Bats often have a bad reputation because they can carry viruses associated with serious diseases like COVID-19. While they may seem scary, bats actually contribute to the environment in an essential way. They help create new generations of plants through the transfer of pollen, a sticky substance inside flowers that helps produce new seeds.
One example of this is the Weber Azul agave plant, found in Mexico. It’s the only plant used to make tequila, a popular type of liquor. The Mexican long-nosed bat feeds on its nectar, the sweet liquid within a flower, and transports pollen from one flower to another. Without bats, the agave plant would struggle to survive.
Turning to the tropical islands of Fiji and Vanuatu, we find the kuluva flower, another plant that depends on bats. Its flowers have a dome-shaped structure that prevents larger animals from accessing their nectar. However, Fijian blossom bats have cleverly learned to chew through the dome. The bats then carry the pollen away with them after their sweet snack. This is especially important because the kuluva plant doesn’t open its flowers by itself, and also because it only receives pollen on one night of its brief existence.
Photo: Unsplash / 照片：Unsplash 提供
Bats play a significant role in maintaining a balanced environment. Let’s appreciate these winged creatures for their efforts in supporting various plant species.
蝙蝠常因為可能會攜帶與嚴重疾病（如新冠肺炎）有關的病毒而聲譽不佳。儘管蝙蝠可能看起來令人害怕，但牠們實際上則以一種重要的方式對環境做出貢獻：牠們透過傳播花粉，即花內一種有助於產生新種子的黏性物質，幫助孕育出植物的新世代。
其中一個例子是墨西哥的藍色龍舌蘭，這是唯一用於製作龍舌蘭酒（一種受歡迎的酒）的植物。邵氏長鼻蝠以其花蜜，即花朵內部的甜液為食，並將花粉從一朵花傳遞到另一朵花。如果沒有蝙蝠，藍色龍舌蘭將難以生存。
再看到斐濟和萬那杜這些熱帶島嶼，我們找到另一種依賴蝙蝠的植物──庫魯瓦花（註：此為當地人民所用的稱呼，屬於第倫桃花的一種，但尚未有統一中文譯名）。它的花朵有著圓頂狀結構，防止大型動物接觸其花蜜。然而，長尾果蝠聰明地學會了咬破這種圓頂狀的結構來吃花蜜。在享受完甜點後，蝙蝠便攜帶花粉離開。這對庫魯瓦花尤其重要，因為它不能自行張開花朵，而且它只在其短暫存在的一夜接收花粉。
蝙蝠在維持環境平衡上扮演著重要角色。讓我們欣賞蝙蝠這些有翅膀的生物對於維持各種植物物種生存所做出的努力。
MORE INFORMATION
pollen n. 花粉
agave n. 龍舌蘭（原產於美洲熱帶乾旱地區的一種植物）
tequila n. 龍舌蘭酒
nectar n. 花蜜
Fiji n. 斐濟（南太平洋島國）
Vanuatu n. 萬那杜（南太平洋島國）
dome n. 圓頂；拱頂
winged adj. 有翅膀的；翅狀的
KEY VOCABULARY
1. virus n. 病毒
The computer technician scanned the system to detect and remove any viruses.
那位電腦技術人員掃描系統以偵測和移除任何病毒。
2. sticky adj. 黏的；黏性的
My brother accidentally spilled the juice on the table, and now it’s all sticky.
我弟弟不小心把果汁打翻在桌子上，現在桌子都黏黏的。
3. liquor n. 酒（特指烈酒）
I bought a bottle of fine liquor to celebrate my promotion at work.
我買了一瓶好酒來慶祝我在工作上的升遷。
4. feed on 以……為食；利用……取得優勢
Pandas feed on bamboo to obtain the nutrients they need to survive.
熊貓以竹子為食，以獲得生存所需的營養。
5. transport vt. 運輸；運送
The truck was used to transport construction materials to the building site.
這輛卡車被用於運送建築材料到工地上。
6. tropical adj. 熱帶的；濕熱的
The family went on a vacation to a tropical island with beautiful beaches.
這一家人去了一座有美麗海灘的熱帶島嶼度假。
7. various adj. 各式各樣的；不同的
There are various colors to choose from for the new car model.
對於這款新車型，有各種顏色可供選擇。
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