It seems like we're in the midst of a global spider invasion lately, what with arachnids raining from the skies and blanketing entire towns... but none of that is quite as skin-crawlingly creepy as the discovery that several breeds of spiders around the world are making meals out of bats. Yes, you read that right... and it gets worse.
The scientific journal Plos One has published a paper on the increase in documented cases of bat-eating spiders, with over 50 proven accounts on record. The authors of that paper report that bat-eating spiders live on every continent except Antarctica. Most fall under the species Nephilidae, or giant orb-weavers, who catch small bats in their giant webs. Social spiders (like the kind which blanketed an Australian town) and fishing spiders also catch bats, and some larger tarantulas (which are already known to eat small birds) have been found munching on the winged mammals.
If you're brave enough, check out this article in Wired for a full gallery of these nightmarish abominations. Sleep well tonight, and be sure to check under the covers. You're welcome.