Tldr: silly comparison.
There's evidence of impressive cognitive abilities in both bats and spiders, challenging previous assumptions about animal intelligence, particularly in invertebrates. However, comparing the intelligence of different animal groups, especially mammals and invertebrates, is complex due to fundamental differences in their brains, sensory systems, and life experiences.
Bats
Bats, particularly fruit bats, have demonstrated advanced cognitive abilities, including episodic memory, planning, and delayed gratification, previously thought to be unique to humans.
One study showed bats can remember the location and fruiting times of trees, using this information to plan future foraging routes. Experienced bats even avoided trees that had stopped bearing fruit, indicating they can estimate the passage of time.
Bats also exhibit social intelligence. Research suggests they use echolocation to identify individuals within their groups, and some studies indicate they can recognize individual voices.
Spiders
Jumping spiders, especially the genus Portia, are considered highly intelligent among spiders and show complex behaviors that are surprisingly similar to those observed in mammals and birds.
They display foresight and planning, like plotting a detour to ambush prey.
Research has shown some jumping spiders can learn and remember associations between visual cues and prey, and can even count up to three.
Some researchers propose that a spider's web can be considered an extension of its cognitive system, allowing it to process information and make decisions beyond the physical confines of its body. This concept, known as "extended cognition", could explain how spiders perform complex tasks despite their relatively small brains.
In conclusion, both bats and spiders exhibit sophisticated forms of intelligence. Bats showcase advanced memory, planning, and social cognition, while spiders, particularly jumping spiders, demonstrate remarkable problem-solving and learning abilities, potentially aided by their unique interaction with their webs. Further research is needed to fully understand and compare the intricacies of their respective cognitive capacities.
Do you really expect any of us to read that wall of text