Bats have few natural enemies in this world. Owls, hawks and snakes are known to eat bats. Surprisingly bats that live in warm climates have another predator to watch out for: the spider.

In South America, Asia, Australia and Papua New Guinea scientists have discovered bat-eating spiders. The bats are getting caught in the sometimes 5-feet wide webs made by the spider.

Usually the bat dies of exhaustion, starvation, dehydration and overheating before being consumed by the spider. Researchers have observed on rare occasions a spider actually killing a bat caught in its web.

The spiders are eating small insect devouring bats. Spiders have even begun to spin webs near buildings that house bat colonies waiting for one to fly into their web.

Researchers are still studying the bat-eating spider to see what else they can learn about the behavior.