Lions, Tigers, and Bats, Oh My!
Helpful high-flying, mosquito munching, flower-pollinating micro-mammals. By Sarah Polyakov Photo Courtesy of the Austrailian Bat Clinic
With Halloween around the corner, many homes and classrooms are decorated with Halloween icons that include bats. But, far from being terror-inducing symbols of darkness, bats are essential to our way of life. These often-misunderstood mammals have a bad reputation since they have been associated with vampires, aggression, and biting. Because these myths could not be further from the truth, I wanted to take the opportunity to shed some light on these night-flying mammals.
Batty For Bats
Last year when a couple of brown bats (Myotis lucifugus) took up residence in the eaves of our home, we all wanted to learn more. These two tiny bats, which measured no more than 2 inches each, peacefully “hung out” and soundlessly slept their days away. With a telephoto lens, I started taking photos of their cute little faces and large, mouse-like ears. Between the photos and the darling names our sons gave them, we all became hooked on bats.
The Bat Cave
Though most bats make homes in the hollows of trees, our bats had higher aspirations. But eventually, their residence became an issue since they left occasional droppings on the porch. We didn’t want to displace them, but we did not want to sweep droppings either. We found a terrific compromise for all of us by purchasing a bat house and mounting it on a nearby tree in our yard. With a little coaxing, they happily took up residence in their custom designed home, which was much cozier than the eaves.
Eco-Superheroes
One of the most compelling fact about bats is the role that they take in preserving and sustaining both forests and bug populations. Most bats fall into two categories: fruit eaters or bug eaters. Bug eaters work hard to keep pest populations down. After the sparrow stops hunting for the day, bats takes over.
On the other hand, there are fruit bats whose diets consist solely of fruit. Fruit bats go from tree to tree, pollinating in the process. But, they are also responsible for spreading large amounts of seeds and often reforest large swaths of deforested land.
The Bite That Saves Lives
The mythological vampire bat is a very small sub-species of bat that can be found in South America. While it is true that they feed on insignificant quantities blood from livestock, they are rarely a danger to humans.
But, the most surprising part about vampire bats is that their saliva has powerful medicinal qualities. In 2003, the Journal of the American Heart Association documented that the saliva of vampire bats increases blood flow in stroke patients and saves lives. Biochemists have created a synthesized medication, desmoteplase, which takes advantage of these life-saving properties.
Give Bats A Chance
So the next time you notice bats in your area, I invite you to mount a few bat houses on trees. If you make a home for them, they will reciprocate by keeping mosquitos and other pests away. After all, it is mosquitos, not bats, who are the real blood-feasting culprits in Washington State.
Bat Myths Versus Facts
Myth 1: Bats hunt at night so that they can feast on the blood of sleeping mammals.
Fact: Almost all bats do not eat blood! On a good night, micro-bats can eat their entire weight in mosquitoes and moths. Fruit bats reforest desolate land, make existing forests flourish, and pollinate trees.
Myth 2: If a bat flies near your head, it will get tangled in your hair.
Fact: Wild bats are extremely leery and will avoid humans. However, bats use echolocation to hunt at night and can often be seen flying erratically in order to catch mosquitoes. The erratic flying is due to hunting techniques and is no threat to nearby humans or animals.
Myth 3: All bats have rabies.
Fact: Less than 1% of the bat population in WA State has rabies. Of the bats who do, their bodies become quickly paralyzed, leaving them grounded and immobile. Bats can be found flying in the vicinity of humans when hunting or looking for fresh water to drink.
Myth 4: Bats are not like other mammals and they have no ability to bond or form connections.
Fact: One of the most surprising characteristics about bats is their overall sociability. One volunteer at a bat rescue organization commented that the baby bats they care for are much like human infants. Baby bats require both round-the-clock physical contact and milk. They can also pass away from ‘failure to thrive’ if they are not provided with consistent and loving touch. Bats will bond very strongly to their human caretakers and are very gentle and loving creatures that literally want to be ‘carried’ by their caretaker 24/7.
Myth 5: Bats are more like birds than mammals.
Fact: Bats are warm-blooded mammals that are anatomically somewhat like humans. They possess a human-like torso, shoulders, arms, and hands with fingers. The wing of a bat is actually a very delicate membrane made of skin and this membrane is stretched around the shoulders, arms, and fingers of the bat.
Myth 6: Bats are blind.
Fact: There are almost 1,100 different species of bat and all of them can see.
