Halloween is a time of year when many people think of animals as spooky, scary, and frightening. Although some might strike a bit of fear in our hearts, the typical bats and spiders aren't the ones you need to worry about! In this blog, I'll dive deep into what animals we should be concerned about going bump in the night!
The Vampire Fish
Also known as the Candiru, this small fish lives up to its name. Found in the murky waters of the Amazon, this fish swims into the gills of other fish and slices them open to feed on their blood. It's a true parasitic fish! What's particularly worrying is that it's well known to swim into human orifices and do the same thing - surgery is even required to remove it!
The Vampire Moth
This small unassuming moth can be found across South East Asia. Most moth's proboscis (tongue) is adapted for sipping up nectar from flowers and sweet juices of fallen fruits, however, the vampire moth's proboscis is sharp and more like a needle (think of a giant mosquito) which is used to jab through the skin of other animals and drink its blood! I experienced this first-hand deep in the rainforests of Sumatra. Whilst trekking in the forest one night, I suddenly felt an itchy sensation on my forearm and when I looked down, I had attracted 3 tiny vampires having a feast! Only the male moths are vampires and it's suggested this is because they need extra salts and nutrients to produce pheromones to attract females.
The Vampire Finch
Living on the isolated Galapagos islands, the Vampire finch struggles to find food. This has forced an evolutionary shift in its behaviour... it also has become a vampire. It has a sharpened beak that's perfect for cutting into flesh. Its choice of prey is often other birds, primarily sea birds. They will peck at the skin under the bird's feathers and once the blood starts to flow, the small finch then feasts itself. The blood provides some much-needed nutrients.
The Ghost Bat
The Ghost bat can have a wingspan of 60cm and is found in the northern region of Australia. As the name suggests they are white in colour and as they swoop through the air they appear like an apparition in the night! Spooky! They are also one of the larger predatory bats, known to eat reptiles, birds and particularly other bats! They use both echolocation and keen eyesight to locate and stalk their prey!
The Ghost Crab
This extremely fast-moving crab (10 mph) scuttles across beaches in the night. Its pale - almost transparent appearance gives the eerie impression of little spirits that own the coastal waters. If you spot one, it's unlikely you'll keep track of it... They speed along the beach and then suddenly disappear - as if by magic! They live in underground tunnels, but this behaviour solidifies their ghostly reputation.
The Vulture Bee
Bees make yummy honey right!? Well not always. The Vulture bee feeds on decaying flesh instead of nectar and similar to other bees, they use enzymes in their saliva to create edible honey, but this honey is a rotten meat honey! They scavenge on dead animals and feed their young the meat soup! This gives them the reputation as 'flesh-eating bees' They are pretty aggressive too! We think of pollinating bees as very important organisms that help life to thrive, but these bees can only live off the dead!
The Ghost Ant
The Ghost ant gets its name from its transparent legs and abdomen. This makes the ant appear smaller and harder for predators to spot them. It also allows the ants to move around unnoticed, when people do spot them it often takes them by surprise - as if the ant has suddenly manifested into existence. They don't bite or sting but they have an unusual defence mechanism.. when attacked they produce a strong coconut-like smell, which isn't too bad for us but it's enough to deter other animals
The Zombie Worm (AKA The Bone-Eating Snot Flower Worm)
This one is so weird it sounds like something from a science fiction movie. In the deep ocean, food is extremely scarce and animals have to get creative to survive in such a dark, cold and desolate place. The Bone-eating snot flower worm lives up to its name: it feeds on the bones of dead whales, they don't have a mouth or stomach, and they use symbiotic bacteria to absorb proteins from the bones. Interestingly the female worm holds loads of tiny male worms inside her body, making them one of the animals with the weirdest reproduction systems on the planet!
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