The Wonderful Benefits of Bats
Economical and Environmental Benefits
First of all, bats are considered a keystone species. Simply put, this means that bats are so important that other species and even ecosystems depend on them. Without bats, ecosystems would change, negatively impacting other creatures and even humans.
Within one night, the common brown bat, which is roughly the size of an adult's thumb, eats on average between four to eight grams of insects. This doesn't sound like too much at a first glance, but each bat's meals begin to add up. According to the USGS (United States Geological Survey), in 2011, North America was able to save roughly $3.7 billion in agricultural aspects. According to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture), in 2021, farmers were able to save $1 billion in pesticides (which can sometimes harm humans) and crop damage alone. These numbers show just how economically beneficial bats are to humans.
Furthermore, bats are considered part of Earth's vital pollination, similar to bees and butterflies. Unlike bees and butterflies, bats can travel a few miles, spreading pollen over longer distances. Also, bats are nocturnal, meaning they can pollinate night-blooming flowers. According to Peace River Wildlife Center and Clearwater Conservancy, there are 80 medications that depend on a bat's pollination! Finally, though there is so much more to be learned in this one subject, over 300 types of fruit depend on bats. This includes things from mangoes, to banana, to guavas, and so much more.
Back on an economical topic, bats pollinate agave, which are an essential ingredient in tequila. Without bats, economies that depend on their tequila sales wouldn't be as high. So, thank bats for your next drink (when you're over 21 years of age).
(Image: A picture describing many Thanksgiving foods that you wouldn't have without bats--which you can showcase in November to your friends and family!)
Cultural Aspects
Many cultures actually appreciate bats, especially Asian cultures. Throughout China and Japan, for example, bats are seen as a symbol of luck and happiness. In China, the characters for bat and luck are homophones, therefore associating bats with good fortune. In Japan, due to influence from Chinese culture, many Japanese citizens view bats in a positive light. Bats even take a symbolic place in many Asian ceremonies as signs of good luck and longevity.
(Image: Bats by Utagawa Hiroshige, a Japanese ukiyo-e artist.)
Vampire Bats
Many people believe vampire bats will suck your blood dry. While blood is in fact their diet, they don't suck you dry, like movies portray. Rather, a vampire bat will find an animal with an existing wound and lap up its blood, similar to how a cat laps up water. If an animal doesn't have an existing wound, the vampire bat will use its incisors to give it a small cut. The animal that the vampire laps blood from usually doesn't notice the bat's presence. Furthermore, there are only three types of vampire bats. And if that doesn't convince you or someone else that vampire bats aren't scary, then keep reading.
Thanks to a scientist in Latin America, it was discovered that vampire bats have a 'potent anticoagulant' in their saliva. This is used by the bat to prevent blood clotting, but it also helps humans develop medicines that can prevent strokes!
(Image: A vampire bat--he's smiling!)
So... What's Affecting These Beneficial Creatures?
White Nose Syndrome
White Nose Syndrome (WNS) began in New York in 2006. It has spread across the country, affecting many hibernating bat species. Since bats in Florida do not hibernate--rather, they go into a state called 'torpor'-- they are not affected by this disease.
WNS is a fungal growth that begins sprouting along a bat's body, starting with their nose--hence the name. WNS affects hibernating bats since their metabolism rates and body temperatures are lower in that state.
If you are visiting another state where bats hibernate in caves, please be aware of White Nose Syndrome. You should avoid caves to avoid spreading the disease, but if you are enjoying an activity--such as cave spelunking--please be sure to cleanse your clothes before and after going into a cave. This helps prevent further spreading this terrible illness.
Below is a map showing the spread of WNS throughout the United States, which has tragically taken the lives of at least 6 million bats.
(Image: A bat with White Nose Syndrome.)
Habitat Loss
Habitat loss is something many species face, so it's no surprise that bats too have to face this struggle. Things such as natural disasters, such as hurricanes, can ruin forests, therefore taking away many bats' homes.
Other than natural disturbances, as humans, we like to grow and learn, meaning expanding our communities happens often. Doing so is not a bad thing, however, more land should be preserved for our wildlife.
As human populations grow, more bats lose their homes. For example, North Port, a city in Southwest Florida, is reported as the 2nd fastest growing city in the United States. With such rapid growth like that, animals can't adapt or move as quickly as we think they can. Especially when new construction projects clear land of all trees and vegetation.
Advocating against things like this is difficult to do, so there is something more beneficial that you can do to help the bats. With the proper permissions, you can place a bat house in your backyard! This provides bats a home right next to yours. Furthermore, you get to watch bats come out at night and say goodbye to some pesky insects.
Follow the diagram below when deciding where to place a bat house. This ensures that the bats will want to live in the house and be safe as well.
(Image: A mother fruit bat carrying her pup during a flight.)
Myths Surrounding Bats--Dispelled
There are so many untrue myths about bats...
And they cause so much confusion and fear! From things exaggerated in the news to statements made in films, people have come to believe many untrue things.
And to be honest, I thought as least one of them was true until I did my research. The statement 'You're a blind as a bat' entails that bats are blind--like the person you're directing the statement to. Which, to me, made sense since bats rely on echolocation to see in the night. However, this was immediately disproven as I began my research into bats in June. Bats aren't actually blind! They can see quite well, in fact.
Bats are not infested or riddled with diseases. While bats can have rabies, only 1-4% of bats actually have it. In a colony considered 'unhealthy,' the percentage only increases to 6%. So, yes, bats can have rabies, but very few. Still, to protect the bat, please avoid picking up or touching a bat. Bats that do have rabies usually end up experiencing a kind of paralysis and will be likely found on the ground. If you find a bat on the ground, please call Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWCC) or a local wildlife or bat conservancy right away.
Bats do not carry SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. When the pandemic, unfortunately bats were blamed for the spread of the disease, the most popular narrative amongst many other claims. According to many websites and the CDC, there are no confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 being transmitted from a bat to human. The same applies to SARS, MERS, and Ebola. Furthermore, all these viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, have not been isolated in a bat.
On a final note, bats do not tangle in people's hair. Though Hollywood might disagree, they aren't a source of information. As I did my research, I tried searching for photos of bats tangling in someone's hair. After about five minutes of surfing the internet, I found no such photos. Bats use echolocation that is so precise that they can easily dodge a strand of human hair.
These are some of the most popular myths that people believe that aren't true. Please spread true information to others and help them understand these magnificent creatures.
(Image: Bats flying out for the night--happy hunting!)
The First Half!
The Big Brown Bat
The Brazilian/Mexican Free-Tailed Bat
The Brazilian/Mexican Free-Tailed Bat
They have an average wingspan of 13-14 inches and a body length of 2.1-3.2 inches. Their fur is long and silky, varying from brown to golden-brown, and red. They have dark brown or black ears and wing membranes. They are insectivores and live in colonies. The females give birth to two pups in May to June.
The Brazilian/Mexican Free-Tailed Bat
The Brazilian/Mexican Free-Tailed Bat
The Brazilian/Mexican Free-Tailed Bat
This is Florida’s most common bat. They have an average wingspan of 11-13 inches and a body length of 2.2-2.9 inches. They have short fur that ranges from dark brown to gray-brown in color and a tail that extends past their tail membrane. They have scent glands that emit musky odors, allowing them to be easily recognized. They are insectivores and prefer to live in colonies. The females give birth to one pup in June.
The Eastern Red Bat
The Brazilian/Mexican Free-Tailed Bat
The Eastern Red Bat
They have an average wingspan of 11-13 inches and a body length of 2-2.4 inches. Their fur is red or yellow-red in color, with the females having duller colors. They also have a patch of white fur along their shoulders and wrists. They are solitary creatures and insectivorous. The females give birth to one to four pups between May and June.
The Evening Bat
The Evening Bat
The Eastern Red Bat
They have an average wingspan of 10-11 inches and a body length of 1.9-2.6 inches. They have dark brown fur. They live in colonies and are insectivores. The females usually give birth to two pups in April or May..
The Gray Myotis
The Evening Bat
The Gray Myotis
Their average wingspan is 11-13 inches with a body length of 1.6-2.2 inches. They have uniformly gray fur. They live in colonies and are insectivorous. The females give birth to a single pup a year, during May and June.
The Hoary Bat
The Evening Bat
The Gray Myotis
They are Florida’s second largest bat with a wingspan of 13-16 inches with a body length of 2.8-3.2 inches. They have mixed fur colors that range from black, brown, yellow, and cream. Most of their fur is tipped with white. They are solitary creatures and are insectivorous. The females give birth to two pups—sometimes one to four—during May to July.
The Rarest Bat in the United States
The Florida Bonneted Bat
They are the rarest bat within the US, only appearing within South Florida. Their wingspan is the largest in Florida, ranging from 19-21 inches with a body length of 3.3-4.3 inches. Their fur is dark gray to gray-brown in color. They prefer to live in smaller colonies and are insectivores. The females give birth to one pup but can have more than one reproductive cycle a year. Their pups are born during summertime—June to September.
The Second Half!
The Northern Yellow Bat
The Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat
The Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat
Their average wingspan is between 14-16 inches with a body length of 2.8 inches. Their fur is yellow to gray-brown. They’re solitary creatures that are insectivores. The females give birth to one to four pups from May to June.
The Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat
The Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat
The Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat
As their name implies, they have ears that are, on average, one inch long. They have an average wingspan of 10-12 inches and a body length of 1.5-2.2 inches. They prefer to live in colonies and are insectivores. The females give birth to one pup from May to June.
The Seminole Bat
The Rafinesque's Big-Eared Bat
The Southeastern Myotis
Their average wingspan is 11-13 inches with a body length of 1.8-2.7 inches. They have mahogany colored fur, and the tips of their fur are white, along with having a patch of purely white fur on their wrists and shoulders. They prefer to live in solitary and are insectivores. The females give birth to three or four—sometimes less—pups around May to June.
The Southeastern Myotis
The Velvety Free-Tailed Bat
The Southeastern Myotis
They have an average wingspan of 9-11 inches and a body length of 1.9-2.1 inches. Their fur varies from brown, gray, and brown-orange. They prefer to live in colonies and art insectivores. The females give birth to two pups during May.
The Tricolored Bat
The Velvety Free-Tailed Bat
The Velvety Free-Tailed Bat
The is Florida’s smallest bat, measuring in at an average wingspan of 8-10 inches and body length of 1.4-2 inches. They have silver-gray, gray-yellow, or light brown fur. They can be either colonial or solitary, living in smaller groups. The females give birth to two pups between May and June.
The Velvety Free-Tailed Bat
The Velvety Free-Tailed Bat
The Velvety Free-Tailed Bat
They have an average wingspan of 10-11 inches with a body length of 2.3-2.6 inches. Their fur is usually dark brown or dark gray with a ‘free tail’ like the Brazilian Free Tailed bats. They prefer to live in colonies and are insectivorous. The females give birth to one pup, though able to have more than one reproductive cycle, through June to September.
Florida Bat Poster
This poster is a collection of the all the photos of Florida's 13 Bats, as mentioned above. Feel free to save for personal use and share with others as well.