Myths, misinformation and pop culture have their place in the world today; but when it comes to bats, these fallacies may be detrimental.
• “What? Are you blind as a bat?”
This misnomer tops the list. Bats have better vision than most humans; however, echolocation is their primary source of navigation. Echolocation is the process where an animal emits ultrasonic pulses. These “echoes” bounce off objects or prey and return to the bat. By comparing the outbound and inbound sounds, bats can determine flight patterns, speed or whether it is time to eat.
This awareness of surroundings also dispels myth No. 2, which my grandmother was fond to tell – that bats will get caught up in your hair. Sorry, NaNa – bats know where you are, and they stay away from blue hair.
• Bats are bloodsuckers.
Yes, there are vampire bats and, yes, they eat blood; however, they do not suck blood or kill their hosts. A small puncture wound allows blood to flow from an animal, and then the bats lap up the blood, like a dog at a water dish. The process almost borders on being civilized. Sorry – no blood sucking humans in this area, nor chupacabras, the legendary goat killer from Central America.
• Bats are not rodents, as many pest control companies may make you think. Bats are mammals and are not too distantly related to people and primates. Their hygiene habits are impeccable, similar to those of cats. They rarely get rabies, as many are inclined to believe. As with any wild animal, as long as you keep your distance, you do not have anything to fear.
Long, sharp teeth or fangs are the beauty of which legend has been crafted. Some mouths have choppers that look menacing when you see photographs of these creatures. These teeth are necessary for bats to puncture the skin on fruit and the exoskeletons on insects, which are the main sources of nutrition for most bats.
Bats are the only mammal that can fly. The wing structure closely mimics the human hand, with bones that resemble fingers, but with much greater flexibility. The wing webbing is a thin membrane that contains touch sensors, enabling the bat to alter its shape in mid-flight; for better aerodynamics and capturing insects.
Bats are beneficial to humans in many ways. They eat mosquitoes! Need I say more? Up to one third of their body weight in a night and hundreds of bugs per hour.
OK, a few words: If you want a low-cost way to enhance mosquito control on your property, buy or build a bat house. They are easy to construct or purchase, and even easier to hang. Information is available online.
Bats are natural pollinators, similar to bees. Their seed droppings help reseed after forest fires or when vegetation has been clear cut. Bat guano (droppings) makes a great fertilizer and was also used during the Civil War to make gunpowder.
The next warm summer evening that you are out and about (which, hopefully, is not too far off), look up and search for the dark shadows that are darting about, and enjoy. The flight patterns are semi-erratic as the bats grab their evening meal, but the aerial show can be quite spectacular.
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