Question
There is a concept in Chinese that baby bats are easy to be unrecognizable to their parents. The idea is that after baby bats molt, even their parents won't be able to tell who they are. Not only that though, it is said that because their parents cannot tell who they are they will just ruthlessly eat them.
I've never heard of bats eating their young, and there is very little info about it online.
Which makes it seem like its a misconception more than anything.
Any truth to the idea that bats eat their babies?
Answer
Any truth to the idea that bats eat their babies?
According to Meat-eating and fish-eating bats:
The Yellow-eared bat (Phyllostomus hastatus) even feeds on other bats.
But not members of their own species (ADW: Phyllostomus hastatus: INFORMATION):
Greater spear-nosed bats have been documented eating mice (Mus musculus), birds (Cyanerpes cyaneus), and even other bats, such as Hemiderma perspicillatum. (Brosset, et al., 1996; Dunn, 1933; RaĆces, et al., 2008; Willig, et al., 1993)
Having said that (ADW: Phyllostomus hastatus: INFORMATION) goes on to say:
When pups fall from their roost, they are retrieved by their mother. Females from the same social group as the pup and its mother will visit the fallen pup, their presence providing protection from females of a different social group that may attack fallen pups.
So it is possible that bats eat baby bats (but not their own offspring).
Answered By - DavidPostill