be identified by their songs, bats can be identified by their echolocation. Most of these vocalizations are outside human hearing range, which is fortunate as they can be as loud as a jackhammer.5yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The suction cups of the Spix Disk-winged Bat (Thyroptera tricolor) allow it to roost inside large, smooth immature leaves. These are one of the few bat species which roost facing head up.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The Fish-eating Myotis (Myotis vivesi) can drink sea water. It hunts in marine environments and its feces changes color depending on whether its eaten fish, shrimp, or insects.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The phalanges and metacarpal bones of bats are less mineralized than other bones of the wings allowing them to flex as necessary.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The upper lip of the giraffe is prehensile and useful when foraging and is covered in hair to protect against thorns.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The golden pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus) is from China but has been introduced across the world. Despite its bright plumage, it is difficult to see in dense conifer forests where it originates.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Pallid bats were long considered to be gleaning insectivores which specialized in eating venomous arthropods like scorpions and centipedes. Newer research has found that they are also pollinators. Hundreds of plant species are pollinated by bats.1yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/batty
The crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata) is for the most part herbivorous, eating roots, bulbs, and leaves, but occasionally they do consume insects, small vertebrates, and carrion. To ingest calcium and sharpen incisors, they often gnaw on bones that they collect!6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The shell of a turtle is actually its rib cage and spine fused together with some other ossified tissues. The sex of many turtle species can be determined by whether the plastron (the bottom half) is concave.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
South American three-banded armadillos (Tolypeutes) rely heavily on their armour. When threatened by a predator, Tolypeutes species frequently roll up into a ball. Other armadillo species cannot roll up because they have too many plates.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Bat rays (Myliobatis californica) feed on mollusks, crustaceans and small fish on the seabed, using their winglike pectoral fins to move sand and expose prey animals. They can dig trenches up to 20 cm deep when hunting!7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Much of the diet of the Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis) is snowshoe hares. The population of these medium-sized cats is closely tied to the abundance of hares.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Livingstone's fruit bats (Pteropus livingstonii) are critically endangered, with only 1260 left in the wild. Between 1992-1995, 17 bats were taken into captivity as a bulwark against extinction. There are now 71 bats in the breeding program currently.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Move over, Spider-man! The Spix Disk-winged Bat (Thyroptera tricolor) can stick to surfaces using its biological suction cups on its thumbs and heels. They live in small groups inside furled leaves which they can use like bugles.6yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
A study by US and Canadian researchers has found pepper spray to be more effective at stopping aggressive bear behavior than guns, working in 92% of studied incidents versus 67% for guns. Carrying both methods of deterrent is often advised in brown bear areas.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. It is known for breaching and other distinctive surface behaviors, making it popular with whale watchers.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
The Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana) has one of the lowest encephalization quotients of any marsupial. Its brain is one-fifth the size of a raccoon's. What adorable dummies!7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
Happy World Elephant Day! These elegant creatures can live to be 70 with their complex social groups, but they reproduce slowly and need a lot of habitat to survive. This, plus poaching and a slow reproduction rate, makes them vulnerable to extinction.7yr ⋅ remotectrl ⋅ r/Awwducational
