I live in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and we have so many mosquitoes down here that it is ridiculous! One thing I enjoy doing on some evenings is soaking myself in DEET, lying down on the back porch, and watching that bats zip and dart through the air as they feast on swarms of mosquitoes.
Watching those miserable little mosquitoes getting devoured is very satisfying!
Even though I love watching bats I realized that I didn’t know much about them. I figured that was all of the excuse I needed to start educating myself and compiling this list of articles on Bat Facts!
I hope you find these educational articles helpful! If you find any articles that need to be updated or if you have suggestions for new topics to cover then send me an email at [email protected].
The Fun and Easy Way Of Helping Bats This one is a no-brainer. Head over to Bat World Sanctuary and sponsor a couple of bats. You will be providing financial aid to a very deserving organization and will receive a beautiful certificate and informational package about the bat you sponsored.
How Fast And High Do Bats Fly? The answer depends upon the type of bat. Most bats in the US have a top speed of about 15 mph and an upper altitude of about 2,000 feet. At the extreme ends, some species of bats have been clocked at 99 mph while other can ascend to heights of almost 10,000 feet.
How Long Do Bats Live? This is another question where the answer varies based upon the species. In general bats will live between 15-25 years. However, there is one species of bat that has been shown to live up to 41 years in the wild.
Bat Anatomy: Do They Really Have Fangs?? The anatomy of bats is fascinating and confuses many people. This isn’t surprising considering hat bats are the only flying mammal! This article looks at common questions about bat anatomy including things like do they have wings or fur and do they really have fangs.
Do Bats Hibernate? Have you ever wondered how bats survive the winter? It turns out that bats have two different techniques for making it through the cold. Most species of bats will go into hibernation which will drastically lower their body temperature and heart rate. Other species of bats will simply migrate to warmer climates where food is more readily available.
What Is A Group Of Bats Called? A group of bats is called a colony. Colonies can be massive and contain millions of bats. Watching a colony of over a million bats leave a cave in the evening is a stunning display that is sometimes called a “Batnado”.
Do Bats Make Nests? Because bats fly many people think they should display other bird like behaviors such as nest building. However, bats are mammals, not birds, and do not display many other bird like behaviors. Bats do not build nests but do live in communal roosts.
Are Bats Good Pets? It is an absolutely horrible idea to have a bat as a pet. You would need a massive enclosed area for them to fly around in and good luck attracting enough insects to your home to feed them. Some people do keep fruit bats as pets as they are easier to feed and require less space. But honestly, get yourself a dog instead.
What Is a Young Bat Called? A young bat is called a “pup”. A pup will stay in the roost and nurse from its mother for about the first 30 days of its life. After 30 days the bats are usually strong enough to fly and can start hunting on their own.
Why Are People Afraid Of Bats? It is amazing to see how many people are terrified of bats. Some people developed fears after watching vampire movies while others are terrified by how fast these dark creatures zip through the air. If you really want to see people freak out then you should see them when a bat gets into their bedroom or, even worse, their hair.
Are Bats Protected By Federal Law? Bats are important for our environment and are highly vulnerable to negative impact by humans. As a result there are six species of bats that have earned protection under federal law.
Types of Bats There are over 1,000 species of bats in the world but only about 40 that are native to the United States. Read the full article and learn about the different species in our country as well as where they can be found.
How Big Are Bats? The Smallest and Largest In The World With over 1,000 species of bats there is plenty of variation in size between them. The smallest bat is the Kitti’s Hog Nosed bat that is just over an inch long and weighs the same as two pennies. The biggest bat is the Giant Golden Crowned Flying Fox which weighs in at over three pounds.
Where Do Bats Live? This is a question with over 100 answers based upon bat species. Most US based bats like to live in caves, abandoned buildings and defunct mine shafts. Other bats such as Fruit bats thrive in jungles and forests. Most importantly, vampire bats live in Mexico and central America which is far enough from baton Rouge to keep me happy.
What Do Bats Eat? You will get three answers for this question. Most of the bats in the world survive by eating insects. Fruit bats, as the name implies, eat fruit they find in the jungle. Last up are vampire bats which really do eat the blood of other animals.
Do Bats Bite Humans? Bat bites on humans do happen but are rare. Bats are smart and realize that in any encounter with humans that it is the bat who is likely to get hurt. In fact, bats go to great lengths to avoid human contact. However, if you do manage to get a painful bite from a bat make sure you treat it immediately and monitor the bite for swelling as well as checking yourself for fevers.
Do Bats Carry Diseases? Yes, bats carry diseases. They are capable of transmitting disease among themselves (such as White Nose Syndrome) as well as carrying diseases that an infect humans. Be respectful of bats and keep your distance. If you leave them alone they will leave you alone.
Do Bats Fly During The Day? While it is most common for bats to come out at night there are several examples of bats coming out during the day. Bats will come out when they feel safe and have an abundant food supply to hunt. This is usually, but not always, at night.
Are Bats Rodents? Because of their small size many people think that bats are rodents but this is not the case. Rodents have a specific tooth structure that is absent in bats.
Why Is The Little Brown Bat Important? Little Brown Bats are indicators of the health of bat populations as a whole. All bats are important and these just give us a quick way to check on how things are going.
Is Bat Poop Dangerous? Bat poop can contain harmful pathogens. You should not walk in raw bat poop for two reasons. the first is that you do not want to risk contacting the pathogens and the other is that you do not want to risk exposing the bats to any pathogens from you.
Bat Houses For Sale: If you want a to buy a bat house then please read this article before making a purchase. Almost all of the bat houses on Amazon are too small to ever attract bats and are completely useless. Don’t worry though, the article has links over to some amazing bat houses that your bats will love.
I’ll be adding more articles soon!
By the way, another interesting site for bat information is Northern California Bats. Check them out!