There are more than 1,300 species of bats throughout the world. Many of them are threatened or endangered, yet they are all vitally important to the ecosystems in which they live. But, among all of the bats that exist, one in particular serves an especially important role—that bat is The Little Brown Bat.

Why is this ‘little’ bat such a big deal? Aren’t all bats the same, anyway? Not quite. As it turns out, The Little Brown Bat leads a fascinating life that is a crucial link in the overall food chain. In this article, we’ll be explaining why by examining this remarkable flying mammal, it’s behavior, roosting characteristics, and other features.

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Perhaps you’ve heard that bat feces (also termed ‘bat guano’) can be harmful to humans. Or, maybe you’ve been told to stay away from caves or abandoned mines because of the dangerous accumulations of guano that can be present there.

Is there any truth based on these warnings? Is bat poop dangerous to people?

Bat poop is dangerous to humans.  Old piles of guano can contain spores that are known to cause a condition known as Histoplasmosis. Histoplasmosis is a potentially fatal disease that can be contracted without the victim even knowing it. While human Histoplasmosis infections originating from bat guano are not thought to be very common, there have been documented cases stretching back for decades.

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With as nimble and mobile as they are, one thing is for sure: bats get around. Not only are bats notable for flying long distances to migrate, they also spend large swaths of time packed close together with other members of their colony, in their preferred cave, abandoned building, or other roost.

Because of their close proximity to each other, it’s not surprising that bats transmit some communicable diseases among themselves. And, because bats are mammals, they are prone to rabies infections. But, rabies isn’t the only bat-borne disease that poses a danger to humans—in this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at the variety of diseases bats are known to carry, and we’ll be dispelling some myths related to the topic.

Photo Credit: Diego Tirira on Flickr

 

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If you’ve ever happened upon a bat—whether in flight or while it’s hanging out in its roost—you might have been a little spooked. The reason is understandable: A lot of people are afraid of bats as bats have developed a bit of a sour reputation, a reputation that hasn’t been helped by Hollywood, horror films, and rumors about bats swooping down from the sky and biting humans.

Let’s take a look at the question, “Do Bats Bite Humans?” and learn the facts about this subject.

Yes, bats do bite humans and getting bitten or scratched by a bat is something that everyone is right to be afraid of, but not because it happens all the time.  It is important to understand that while a frightened and trapped bat will bite people, bats do not attack humans.

In this article, we’ll be looking at the real statistics related to bat bites in the United States, and we’ll be shedding some light on some non-truths related to this topic.

Photo Credit: US Fish and Wildlife Service

 

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Young cats are called kittens. And then there are young foxes, which are referred to as ‘cubs’, ‘pups’, or ‘kits’, one of which is the same term that is used to describe young bears. It’s easy to get confused when trying to keep track of all the unique names that young animals have—so let’s clear up any confusion when it comes to bats.

What exactly is a young bat called, you might wonder? The answer is pup. That’s right, a young bat is a pup immediately upon birth, and it becomes an adult when it’s able to fledge from it’s mother and hunt or forage on its own. In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at the early life of bat pups, so we can better understand what happens during their youth to prepare them for a successful adult life.

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