Do the feet usually look like that?” What they saw was nothing short of magical. The bats’ toes were glowing a brilliant cyan under the UV light. Talk about a happy accident! Now, you might be ...

Ecologist Rodrigo Medellin coats the bats he catches in harmless UV dust, which they lick off and digest. The glowing dust passes through their system, and by tracking the glowing bat droppings ...

You’ve heard of jazz hands? Well, these bats have glow toes. When ultraviolet light shines onto the Mexican free-tailed bat’s extraordinarily hairy toes, they light up like a Christmas tree.

Scientists wanted to find out if there’s more to the lightning bug’s signature blinking glow than finding a mate. Some experts had speculated it was a glaring signal to predators, like bats ...

You might have heard of glow sticks, but how about glow toes! Scientists have reported that they have found bats with toes that glow. Apparently, Mexican free-tailed bats have hairy toes that glow ...

Jason Bittel reported in “Mexican free-tailed bats’ toes glow in the dark” (SN: 8/28/24). Reader Eleanor Peterson asked if the glowing toes might attract prey. It is unlikely, but it is a ...

Scientists wanted to find out if there’s more to the lightning bug’s signature blinking glow than finding a mate. Some experts had speculated it was a glaring signal to predators, like bats ...