The little brown bat lives up to its name. It weighs only a 1/4-1/3 of an ounce, is about 2 inches long and has a 6-inch wingspan. Photo by Ann Froschauer, USFWS. From the US Department of the Interior blog.
The Northern long-eared bat spends winter hibernating in caves and mines. Photo by Andrew King, USFWS. From the US Department of the Interior blog.
Bats have few natural predators — disease is one of the biggest threat. Owls, hawks and snakes eat bats, but that’s nothing compared to the millions of bats dying from White-Nose Syndrome. The disease — named for a white fungus on the muzzle and wings of bats — affects hibernating bats across eastern North America, and was recently discovered in Washington State. More than 5.5 million bats have died so far from White-Nose Syndrome. Scientists are working to understand the disease, which this tri-colored bad is suffering from. Photo from the US Department of the Interior blog.
Without bats, say goodbye to bananas, avocados and mangoes. Over 300 species of fruit depend on bats for pollination. Bats help spread seeds for nuts, figs and cacao — the main ingredient in chocolate. Without bats, we also wouldn’t have plants like agave or the iconic saguaro cactus. Just like a hummingbird, the lesser long-nosed bat can hover at flowers, using its 3-inch long tongue — equal to its body length — to feed on nectar in desert environments. Photo by Merlin D. Tuttle, Bat Conservation International. From the US Department of the Interior blog.
Night insects have the most to fear from bats. Each night, bats can eat their body weight or more in insects, numbering in the thousands! And because bats eat so many insects — which have exoskeletons made of a shiny material called chitin — some bat poop sparkles (cool but weird fact, we know)! This insect-heavy diet helps farmers protect their crops from pests and lowers the spread of mosquito-borne diseases like malaria. The endangered Indiana bat, which weighs about three pennies, consumes up to half its bulk every evening. Photo by Andrew King, USFWS. From the US Department of the Interior blog.
California leaf-nosed bats exit a cave at Joshua Tree National Park. You can easily distinguish these bats by their leaf-like noses and large ears. Photo by Kristen Lalumiere, National Park Service. From the US Department of the Interior blog.
Hawaiian Hoary bat, Lasiurus cinereus, Hawaii Island, Laupahoehoe Forest Reserve. The ancestors of the endangered Hawaiian Hoary Bat traveled over 3,600 kilometers from the Pacific Coast almost 10,000 years ago to become Hawaii’s state land mammal. Photo by Frank Bonaccorso, USGS. From the US Department of the Interior blog.
The spotted bat gets its name from its distinct appearance of black and white spotted fur. Another interesting fact about the spotted bat — it has the largest ears of any North American species. Photo by Paul Cryan, USGS. From the US Department of the Interior blog.
The Mexican long-tongued bat is a vital pollinator in desert systems. They have a long, bristle-like tongue, allowing them to sip nectar from agave and cacti. Photo by USFWS. From the US Department of the Interior blog.
I’ve always thought bats were fascinating – mom’s brother lived in northern Iowa on the Mississippi River, and they had bats by the thousands because of all the caves – my aunt was scared of them, and bats can get thru a hole if you can slide a silver dollar thru it – so they got in houses a lot! My uncle swatted them w/ a badminton racket – you can’t use a board, their sonic sense reflects off anything solid – and watching a 6’+ guy at 3 AM swatting a bat is something to wake up to!