A Vespertilionid Bat (Eptesicus sp.) Caught in a Spider Web of Eriophora ravilla
Abstract
In this note we report on a small Vespertilionid bat belonging to the genus Eptesicus (Vespertilionidae) caught in a web of the orb-weaver spider Eriophora ravilla (Araneae: Araneidae). The observation was made in the Isthmian–Atlantic Moist Forests ecoregion of Costa Rica. Predation on bats by Eriophora species has only previously been positively documented for Eriophora fuliginea. This is the first record of E. ravilla catching a bat in its web, and also represents the first record of an Eptesicus bat as a potential prey of spiders.
Fabrício H. Oda, Andrew R. Gray “A Vespertilionid Bat (Eptesicus sp.) Caught in a Spider Web of Eriophora ravilla,” Caribbean Journal of Science, 55(1), 151-155, (27 May 2025)
