Bats – The Facts And The Fiction

Bats are a familiar symbol of Halloween and since that ghoulish holiday is tomorrow, I thought I would take a moment to fill you in on the facts and the fiction behind these very interesting creatures.

Personally I think that bats are super cute. I’m not afraid of them and in general I think they get a bad rap. Take a look at some of the pictures and info below. Maybe I can convert you into a bat lover too.

FICTION

Vampire+Bat.jpgVampire+Bat1 Vampire Bat

  • Blind as a bat – They use echolocation to navigate but they can still see.
  • All bats have rabies – False. Less than 1% of bats have rabies.
  • Bats will drink your blood – Nope. There is such a thing as a vampire bat. They feed off of cows, chickens and other animals. They make a small incision in the skin with their teeth and then lap up the blood with their tongue. They do not swoop down onto a human, bite their neck and suck the blood.
  • Bats are a major pest – Not really. Bats are very beneficial. They help control insects like mosquitoes. And who doesn’t like that?
    • Bats are dirty – They are really fairly clean. Bats                                                                  groom themselves much like a cat.

FACTS

upside down bat Malayan Flying Fox Bat

  • Bats are the only flying mammal.
  • Bats can eat up to 1000 mosquitoes in an hour.
  • Bats live an average of 10 to 20 years but it’s not unusual for a bat to live 30+ years.
  • The largest bat is the Malayan Flying Fox. It weighs about 2 pounds and can have a 6 foot wingspan.
  • The smallest bat is the Kitti’s Hog-Nosed Bat. It weighs about as much as a dime and has a wingspan of about 6 inches.

Kitti+Hog-Nosed+Bat.jpgKitti+Hog-Nosed+Bat Kitti’s Hog-Nosed Bat

Is Dracula disguising himself as a bat?

In the past bats and vampires were thought to be combined. The video sequence above shows Dracula changing into a bat in order to make his escape. I don’t think they do this as much in movies anymore but the bats in the picture below make me think they could easily turn into a debonair Dracula style vampire!

Hanging+Bats.jpgHanging+Bats

It is possible that a bat may find its way into your attic. If this happens don’t panic. There are companies that will remove the bats for you. Once this is done you may want to consider having some exclusion work done. Exclusion basically means you are making your home ‘bat proof’ and fixing the area where the bats were able to gain access. Poison is not used for bat control. Many species of bat are found in our area and some are protected by state law so contact a professional for help. If you suspect bats call Rapid Pest Solutions.

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