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Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus (or Large Brown Bat) Myotis lucifugus (or Little Brown Bat))

Little Brown Bat Colony| Stillwater, MN | View 2.48 MB MPEG-1 Video

Humanity's Requiem from the Insect Hordes

Bats have two major advantages over the rest of us land mammals. First, they're the only flying mammal in the world. Sure, flying squirrels and sugar gliders have arm flaps that allow them to channel air currents, but the most they can do is glide like a paper airplane. Bats can actually fly the same way birds do using webbing that between its "fingers" and legs.

The other major advantage bats have is echo location. Like dolphins and whales, bats can "see" by sound. They emit high-pitched squeals that bounce off objects (like insects) and are picked up by their large, incredibly sensitive ears. While bats have decent vision(contrary to popular superstition) echo location allows them to see in areas of absolute darkness, such as in caves. Most of their squeaks are far too-high pitched for the human ear to pick up, though they will often make more audible noises to alert other bats or announce their return to the roost (kind of like the flashing lights on the wings of an airplane).

While the bat is a symbol of good fortune in China, and a hero in the folklore of many Native American tribes, Western culture has painted them as the messengers of demons and the familiars of witches. Novels and movies have booked them as winged blood suckers and vampires in disguise. Urban legends contest they are the harbinger of rabies. Children often mistake them with bugs, birds, and mice. This unfortunate heritage of vicious misnomers has left many fearing and even loathing this extremely beneficial insect-eater. We've decided to address each superstition separately.

Myth #1: Bats are bugs, birds or flying rodents

None of the above, actually. While most people know that bats are not birds (no feathers) or bugs (warm blooded and no exoskeleton), a lot of people still believe they are rodents. Rodents, like mice, squirrels, and woodchucks, have a large, single pair of upper and lower incisors that continue to grow throughout their life span Bats have tiny little teeth that are specially adapted to dining on insects.

Myth #2: Bats drink blood

While there are bats in certain parts of the world that drink blood (mostly of cattle), the midwest is only home to two predominate kinds of bats; the Little Brown and the Big Brown. Neither of them are blood suckers, In fact, both eat blood suckers! One single bat can eat six hundred mosquitoes in an hour ( citation). That means that a small roost of bats can take out as many as 7,200 mosquitoes and gnats per night!

Insects are also the reason bats sometime "zoom" our heads. Imagine it's a hot, humid summer night, and you're walking home from the park. As you walk through the damp grass, the 'smell' of your shampoo, your hair spray, your sweat, your blood register on the sensitive antennae of of every mosquito in a ninety foot radius, and dozens come in for a closer look. You swat at a few as they bite you on the neck and scalp, but you can't even see most of them looming out there in the darkness.

Lucky for you,an accomplished insect-killer just happens to be in the area. Using echo location, bats zooms by two or three times, so silent and graceful you don't even notice. It picks off more than one mosquito in a dive, so it may have already eaten a good dozen before, as it makes its fourth swoop, the air off its wings brushes the hair on your head. You may have jumped, but there was really nothing to be afraid of. Bats have no interest in humans --just bugs.

Myth #3: Bats carry rabies

They can, but it's rare. Bats are no more likely to get rabies than squirrels, rabbits, or even house pets! They're also much less likely to come in contact with humans. Couple this with the fact that small brown bats have such tiny teeth they would have a difficult time piercing human skin, and you have an unlikely candidate for rabies transmission.

Myth #4: If you find a bat in your home, kill it!

Bats are actually protected species in many areas. If you do find a bat in your home, keep in mind that it is most likely a young bat that was accidentally separated from its colony. Carefully capture it in a pillow case or other soft object, transfer it to a cardboard box with small air holes, and call your nearest nature center or wildlife rehabilitation organization as soon as possible. In the Twin Cities, your best bet is the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota at 651-486-9453. Be sure to handle the bat as little as possible. Do not allow children or house pets near it, and never release a bat in the winter.

Myth #5: Bats are evil, dirty,and/or creepy

While creepy is all a matter of personal opinion, bats are certainly not evil or dirty. They're actually quite beneficial to society, as they control insect populations and help to fertilize forests with their ultra-rich guano (droppings). As for dirty, this is another common misnomer. Much like domestic cats, bats spend much of their time preening themselves.

Interesting facts about the Little Brown Bat:

• If a bat colony is ever forced to move, mothers will actually carry their young while flying.
• Bat droppings (called guano) are almost pure protein, making incredible fertilizer. It can go for as much as $200 for a 50 lb bag, and was mined in the days of the Civil War for both agricultural purposes and for saltpeter, which was used to make gunpowder. It is still used in many gardens today.
• Scientists believe bats may be more closely related to humans than rodents.
• Not all bats fly! There are cave bats that catch insects and other crawling insects whose 'wings' have evolved to work like legs.
• Bats hibernate in caves, abandoned buildings, and other structures during the winter months.
• While most of us think of the claw at the end of a bat's webbing as its hand, this is really just a thumb it uses to cling to the bark of trees and other porous surfaces. The bony structure that supports the webbing are its fingers. Most bats have also evolved webbing between their legs to make them extra aerodynamic.

Multimedia:

Brown Bat; echolocation| ( 103 Kb WAV Audio) | Stillwater, MN	Brown Bat being released into Lilydale Cave | Full Story	Brown Bat; trail markers; guano | Stillwater, MN

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Want to Learn More?

In an effort to make our site as comprehensive as possible, we have supplemented our online park and wildlife survey with other educational resources. Every book we recommend has been hand-picked by a Beyond Main Street volunteer. 7.5% of all proceeds from the links below go to help Beyond Main Street build a larger, more comprehensive site!

	National Audubon Society's Field Guide to Mammals
	The Bat: Wings in the Night Sky
	Bats and other Animals of the Night (Children's)

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