GOING BATTY!

GOING BATTY!

We’re going batty today! We thought it would be fun to talk bats- what makes a bat a bat? Do you have any guesses?

Let’s find out!

• Bats are the only true flying mammal on earth!
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• There are over 1,000 different species on earth.
• Bats have specialized wings that help them fly- bat wings have five appendages- including a thumb on top to help them climbs.
• Bat wings are covered in a thin membrane called the patagium.

• Scientists believe that bats evolved around 100 million years ago.
• Bats are nocturnal.
• There are around 1,000 different species of bats.
• Some bats eat insects, some eat fruit and a few species- drink blood.
• Fruit bats are also called flying foxes. They are important as they disperse seeds in their tropical habitats.
• Bats use echolocation to detect prey, especially flying insects.
• Most bats are very social and live in large groups.
• Bat do sleep upside down!
• Bats come in small and large sizes.

We sure do love bats! Now you know a few things that make a bat a bat! They are often feared, but without them we would be in big trouble! We need bats to disperse seeds and to help keep insect populations in check- one brown bat can eat 1,200 mosquitoes an hour! Keep up the good work our flying mammal friends! What do you love about bats?