When it comes to long-distance flight, bats must overcome the physical laws that force all other mammals to return to Earth.. In a new study, scientists observed the movement of female noctule bats and noticed something curious, writes Science Alert.

Every spring in Europe, huge numbers of female noctule moths (Nyctalus noctula) emerge from hibernation and become pregnant using sperm stored in their uteruses for months. Females carry one or two embryos, which develop into young over 6-8 weeks, and then travel across the continent to give birth in the northern Baltic region..

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For a long time, scientists could not figure out how they managed to overcome such long distances.. In a new study, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior in Germany have finally managed to shed light on this mystery..

During the study, the team attached tiny sensors to 71 female noctule moths as they migrated.. In this way, scientists were able to track the bats' movements for four weeks, recording an impressive range of measurements, including activity levels and air temperature..

According to study co-author and behavioral ecologist Edward Hurme, he and his colleagues expected to see females stopping regularly to refuel.. Unlike birds, bats do not store up fat before a long journey, and therefore they simply have nowhere to get “fuel” for flight. However, scientists noticed something strange: every time the bats decided to move on, a curious pattern could be traced.

On some nights, scientists observed a huge increase in the number of flights. They decided to find out what was behind it. Researchers have discovered that bats, like surfers, anticipate the perfect moment—namely, the warm rush of air and drop in pressure that leads to a spring storm.. In simple words, noctules rode along storm fronts using tailwinds.

Scientists now believe that riding stormy winds, bats are able to swim to their parent nests, covering astonishing distances in one night - up to 383 kilometers. It is curious that animals do not just catch one “wave”, but ride “sets” of storm fronts, approaching their destination with each new surge of low pressure.

According to another co-author of the study, behavioral ecologist Dean Dehmann, scientists previously thought that bats followed some kind of corridor, but the results indicate that there is simply no such thing. Essentially, noctule moths move across the entire landscape in a general direction.

The scientists' sensors also showed that bats use these invisible waves to save energy while traveling..

Previously, Focus wrote that scientists have found a mysterious “sixth sense” in bats.