Light and Scanning Electron Microscopic Studies on Food Habit Analysis of Insectivorous Bats

The food habit analysis of eight insectivorous bats such as Rhinopoma hardwickii, R. microphyllum, Scotophilus heathii, S. kuhlii, Pipistrellus coromandra, Tophozous nudiventris, Megaderma lyra and Hipposideros fulvus were studied using light and scanning electron miscroscopes. The bat guano was collected from unused buildings, historical monuments and caves from 15 districts of Uttar Pradesh. The pellet analysis revealed that the insectivorous bats fed on nocturnal insects belong to orders Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Odonata, Hemiptera, Neuroptera, Lepidoptera and Diptera over the study period. The insect remnants such as legs, wings, antennae and elytra were commonly observed in the faecal pellets. The results lead to the conclusion that different insectivorous bats selectively fed on nocturnal insects, possibly agricultural pests, thus the conservation of insectivorous bats would facilitate to control agricultural pests and maintain a balanced ecosystem.