Things You Never Knew About Bats

When it comes to bats they are found all over the world. In fact, the only place you will not find a bat flying around or roosting is in extreme desert conditions. Bats are amazing creatures with many misconceptions. These night flyers are beneficial for our environment provided much needed pest control. Did you know that a single bat can eat up to 1000 mosquitos each hour. This is reason enough to promote their habitats near your home. But, it’s important to understand, like all creatures in nature, infestations may pose a health risk. So let’s learn some awesome things you never knew about bats.

A True Mammal, Bats Are The Best In Flight

Bats are very much like us humans because they birth 1-3 live babies. The baby bats feed from their mother’s milk. The mother bat loves and cares for her young as your mother cared for you. Bats are true mammals but, take the cake when it comes to outperforming birds in flight.

Going beyond other mammals, bats can fly. In fact, bats can fly better than birds. They are capable of some incredible flight maneuvers. Like an F16 fighter jet, bats can perform extreme turns during flight birds can only dream of. This is possible due to bats evolving with the ability to capture insects in mid flight. On the other hand, birds drop to the ground in search of insects, worms and seeds.

You Can Make Gunpowder From Bat Poop

The diet of bats consist of fruit, insects and plant nectars. They are pest control experts, gardeners and farmers. With their diet they produce droppings (Gauno). Because bats produce poop that is high in potassium nitrate, Gauno is gathered to make fertilizer. Bat poop can be processed to make gunpowder from the potassium nitrate.

Another awesome fact you never knew about bats is their poop helps preserve fossils for research.

Some Bats Do Not Roost Upside Down

While most species of bats love roosting upside down not all will be found doing this. To fly, bats open their feet, fall and use this natural momentum to begin flying. On the other side, birds use their legs and feet to push themselves into flight. Bet you never knew that. Now, like frogs, there are a few species of bats that are cable of sticking to leaves and other types of natural surfaces. These types of bats have a suction like capability instead of clenching.

Are Bats Blind?

There are some species of bats that are blind. These are typically smaller bats. To find their way these species they use echolocation. Larger species of bats have better vision than us humans.