Transcript Document

Batty About
Bats!
Are You
Afraid of
Bats?
MYTH: Bats Are Flying Mice
A bat’s wing is really an arm
with a hand.
Bats are not flying mice.
Arm Bones
Thumb
They are not even closely
related to rodents.
Bats are mammals, like us.
Finger Bones
They are the only mammals
that can truly fly.
MYTH: All Bats Have Rabies
Only a few bats carry rabies.
It is never a good idea to handle
bats or any other wild animal.
MYTH: All Bats Drink Blood
• Most Eat Insects
-All bats in WI eat insects
-70% of bats worldwide
• Nectar from flowers
• Fruit
• Fish and small animals
• Animal blood
-Only 3 types in South America
MYTH: Bats Are Blind and Will Get Tangled in Your Hair
Bats have eyes and can see, but seeing is more difficult at night.
Many nocturnal (awake during the night) bats use echolocation to
navigate.
Echolocation
A bat sends out sound waves.
The sound waves bounce off the
objects and return to the bat.
The bat determines how far away
the object is.
Bats can locate objects as small as
a single human hair.
How Big Are Bats?
There are over 1,000 types of bats in the world.
Their sizes vary greatly.
Smallest Bat = Bumblebee Bat
Largest Bat = Flying Fox (wingspan of up to 6ft! )
Bats in Wisconsin have a 9-15in wingspan on average.
Bumblebee Bat on Thumb
Flying Fox
Where Do Bats Live?
Bats are found on every
continent except Antarctica.
Many prefer warmer climates.
Bats that do not live in warm
climates hibernate during the
winter. Many hibernate in caves.
During the summer,
some bats may live in a
bat house.
How Do Bats Help People?
Bats eat many pesky insects.
One bat can eat 600
mosquitoes in one hour!
Bats pollinate many plants,
flowers, and fruits (like bananas).
Bats help spread fruit and
plant seeds.
Threats to Bats
• Loss of Habitat
• Pollution
• White-Nose
Syndrome
• Wind Turbines
• Humans
How You Can Help Bats
• Put up a bat house
• Don’t enter caves
where bats are
hibernating
• Appreciate the
existence of bats
Environmental Club Installs a Bat House
We received a grant to install a
bat house. The bat house is
located near the Grant River.
Removing screws
from support poles
Digging the hole
Finished Bat House
Stapling on screen for
landing pad
Pulling out support
poles
Types of Bats in Wisconsin
Northern Long-Eared Bat
Big Brown Bat
Silver-Haired Bat
Eastern Pipistrelle
Little Brown Bat
Hoary Bat
Eastern Red Bat
Bat Quiz
Identify each statement as true or false
All Bats are blind.
False
All Bats drink blood.
False
Bats will try to
become tangled in
your hair.
False
All bats have rabies.
False
Bats are flying mice.
False
Bats do not help people
in any way.
False
Bats are the only
mammal capable
of true flight.
True