Did you know that the United States is home to around 40 known species of bats? Specific types of these nocturnal mammals are more common in certain regions of the county. The northern long-eared bat is typically found in the state of New York, for example. They roost in forests during the warmer weather and move into caves or other warmer places in the fall, sharing their abode with other bat species. Let’s dive into what features all bats share and how to successfully cohabit with them.
Bat Behavior
As mentioned, a bat’s usual habitat in the wild will vary depending on the time of year. This includes hibernating during the winter or migrating if the local climate is harsh. Mating season is in the autumn, with females having one offspring normally in May of the subsequent year. These youngsters are referred to as pups. After a few weeks of being looked after by their parents, the pups can fly solo.
In urban areas, it’s not uncommon for bats to find other places to live, such as in the attics of homes. In places where urban sprawl has destroyed their natural habitat, it can be hard for bats to find enough shelter and food. This puts them in the path of people who may not have an appreciation for just how unique and fascinating they are.
After all, bats don’t have the same popular appeal as other categories of wildlife. The fact that they are the only mammal capable of flying and can reach speeds greater than 100 miles an hour might not impress people who associate this ability with a genre of horror movies. They also carry disease, as seen in Cujo by Stephen King.
Bat Diet
Insects, primarily mosquitoes, is what bats eat. They feed during the night when they are active and will scoop up their dinner while they are in flight, ingesting from 600 to 1,000 bugs every hour. Bats detect their prey using echolocation, emitting high-frequency sounds to find their prey and avoid running into obstacles while they are flying. This same system is what they use for all communication and navigation.
Bats and Disease
Mammals living in the wild can catch and carry rabies. While bats are no different in this respect, the chances of them having this disease are relatively rare compared to other animals. One thing to be aware of is that if a bat contracts rabies, it dies quite quickly.
Even so, it’s a good practice to resist handling a bat with your bare hands and to make sure your pets are vaccinated against rabies in case they encounter a bat with the disease. If a bat has bitten you or your family pet, have a professional capture it, if possible, and bring it to animal control or a wildlife sanctuary to be tested, cared for, and euthanized if appropriate.
Unfortunately, bats don’t just carry rabies. Bats can potentially carry any number of zoonotic diseases, which are diseases that pass readily from animal to person. Some of them are quite serious, and because the bats are carriers, they may not show any symptoms. For this reason, you should never handle a bat without professional supervision.
Bat Health
Northern long-eared bats, for example, live to be up to 18 years old in the wild. Of course, these mammals have their own share of illnesses that can compromise their longevity. For instance, white-nose syndrome has been highly publicized in recent times for its impact on bats; it has reduced the New York bat population by 90 percent. This condition is marked by a powdery white coating that appears on the wings and muzzle of infected bats.
It is a very persistent fungus, able to live through a wide range of temperatures and continue to reinfect bats year after year. Sadly, the northern long-eared bat has been impacted the most by this disease and is now labelled as “threatened” by the government. In contrast, the brown bat has shown greater resilience and their numbers are now increasing across the state of New York.
The Benefits of Bats
Living in harmony with these animals is advantageous for people. Like all wildlife, bats play a critical role in their ecosystems. They keep the insect population under control, minimizing how many mosquitos are alive to ruin our summer enjoyment of our own backyards. Bats also support plant diversity by spreading seeds and pollinating fruits.
To give these creatures a comfortable place to live and benefit from having them around, many people protect bat habitats on private property. It could be as simple as leaving a dead tree standing to offer a home. Another idea is to build a bat house that can be secured to the side of a fence or a metal pole.
These structures have a specific design, usually with up to four chambers, horizontal groves inside, a landing plate, an open bottom, and a shingled roof. Bat houses must be monitored for predators and nesting hornets, cleaned out each winter, and refurbished every 3 to 5 years.
In Closing
Once you can appreciate how exceptional these mammals are in the animal world and what they contribute to the health of our ecosystem, you’ll gain a new respect for them.