Hello, I'm the OUTDOOR PROFESSOR from DiscoveringTheOutdoors.com/
Here's your outdoor tip on bats.
Watch out for bats!
Keep your hair covered!
Stay away from that blood sucker!
You don’t want to get rabies!
Many times when the subject of bats comes up during a nature walk in the woods this kind of distorted information comes up. Bats make up the second largest order of mammals so it’s difficult to provide a great deal of specific information about bats in this short tip, but I’d like to share some general truths that are correct about many species of bats:
Bats don’t fly for your hair. They are not blind. Blind as a bat is totally false. They can see as well as you. You’re an object they want to avoid and even in the dark they will use their sonar to escape you and other large obstacles.
There are some vampire bats in the United States, but most are in South America. They look to small animals for their blood and they are seldom found where humans are available to provide a blood meal. Most bats are strictly insect eaters consuming hundreds of insects an hour. On the positive side vampire bats have a special chemical in their saliva that keeps blood from clotting and scientists have used it to develop medicine that helps humans that suffer from blood clots and strokes.
Some other information about bats in general includes:
1. Bats can carry rabies, but it is not common. Although there was a bat rabies scare in recent history, rabies infections in bats have been found in less than one percent of bats.
2. Many bats return to the same roost each year and start maternity colonies in the spring.
3. Some Bats are hibernators and usually enter caves, buildings, and even sewers in the fall to hibernate in cold climates.
4. A hibernating little brown bat can hold its breath for 48 minutes.
5. There are many different species of bats and some also migrate for the seasons.
6. Individual bats can live to be 30 years old and colonies may stay in the same location for 100 years.
7. Bats are the only mammal that can fly.
8. Thailand’s Bumblebee Bat is the smallest mammal in the world.
9. There are only two known species of bats that have the ability to walk on the ground. The lesser short-tailed bat and the American common vampire bat.
10. There are only 6 species of bats that roost upright rather than the usual hanging upside down.
11. Common predators of bats are owls, hawks, snakes, raccoons and foxes—cats will hunt them if given the opportunity. Humans can be added to the list. Few people eat bats, but many people needlessly kill bats out of unfounded fear.
Bats can be destructive…
Bats are largely helpful in controlling unwanted flying insects, but they can be destructive in homes and other structures. There are few chemicals that are approved to control bats. Mothballs can be temporary repellents. Lights and strong current of air from fans can discourage them. Fiberglass insulation is a repellent to bats so insulating walls and the attic will serve a dual purpose of energy conservation and bat control. The best solution is to close entry points near the roof edge such as under the eaves, soffits, vents, or cracks around the chimney. Bats are able to squeeze though openings as small as 3/8 inch.
Bat droppings are called guano in some parts of the world and it is used for fertilizer. A problem is that it may act as a growth medium for microbes and cause disease such as histoplasmosis. Urine evaporates quickly leaving a slippery crystalline residue. Besides droppings, rub marks on siding at entry openings can be indicators of the presence of bats. Rub marks are due to the body oils of the bats and may also contain bat hairs. They will be dark in contrast with the siding or wood.
If you are bitten…
The best rule to follow when handling bats is DON’T. Bat teeth are very sharp and some people say you cannot even feel the bite. If you have been bitten, cleanse the wound with soap and water and immediately seek medical help. Although infection with rabies is uncommon, it is possible for rabies to be transmitted through the bite. If the bat is dead or captured, it can be tested, but otherwise rabies shots are needed.
A rabid bat does not show the symptoms normally associated with rabies. It does not foam at the mouth or attack acting deranged. Instead, it will be on the ground or clinging to a wall and be quiet. If you find a bat that seems out of place, assume that it may be infected and avoid it.
So…watch out for bats, but not out of fear. They can be our friends by controlling flying pests at night. As with any wild animal, respect their place in the environment and enjoy their presence in the outdoors.
This is the OUTDOOR PROFESSOR from DiscoveringTheOutdoors.com/
References-Additional Reading
Incredible Bats
http://www.incrediblebats.com/batinfo.html
What should you know about bats
http://nj.gov/health/cd/rabies/documents/shouldknow_bats.pdf
Are bats harmful?
http://www.orkin.com/wildlife/bats/are-bats-harmful/
Bats
http://askabiologist.asu.edu/explore/bats
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