Bats! Bats! Bats!

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Ranked #6,039 in Animals, #141,396 overall

Bats - my heroes!

Have you ever been sitting on the deck watching a fire in the evening but have to give up and go in the house because no amount of insecticide will give you relief from the mosquitoes? Just think - a small brown bat can eat 500 mosquitoes and hour! Now I don't know how many hours a night they work but just 3 or 4 each night by a couple would make my life much more pleasant. Bats just hang out in their bat house during the day and really don't want any contact with humans. They do their own thing about making the life cycle of the environment work. So why do people not want them around?

Just what is a Bat? 

from Wikipedia

Bats
Fossil range: Late Paleocene - Recent

"Chiroptera" from Ernst Haeckel's Kunstformen der Natur, 1904
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Infraclass: Eutheria

Superorder: Laurasiatheria[1]

Order: Chiroptera
Blumenbach, 1779

Suborders
See article

A bat is a mammal in the order Chiroptera. Their most distinguishing feature is that their forelimbs are developed as wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of flight (though other mammals, such as flying squirrels, gliding flying possums and colugos, can glide for limited distances). The word Chiroptera comes from the Greek words cheir "hand" and pteron "wing," as the structure of the open wing is very similar to an outspread human hand with a membrane (patagium) between the fingers that also stretches between hand and body.

A measure of the success of bats is their estimated total of about 1,100 species of bats worldwide, accounting for about 20 percent of all mammal species.[2] About 70 percent of bats are insectivores. Most of the rest are frugivores, with a few species being carnivorous. Bats are present throughout most of the world.

Bats perform a vital ecological role by pollinating some flowers, and also have an important role in seed dispersal; indeed, many tropical plants are entirely dependent on bats. This role explains environmental concerns when a bat is introduced in a new setting.[clarify] Tenerife provides a recent example with the introduction of the Egyptian fruit bat.[clarify] Bats range in size from the Kitti's Hog-nosed Bat to the Giant golden-crowned flying fox.

Bats in the Northeast are Dying Off 

Bats In Northeast Dying Off

Tens of thousands of bats are dying in the Northeast. Director of the Organization of Bat Conservation Rob Mies says that the cause of death is complicated.

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The internet affords us a world of information 

Check out these various links about Bats.

There are numerous sites that can help us learn so much about the life, history, and conservation of bats. These are some places to start your search.
Bat Conservation International
This is the home site of 'Bat Conservation International'. It works to preserve the habitat and population of the bat world.
Bats - Defenders of Wildlife
A site that explores and gives sounds, video and general information about bats and other wildlife.
KidZone Bats
Lessons, printables and activities to teach kids the truth about bats.
Bat Conservation and Mining
Report on a study of the Indiana Bat and Coal Mining.

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Bats, Bats and More Bats 

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Bats are a part of the circle of life -
They are a natural predator for the insects that irritate us so much each evening

Even CafePress Recognizes the need for bats. 

Bats are the main concern of many people - and they write about them 

Oh Bats!
Bat Conservation International has info and a downloadable brochure on providing safe drinking water for bats and other wildlife: Water for Wildlife. With ongoing drought in the western US and declining natural water sources for our ...
Wildlife Wednesday: Bat Conservation | Green Diva Mom
Both insect-eating and fruit-eating bats fill important ecological niches, controlling pest populations, pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. However,
Halloween brew boosts bat conservation
New Covent Garden, the nation's favourite fresh soup brand, is brewing a Halloween special with its latest Soup of the Month.The company is launching its first ever Witches' Brew, a limited edition smooth pumpkin and tomato soup - full ...
Green Halloween » Blog Archive » Green Halloween action alert: Bat ...
Enter Bat Conservation International (BCI), an organization devoted to conservation, education, and research initiatives involving bats and the ecosystems they serve. Founded in 1982, as scientists around the world became concerned that ...

Bats are a great part of our environment. 

It is important to our environment for people to learn and understand the bat population. They are our friends.

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Share your knowledge! 

Now that you have gained some knowledge about bats, would you like to share it with a friend?
You can send a FREE e-postcard to them. Visit this site Free Bat Postcard

In their aides-to-horticulture, bats-like honeybees- flit from flower to flower, feeding on nectar and pollen or seeking out the insects that crawl inside the blossoms to feed on nectar. In so doing, bats carry pollen and seeds with them, pollinating and dispersing as they go.

Bats 

Bats!

Bat slide presentation showing a variety of beautiful bats found at the Organization for Bat Conservation's Bat Zone in Michigan.

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Bats can be our friends. 

Share your comments and thoughts on the lens or bats.

goldminer82007 wrote...

Bats are some of our best friends. you are right. To bad that people are so scared of them. Most of this is from old wives tales and a little help from hollywood movies on vampires and other such nonsense. If folks would learn about them and the massive amount of insects they eat they might decide to keep a few around.

ReplyPosted April 18, 2009

websaver wrote...

It's a pity more people dont understand these creatures, they do a lot of good to our surroundings. My hobby is building bat houses, I guess that is the best I can do for them, great lense by the way
Visit my bat social network site

ReplyPosted April 11, 2009

bixby wrote...

Bats are great critters. They are natural insect control units as well as agents of natural pollination. The exciting thing is that you can purchase bat houses on line.
These artificial cavities are both fun and an excellent resource for one to provide a room for these help creatures. Many myths surround bats and there are those that simply are not true. What a great creature that God has created.

Gary

ReplyPosted March 08, 2009

flighty02 wrote...

Bats aren't scary but its frightening that many species of bat are in danger of extinction. Here in Britain all species of bats are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act and it is illegal intentionally to kill, injure or take any bat, to disturb roosting bats, or to damage, destroy or obstruct access to any place used by bats for roosting. 5* for sharing a litle knowlege.

ReplyPosted October 20, 2008

jbs260 wrote...

Lots of bats live in Caves around the world, only coming out at night to eat (insects, fruits, etc.). They are more advantage to us than most people will admit. the bat houses above should be put on a pole or straight tree about 12-15 feet in the air. When bats leave the house they drop out the bottom and fly once clear of the house.

ReplyPosted October 05, 2008

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