#microbats

A stimboard with fluffy bats!

The Biting Book. Written by Judi Friedman. Illustrated by Kees de Kiefte. 1975.

Going Batty for the Little Brown Bat

The little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) is a species of mouse-eared bat that lives throughout North America, from northern Canada to the southern United States. They are most commonly found in deciduous forests, but they also roost in man-made structures or caves; anywhere warm and dark.

M. lucifugus is aptly named, as it’s a relatively small bat. At most, individuals weigh 12.5 g (0.44 oz) and have a wingspan of 27 cm (10.6 in). Females are typically larger than males. The color of their fur can range from tan or red to dark brown, though the fur on their stomachs is lighter than the rest of their body. In addition to their large ears, which gives them a great hearing boost, the little brown bat has exceptional eyesight and is sensitive to ultraviolet light. However, they lack a Jacobson’s organ, which in other animals is used to detect moisture-borne odor particles.

Like other bats, the little brown bat is primarily nocturnal, emerging at dusk and feeding intermittently throughout the night. Individuals emit about 20 calls per second while in flight, and use the corresponding information to avoid obstacles and detect prey. They feed exclusively on insects, including mosquitoes, beetles, and flies, and in a single night an individual may consume over 2/3 of its body weight in food. Because their source of food is generally seasonal, little brown bats are only active in the warmer months of the year. When the temperature drops to 0 °C (32 °F), individuals will enter a state of torpor, in which their heart rate may drop as slow as 8 beats per minute.

Mating takes place in the fall, just before the hibernation season. Males and females gather together in large groups to roost, in a behavior known as swarming. During this period, colonies average around 9,000 individuals; the largest recorded had over 180,000. Both sexes mate with multiple partners, and homosexual pairings are relatively common. This behavior continue throughout the hibernation period, and individuals will pair indiscriminately with active and torpid bats. Once mated, female bats store their sperm for the following spring; they then carry their pregnancies for 50-60 days. Each female gives birth to only one pup, which weighs about 30% of her body weight.

Pups grow rapidly, opening their eyes and ears within a few hours of being born and becoming completely weaned at 26 days old. After this, young transition to feeding solely on insects, though they may receive help from their mothers while learning the best techniques for catching prey. Females are sexually mature at only one year old, and males mature at two years old. Once they reach maturity individuals will leave to form their own roosting groups. In the wild, a little brown bat can live up to 34 years; however, many bats are predated upon by owls during the active season, and by raccoons while hibernating.

Conservation status: The IUCN has rated M. lucifugus as Endangered. Their primary threat is a fungus-caused disease known as white-nose syndrome; this disease is particularly harmful to the little brown bat due to their large congregations during the mating and hibernation period.

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Photos

Jason Corbett

Joseph Johnson

Did you know that a few species of bats can survive being encased in ice? Most species bats fly south to migrate, and the rest stay here and hibernate! Some species of north american bats can survive below freezing temperatures!

(This is my own research from multiple sources, not my pictures and I just really love Bats okay?!)

Flying fox

-also known as fruit bats (megabats)

-found in Australia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, East Africa, and some Indian and Pacific Ocean islands

-largest mammal capable of flying

-wingspan that can reach 5ft!

-vegetarian

-can fly 9–40 miles each night in search of food

Fun fact!

Flying foxes use sight and smell to find food, unlike insectivorous bats that use echolocation

Microbats

-also known as Microchiropteran bats

-small, ranging from 4–10 cm long and weighing 3–40 grams ( the smallest can fit in the palm of your hand and weigh less than a dime!)

-can fly up to 100mph

-diet includes insects, fruit and animal blood

-Some microbat species have adapted to living in building cavities, such as roofs, walls, and sheds

Fun fact!

Microbats can eat as much as 40% of their own body weight in a single night!

Horseshoe bats

-found mostly in tropical or subtropical areas, including Africa, Asia, and Europe

- favors beetles, moths and crane-flies, but mostly gnats.

-considered small or medium-sized microbats (weighing 4–28 grams)

-have highly sophisticated echolocation

Fun fact!

Some species or their guano are used in traditional medicine in Nepal, India, Vietnam, and Senegal!

Mouse-tailed bat

-found in North Africa, Thailand, and Sumatra

-small, only 5 to 6 cm

-tail-length of 40 to 80 mm and a body weight of 6 to 14 grams

-live in colonies of thousands, where they gather in small, scattered groups

- have poor flight endurance

Fun fact!

They have slit-like nostrils that can be closed to keep out sand and dust!

More fun facts and pictures!!!

-Bats are important pollinators for plants like agave, cacao, figs, mangoes and bananas. 

-Some bats hibernate in caves during the winter and can survive freezing temperatures, even if they are encased in ice!

-The oldest known bat fossil is 50 million years old!

-Small insect-eating bats can have as many as 38 teeth. Vampire bats have only 20!

-Weakness: super-smooth vertical surfaces

IT'S BATSSSSS