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The diet of the bat Glossophaga longirostris was studied from 163 fecal samples; 223 specimens were captured from January 1988 to December 1989 in a semiarid shrub located at Laguna de Caparu (8-degrees-29’ 16"N: 71-degrees-20’ 10"W), Merida State, Venezuela. The following items were detected: seeds of the Cactaceae Stenocereus griseus, Subpilocereus repandus, Pilosocereus tillianus; seeds of the Moraceae Chlorophora tinctoria and Cactaceae pollen. Seeds were numerically more important (68 %) than pollen (52 %). Pollen had its highest values during the dry periods whereas seeds were more important during rainy periods. Asynchronous peaks of importance were detected for the different types of seeds. We postulate that such seasonal variation was the consequence of the differential availability of the food items rather than of any food preference by G. longirostris and that the asynchronous peaks of importance for the various species of seeds reveal an adaptive strategy which allows the plants to use the same seed dispersal and pollinator agent without competing for its "services".