#961 Bats are not creepy, they are…

I have only seen bats flying about in nature a few times in my life and it has been one of the most amazing and magical things I have ever seen. I don’t know why so many people have such a negative view of bats. In European cultures, bats have long been associated with black magic, witchcraft, and darkness. Even in Shakespeare’s Macbeth witches incorporated bats in their brew. In Western culture, bats are often a symbol of the night and its scary, dangerous and foreboding nature. Bats are associated with night time fictional characters, both villains, such as Dracula, and heroes, such as Batman. Among some Native Americans, such as the Creek, Cherokee and Apache, the bat is a trickster spirit.

Not all of the legends surrounding bats are negative though. Chinese lore claims the bat is a symbol of longevity and happiness. Bats are considered lucky in Poland, Macedonia and among the Kwakiutl and Arabs.

If you know the old wives’ tale you will recognize that the bat will entangle themselves in people’s hair and cause havoc. What most likely happens is the insect-eating bats seeking prey might dive erratically toward people, who attract gnats and mosquitoes. This leads the squeamish to believe the bats are attempting to get in their hair.

Thanks to their ability to fly, apart from the Arctic, the Antarctic and a few isolated oceanic islands, bats exist all over the world and in almost every habitat available on Earth. The habitats for a bat have two basic requirements: roosts, where they can spend their day or hibernate, and places for foraging. Most temperate species additionally need a relatively warm hibernation shelter.

The first time I saw bats flying I was, get this, in a cemetery. Yes, can you believe it? It was in Joshua Tree Memorial Park around dusk time in the high desert and I was just getting ready to go back to my motel. Suddenly something came whizzing past my head then again a second later. I stopped to look about and discovered a half dozen bats flying though the air. They passed by me a few more times and I stood and watched them for quite a while.

Several years later I found myself living near the base of Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and bats would occasionally stop by my back yard to grab a snack.

Last year Brenna and I went to Zion for a visit and they cruised around our mountain side condo for a while during the evenings.

The United States is home to an estimated 45 to 48 species of bats. The three most common species of bats are Myotis lucifugus (little brown bat), Eptesicus fuscus (big brown bat), and Tadarida brasiliensis (Mexican free-tailed bat).

Bats are not blind as some people believe. Bats use echolocation which is their perceptual system where ultrasonic sounds are emitted at 130 decibels in intensity specifically to produce echoes. The bat can then compare the outgoing pulse with the returning echoes. Their brain and auditory nervous system can then produce detailed images of the critter’s surroundings. This skill allows bats to detect, localize, and even classify their prey in complete darkness.

Bats rarely fly in rain since the rain interferes with their echolocation and they are unable to locate their food.

Some people build birdhouses in their yards while some people put up houses for bats. I want to be one of those people. The main reason is bats are often the primary nocturnal insectivores. You can buy houses for bats ready made or build them yourself. Plans for bat houses exist on various web sites. Some conservation societies give them away free to enthusiasts worldwide.

If you would like more information on these wonderful creatures and to see more about why they make me smile please visit:

How do you feel about bats? Do they live in your parts? Let me know in the comments. Would love to hear from you.