Little Brown Bat
Many people think that bats are scary, almost monsters. But, bats are the victims of many bad rumors. They’ve developed an undeserved reputation for sucking blood, carrying rabies, and even flying.
The body of a bat is a novelty, starting with the fact that it is the only flying mammal on earth. A bat’s wings are actually modified hands. Just like humans, bats have four fingers and a thumb on each hand. In bats, their skin helps form the wings that enable them to fly. Bats even have tails that are connected to skin membranes between their hind legs
Eastern Red Bat
Bats in Indiana are insectivorous. One of their best-known hunting methods is echolocation, which allows them to locate insects in flight while also keeping them from flying into trees, buildings, and, of course, people’s hair! While this is a unique and useful skill, bats are not limited to that tactic.
Their eating habits are beneficial to us in many ways. Because bats can eat up to 50 percent of their body weight in insects, they are responsible for keeping our pest populations low; and our forests and farms are healthier. Their fecal material, called guano, is also helpful as a fertilizer.
In short, there is more to these critters than what we give them credit for, and more to learn from them than we can currently imagine. They are amazing creatures with an important role in human society and the natural community.
