Bats are the only mammals capable of true sustained flight. Their forelimbs are wings made of two thin layers of skin stretched over arms, 4 fingers and a thumb. A bat”s fingers are very long compared to its body and their wings go all the way down their body and partway down their legs. The muscles in a bat”s fingers are also very strong, making it easy for them to connect their claws to hang onto hard surfaces. Unlike birds that flap their wings up and down, bats “swim” through the air with wing beats as rapid as 20 beats per second.

It is true that bats can climb trees. Their thumbs extend out of the wing as a small claw which they use to latch onto hard surfaces and climb. This also helps them reach a high launching point for flight takeoff. You may spot a bat walking and/or climbing with their wings folded or you may spot them hanging upside down in a tree, sometimes by one hindfoot, or swinging from tree branch to tree branch.

These winged creatures have been around for about 50 million years and have also not changed much over the years. Scientists believe that they may have evolved from mammals that could climb in and live in trees and leap through the air from branch to branch to catch insects. It is also a possibility that over the years a bat”s wings may have evolved from limbs.

Contrary to popular belief, most bats do not carry rabies. However, it is possible for these winged creatures to carry the deadly virus, but only about 1% of bats actually have it. Furthermore, you cannot tell just by looking at a bat whether or not it has rabies. It can only be confirmed in a laboratory. However, individuals should keep in mind that any bat that is seen being active during the day or is found in a place where bats are not usually seen could be rabid. In addition, bats that are unable to fly and/or are easily approached could also be sick with the virus so it is important to stay away from them.

Rabies caused by bats in humans is very rare in the United States. There are actually only about one or two human cases per year. However, the most common way for people to get rabies in the US is through contact with a bat. Rabies is fatal and should not be taken lightly. Awareness of bats and rabies can help protect individuals, their families, and their pets. Never handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear to be friendly. In addition, teach your children to do the same. Wash any wound from an animal with soap and water right away and seek medical attention immediately.

Never ignore getting bitten by a wild animal such as a bat. If you have been bitten you need to seek medical attention immediately and will most likely be given a rabies shot, otherwise you could die. Have all dead, sick, or easily approached or captured bats tested for rabies if exposure to people or pets occurs. Preventing bats from entering living quarters is also crucial to minimizing one’s risk of contracting the rabies virus.

Despite what you may have heard,Bats are unlike rodents in that they will not chew their way through walls, wood, or other building materials. However, they may be able to squeeze through a crack or crevice in your walls, attic, or porch.

If you are worried about a bat getting into your house somehow there are many effective materials you cam use to keep them out. For instance, foam caulking, flashing, screening, mesh, screening, insulation, stainless steel wool, or stainless steel rustproof scouring pads are all excellent materials to block narrow cracks and keep bats out of your home, attic, or walls.

Bats are not reptiles, they are flying mammals of the order Chiroptera. Mammals are a clade of warm blooded animals that have hair or fur, three middle ear bones, mammary glands in females, and a neocortex (region of the brain). They also give birth to live young. Bats have forelimbs that form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight.

Reptiles on the other hand are cold blooded creatures that often have scules, horny plates, or scales and reproduce by laying eggs that later hatch. Examples of reptiles include snakes, turtles, lizards, crocodiles, alligators, etc.

Bats are not lizards. Bats are flying mammals, while lizards are reptiles. Mammals are warm blooded creatures that have fur or hair on their bodies and give birth to live young. While most reptiles on the other hand, such as the lizard, are cold blooded creatures that often have scales and lay eggs when they reproduce.

Ironically enough some species of bats will be found eating lizards, while some species of lizards might also be found eating bats. It should be noted however, that most bats typically have a diet consisting mainly of insects and/or fruit. While some species of bats such as the vampire bat drink the blood of other mammals.

Bats are not insects, they are mammals, however similar to insects they do fly. Ironically enough, a bat’s main source of food are insects such as moths, flies, mosquito’s, etc. In fact, they can eat up to half of their body weight in insects, making them the main predator for insects.

A bat’s wings are supported by elongated finger bones, making it easy for them to soar through the night sky. Like most mammals, bats give birth to live young and have fur on their bodies which helps them control their body temperature. In addition to eating insects, some species of bats eat fruits, while others drink the blood of other warm blooded animals.

Bats are an essential, beneficial part of the ecosystem. In fact, the increasing deaths of the bat population are a major cause for concern, as they will cause a considerable ecological ripple effect, with potentially far-reaching consequences.

These flying creatures play critical roles in insect control, plant pollination, seed dissemination, and cave ecosystems. In addition, they are food for other animals such as the hawk, raccoon, skunk, and owl.

Consuming over half of their body weight in insects each night, bats are the major predator of night flying insects. If it weren’t for bats eating thousands of tons of insects in the United States each night there would be an increase in insect population, resulting in damage to crops and forests, and a increase in pesticide applications.

Many species of bats such as the cave-roosting bat are considered a keystone species because their waste (guano) provides vital nutrients for cave ecosystems, and is often the basis of a cave’s food chain. Bat guano is used by micro-organisms and invertebrates which become food for fish, frogs, salamanders, and other larger animals.

In addition, bats also play a significant role in science and medicine. Research conducted on bats has enabled advancements in sonar, vaccine development, artificial insemination, blood coagulation and much more.

Not only can these winged creatures of the night eat up to their full body weight in insects, some species are also critical in pollinating fruits and seeds, and their waste is great fertilizer, thus making them very beneficial to the environment.

Despite what you may have heard, bats typically do not carry disease and are actually very beneficial. Bat rabies actually only accounts for approximately one human death per year in the United States. Unfortunately, despite their positive role in pollinating and killing off insects, over 40% of bats are now endangered or threatened due to destruction of habitat and being killed off by fearful humans.

Bats are mammals and since mammals maintain their body’s internal environment on their own, they are by default, endothermic creatures. Other endotherms include other mammals, birds, some fish, insects, and even some plants. These creatures are capable of generating sufficient amounts of heat energy to maintain a high core temperatures of 37 to 40 degrees Celsius.

To maintain a constant body temperature, endotherms must balance heat loss with heat production. Heat loss is minimilized in most mammals by having a thick coat of fur or a thick layer of fat beneath the skin. Heat loss on the other hand occurs when an animal sweats, pants, or seeks shelter in cooler environments.

Ectothermic creatures on the other hand such as reptiles, require an external source to assist in the maintenance of their internal environment. Many ectotherms are able to regulate their body temperatures behaviorally, and can be found doing so by moving in and out of sunlight.

While most species of bats (about 70% to be more specific) are insectivores and feed mostly on insects, some species of bats do in fact eat mice, along with other small rodents. These winged creatures have evolved to be quite agile on the ground, helping them easily catch their prey.

Depending on the species of bat, other types of things that you may find them eating include:

• Moths
• Mosquitoes
• Flies
• Crickets
• Grasshoppers
• Leaf Hoppers
• Ants
• Cicadas
• Dragonflies
• Stink Bugs
• Beetles
• Termites
• Scorpions
• Centipedes
• Nectar
• Ripe Fruit: Mangoes, Bananas, Etc.
• Frogs
• Fish
• Other Bats
• Birds
• Blood From Mammals: Cows, Horses, Etc.
• Lizards