Cristobal Serrano's Image

Cristobal Serrano (Spain) illuminates the darkness, revealing the scarlet tongue of a nectar-loving bat as it feeds.

Photographing nectar-eating bats pollinating flowers at night is a challenge. But Cristobal was fortunate to be staying in a house that backed onto the rainforest in Costa Rica.

Here, the rainforest is home to Merinthopodium neuranthum, a member of the Solanaceae family of plants. The flowers hang from tree branches and are pollinated by bats.

This flower is one of very few that open at night and has only a small amount of nectar. Cristobal had to be poised and ready to take his image as soon as the flower bloomed.

Cristobal used a technique known as high-speed photography to freeze the moment, recording the rapid wing beats and unfurling tongues of the bats. It took thousands of images over five nights with a different flower each time to get just this one.

Nectar-feeding bats use vision, smell and echolocation to find nectar sources. Bats are some of the world’s most important pollinators. They provide this essential service to hundreds of species worldwide.

How you can help

• Limit outdoor lighting. Many bats have very sensitive eyes, and artificial lighting makes it hard for them to navigate, forage and avoid obstacles. If you use outdoor lighting, only light what you really need to see. If you’re using LEDs, choose warm white options. Find out more about reducing light pollution.
• Make your garden bat friendly. Grow native trees and shrubs, which attract insects that bats eat. Protect trees and ponds, and think about mounting a bat box for bats to roost in.
• Get involved with local bat conservation efforts. Find out about bat walks, monitoring schemes and other ways to help bats in your area. If you’re in the UK, you can contact your local bat group. You can also support the work of Bat Conservation International.