- Series:Animals, Transcript English
Ephesians 4:28
“Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.”
As you know, bats are able to find their way around and locate their prey using echolocation – high-pitched sounds that they also use to keep from flying into trees and other bats. But scientists have now learned that one particular kind of bat emits another call that warns other bats to stay away from bugs they’ve claimed for themselves.
A five-person research team from the University of Maryland recently discovered that male big brown bats produce a special sound called a frequency-modulated bout, or FMB, that sounds a warning to other bats. The FMB is an ultrasonic social call that uniquely identifies the bat emitting it. Its sequence of three to four sounds are longer in duration and lower in frequency than typical echolocation pulses that the bats use for navigation. After hearing the FMB, other bats moved away from both the caller and its lunch.
Biology Research Associate Genevieve Spanjer Wright said: “When two males flew together in a trial, it was not uncommon for each bat to emit FMBs. We found that the bat emitting the greatest number of FMBs was more likely to capture the mealworm.”
While only a few talented humans have learned to use echolocation, all of us have been blessed by our Creator with a conscience that acts like a warning signal from God. Let us be like the male big brown bat that not only heeds these warnings but also warns others to avoid things that would displease their Creator.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that you will make my conscience shout at me when I am about to do anything that displeases You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Author: Steven J. Schwartz
Ref: “Foraging bats can warn each other away from their dinners.” 3/27/14. ScienceDaily online. Genevieve Spanjer Wright, Chen Chiu, Wei Xian, Gerald S. Wilkinson, Cynthia F. Moss. Social Calls Predict Foraging Success in Big Brown Bats. Current Biology, 2014; DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2014.02.058. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140327123538.htm. Photo: Big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus).
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