Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Going Bat-ty

Now, brace yourselves.  No intolerance allowed! 

One of my friends who lives on a small ranch in Southern Arizona has visitors a couple of times a year as they migrate to and from Mexico.  She knows they're around when her many hummingbird feeders are empty every morning.  My picture taking friend (she of the darling Corgi puppies and banded hawk babies) took pictures a couple of weekends ago.

Most U.S. bats eat insects. A single bat can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes in one hour. Some bats in the Southwestern U.S. also pollinate plants like the big saguaro cactus while drinking nectar.

Bats are one of the most prolific forms of mammals with over 900 species living in the world and making up over 20% of all mammals. Bats are the only form of mammal to have attained powered flight. Several mammals like flying squirrels glide but cannot stay in the air for long like bats can. In the United States there are 45 species of bats and seven species in the U.S. are in danger of extinction


Fewer than 0.5% of bats have rabies. Since 1960 there have only been 40 reported cases of humans getting rabies from bats.


During the summer, just at twilight, we will see a couple of bats flying over the swimming pool, grabbing a quick sip.  While I don't want one for a pet (thank you just the same), they do eat insects and polinate our Saguaro's.

13 comments:

  1. What great photos and info! I would never have thought that bats would be drawn to hummingbird food!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hmm, be nice to have them to take care of the misquitos, but otherwise, I think I wouldn't like them around!

    ReplyDelete
  3. We had a bat in our living room once when I was younger - scared me to death. I like that they eat so many mosquitoes but I still don't like them. Great pictures with the bats at the hummingbird feeder, wow!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow! I would never imagine seeing a bat at a bird feeder. That would scare me silly, and I don't think I would've been able to snap any photos! =)
    ~Kim

    ReplyDelete
  5. What great photos, but I'm not a fan of bats. Interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I much prefer the bi-annual migrators that find their way to our feeders - hummingbirds!
    Interesting info, though. We have more than enough mosquitos to keep some of those buggers well fed!
    -RomanticThoughts

    ReplyDelete
  7. Bats are nice to have around sometimes - they eat mosquitoes! My in-laws keep little bat houses in a tree in their back yard - it's nice to be able to spend time outside in the summer and not get eaten up by mosquitoes!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Unbelievable photos!! Now I know that bats have a sweet tooth!

    ReplyDelete
  9. lol...well if my hummingbird feeder attracts bats it is going!

    Awesome photos though

    ReplyDelete
  10. Great info and nice photos. I want to get few bats to live in my back yard so they can eat all the ugly mosquitoes lol

    ReplyDelete
  11. Interesting article,...not sure if i like bats any better ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. such amazing creatures! If mice can fly why can't we?:((( I have plenty around after sunset too!

    ReplyDelete