Squirrels at the Feeder

Bats are some of the most populous animals on the planet, and they live on every continent except the arctics. They’ve also been around for a very, very long time, dating back as far as 52 million years ago. For as pervasive and long-lived as bats are, it makes sense to ask the question, “What do bats eat?”.

In this article, we’ll be answering this question by examining the dietary preferences of some of the most common bats while also revealing some interesting facts about this fascinating animal.

Photo Credit: Daniel Speiss on Flickr

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Bats are as fascinating as they are elusive. These flying mammals are masters of stealth, and they’re rarely detected because of their preference for nocturnal activities. But, as quick and as adept at flying as bats are, they have to sleep somewhere. So, where is it that bats go to ‘hang out’, as it were, when they’re not out foraging or hunting?

In this article, we’re exploring the question of where bats live, and we’re looking at the variations among bats when it comes to their habitats, roosting preferences, and colonizing behavior. As it turns out, bats are highly complex animals that have evolved to be very social, and the places they call home might surprise you.

Come along as we definitively answer the question, “Where do bats live?”

Photo Credit: Daniel Spiess on Flickr

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Now that the main source of shade in our yard, a large water oak, has died and been taken down we have a lot more sunshine hitting our back deck.  The increased sunshine in a mixed blessing in that it’s going to make our deck hotter but it will allow us to play with some solar powered gadgets!

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Earlier this year the large water oak in our backyard died.  The tree has been terrifying me as I had visions of it crashing down on our home during a tropical storm.  In fact, we rode out Hurricane Barry at my wife’s sister’s house because I was certain the storm would bring this guy down.

Thank goodness that Hurricane Barry was a dud!

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Bats are and always have been a part of human existence for as long as we’ve been walking the Earth. Ever since early hunter-gatherer Man encountered bats in caves, our two species have been coexisting fairly successfully.

Every now and again, bats will establish a roost in an abandoned building, mineshaft, or some other manmade structure. When humans return to these places—whether to explore or rehabilitate them—they often find that they must contend with bats by either relocating them or eliminating them.

Because of the inevitable encounters that we’re going to have with bats, it’s important to know what the laws are regarding their federal protection status. In this article, we’re going to forego a discussion about state laws in favor of the topic of federal laws that specifically protect bats. Knowing what these laws are and where they apply will help to keep you out of hot water with the government.

Photo Credit: Florida Fish and Wildlife on Flickr

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It’s safe to say that bats have earned a less-than-desirable reputation. Despite being some of the oldest and most prolific species of animal on the planet, bats have become feared, stigmatized, and unjustly labeled as dangerous or invasive. In this article, we’re going to try to understand why people are afraid of bats and we’re going to clear up some of the most common misconceptions about this extraordinary mammal.

We’ll start with some historical context surrounding bats, and then we’ll transition into more modern perspectives, including those offered by biologists and zoologists.

Photo Credit: Brad Clark on Flickr

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Earlier this year we had our large back yard professionally landscaped including a complete installation of new sod.  To make sure the sod got off to a great start it was important to keep it watered on a regular basis, especially during the brutal heat of our Louisiana summer.  We didn’t have a decent sprinkler setup in place but with a little trial and error we ended up with something that I LOVE.

In my opinion, the best sprinkler for large yard coverage is the Orbit Impulse Tripod Lawn Sprinkler.

I ended up buying four of these and now watering my lawn is a complete joy.  Before I go into why I like the Orbit Impulse Tripod sprinkler so much let me tell you about our first attempt at a sprinkler system that I ended up hating.

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Have you ever stumbled across a chipmunk’s burrow system? Given how extensive these things can be, you probably assumed that chipmunks follow some kind of joint family structure where they live together in their burrows. At least that’s what I thought until a quick search on chipmunks and their living habits told me otherwise.

Some of the results of my search were ambiguous at best, but here’s what I found out when I dug into the question, “How many chipmunks live in a burrow?”

Research indicates that, except for when a mother is raising her babies, only one chipmunk lives in a burrow.

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When I was growing up in Kentucky I always had a ton of fun watching the chipmunks grabbing bird seed that had spilled from the feeders.  These little guys are the smallest member of the squirrel family and share a lot of behaviors with their larger cousins, the grey and red squirrels.

Tree squirrels do not hibernate to get through the winter and instead rely upon stored food to get through the winter.  However, most chipmunks do hibernate which made me wonder if they go through the trouble of storing up winter food caches.

So, the question of the day is, “Do chipmunks bury nuts?”

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