bats

Bat Time!

Posted on February 12, 2018 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Bat Time!

We headed out on a nighttime adventure looking for some flying mammals of Hawaii. We found these furry fliers and couldn’t have been more excited.

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Hoary Bat Fun Facts: 

  • The little bats grow up to 6 inches long and weigh just under a pound.
  • Females weigh almost double what the males do.
  • They get their name from the their white tipped fur. Hoary means grayish-white.
  • They have no fur on the underside of their wings.
  • These insectivores use echolocation to find their prey. Their echolocation can be heard by the human ear.
  • Hoary bats are the only native Hawaiian island mammal. All other native mammals are marine mammals.
  • These mostly solitary bats roost in dense trees.
  • Hoary bats are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

 

We love bats, especially these little guys. Some people think bats are ugly, but we can’t disagree more! These moth eaters are the cutest. Don’t you agree?

Categories: adventure, Animals, bats, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Bat Fun Facts

Posted on June 13, 2017 by Ellie and Edmond ©

Bat Fun Facts

We love our bat friends! They come out every night by camp searching for mosquitoes.   Brown bats are the ones we see the most at camp! They live just inside the caves on the other side of the lake. These little buddies can eat up to 1000 mosquitoes an hour! Yay! Let’s learn more about bats!

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  • Bats are the only true flying mammal on earth!
  • There are around 1,200 different species.
  • 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.

brown bats

  • Bats are nocturnal.
  • Bats use echolocation to detect prey, especially flying insects.
  • Most bats are very social and live in large groups.
  • Some bats do sleep upside down.
  • When a bat’s feet are gripped around a branch upside down they are in a relaxed position. When humans make a fist, their muscles are rigid. That is the opposite with bat feet! Pretty neat huh? 

brown bats2

These beneficial little critters don’t spend all of their lives in caves, they must come out to find food every night! We just love them!!

 

Categories: adventure, Animals, bats, camp, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, Today's Post, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

INTERNATIONAL BAT DAY!!

Posted on April 17, 2015 by Ellie and Edmond ©

INTERNATIONAL BAT DAY!!

e & e bat

Happy International Bat Day!! We’re celebrating this fun flying mammals with great fun facts and photos! Make sure to check out our Instagram account tomorrow for a fun How to Draw a Bat video!

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  • Fruit bats are essential for seed dispersal. When they eat fruit, the seeds are pooped out and that helps forests grow.
  • Bats make up 25% of all mammal species.
  • The largest known colony of bats is Texas. Millions of Mexican free tailed bats roost from May to October.

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  • Mother bats can find their pups in large colonies by scent and sound.
  • Bat poop (guano) is used as fertilizer.
  • Bat fossils have been found that are 33 million years old. bat2
  • Bats have five toes on each food.
  • Don’t like mosquitoes? A brown bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes an hour!
  • The smallest bat is the Bumblebee bat and it weighs less than a penny.

Wow! Bats are soooo amazing! They can eat pests and provide seeds for forest growth! We just love all of these flying mammals! Do you have a favorite bat species? We see the brown ones near the University of E&E!

Categories: adventure, Animals, bats, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

CREEPY ANIMAL WEEK-DAY 3

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Ellie and Edmond ©

CREEPY ANIMAL WEEK- DAY 3

We’ve exploring in the dark to find today’s creepy flying mammal! That’s right we’re off to find a bat! Can you guess which one?

e & e night rainforest

MEET THE MAURITIAN TOMB BAT!

   Range/Habitat: Central- South Africa/ scrub-savannas

   Diet: Insectivore: insects

   Length/Weight: 2 ¾-3 ½”/ 1 1/16 oz

  Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Mauritian Tomb Bats make a variety of vocalizations (not all audible are to humans).
  • They use echolocation to find prey.
  • Mauritian Tomb Bats roosts in trees and buildings.
  • They roost in small groups instead of large colonies.
  • Mauritian Tomb Bats have good eyesight.
  • They are nocturnal (active at night).

Mauritian Tomb Bats are really cool. Well, all bats are really cool if you ask us. Most bats eat insects, some eat fruit and yes there are a few who drink blood! Wow! What’s your favorite thing about bats?

Categories: adventure, Animals, bats, Children, conservation, education, Environment, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

MAMMAL MONDAY # 63

Posted on March 11, 2013 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY # 63

We’ve backed our bags and are going to Europe to find a member of the flying mammal club! And since there’s only one member of this club, it’s obvious we are going to meet a bat! Grab those night vision goggles and let’s head off on today’s adventure.

e & e night rainforest

MEET THE LESSER HORSESHOE BAT!

lesser horseshoe bat   Range/Habitat: Europe-North Africa-W. Asia/ scrub-woods

   Diet: Insectivore: insects

   Length/Weight: 1 ½”/ 3/8 oz

   Conservation Status: common

 

Fun Facts:

  • Lesser Horseshoe bats are one of the smallest bats in the world.
  • They have a horseshoe shaped nose.
  • Lesser horseshoe bats live in colonies.
  • Lesser horseshoe bats are smaller than a human thumb.
  • They hibernate underground in the winter.
  • Lesser horseshoe bats usually fly close to the ground.

These tiny little flying mammals are ugly and cute and the same time. Bats come in all shapes and sizes and they are all beneficial! Bats rock!

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Categories: adventure, Animals, bats, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

OCTOBER CRAFT!! BAT MASK!!!

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

October Craft!!

BAT MASK!

It’s almost Halloween and we thought a bat masks would be perfect! We have come up with a bat mask design! We have instructions for both the paper mask and a felt version!

 

Materials: (We showing the felt version here)

  • Pattern for Paper or Felt Mask
  • Print out on Cardstock (if making paper mask)
  • Crayons, Markers or Colored Pencils (if making paper mask)
  • Felt (brown)
  • Hot glue (for felt masks- to be used by an adult)
  • Hole punch (For both)
  • Scissors (For both)
  • String or ribbon (For both)

 

Instructions for Paper Mask:

1.     Print out the pattern for your mask on cardstock

2.     Cut out your mask and color.

3.     Punch holes in each side of the mask.

4.     Attach ribbon to each side and tie it your face J!

 

Instructions for Felt Mask:

1.     Print out Pattern and trace it on the felt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.     Cut out the mask. When done, cut out eye holes by folding bat wing in half & cutting an oval.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.     Decorate your mask with glitter, etc… if you want to dress it up!

4.     Punch holes in the sides of mask. Tie or glue ribbon to the holes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.     Wear your mask!

 

Categories: Animals, bats, Children, crafts, education, Environment, Halloween, mammals, nature, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

HALLOWEEN WEEK! MONSTOROUS MAMMAL MONDAY!

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

HALLOWEEN WEEK!

MONSTROUS  MAMMAL MONDAY!

We’re celebrating weird, creepy and feared animals this week as Halloween approaches! These animals haunt your dreams and make you have goose bumps! Ok, these animals are not that bad, but they often have bad reputations! First up we’re off to meet a flying mammal that comes out at night! Grab your night vision goggles and let’s do this!

MEET THE MAURITIAN TOMB BAT!

   Range/Habitat: Central- South Africa/ scrub-savannas

   Diet: Insectivore: insects

   Length/Weight: 2 ¾-3 ½”/ 1 1/16 oz

  Conservation Status: common

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Mauritian Tomb Bats make a variety of vocalizations (not all audible are to humans).
  • They use echolocation to find prey.
  • Mauritian Tomb Bats roosts in trees and buildings.
  • They roost in small groups instead of large colonies.
  • Mauritian Tomb Bats have good eyesight.
  • They are nocturnal (active at night).

Mauritian Tomb Bats are really cool. Well, all bats are really cool if you ask us. Most bats eat insects, some eat fruit and yes there are a few who drink blood! Wow! What’s your favorite thing about bats?

Categories: adventure, Animals, bats, Children, conservation, education, Environment, mammals, nature, rainforests, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BATS!!!

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

BATS!!!!!!

We’re going batty today and we want you to join us! In honor of the big movie about guy who dresses up as a bat, we’ve decided to celebrate these special mammals today!

Did you know that bats are the only flying mammal on the planet?

The smallest bat is the Bumblebee Bat! They’re about the size of a dime!

There are about 1,200 species of bats on the the planet!

They make up 25 % of all mammal species!

They come in all shapes and sizes! Some are cute, some are funny looking bats. Some bats eat fruit, some eat insects and there are a few who drink blood!

So let’s celebrate these special mammals with some great photos!! Let us know what you love about BATS!

Categories: Animals, backyard, bats, Children, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

MAMMAL MONDAY # 27

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MAMMAL MONDAY # 27

We’re back to our regularly scheduled program this morning and it’s time to meet a flying mammal from the deserts of Northern Africa! That’s right folks, we’re talking bats today and have we found a tough little one for you today! Grab your night vision goggles and let’s head out to the desert on the Mammal Monday!

MEET THE DESERT LONG EARED BAT!

   Range/Habitat: North Africa-Western Asia/deserts

   Diet: Carnivore: insects, scorpions

   Length/Weight: 2 ½-2 ¾”/ 1 oz

   Conservation Status: least concern

 

 

 

Fun Facts:

  • Desert Long Eared Bats are one of the few desert dwelling bat species on earth.
  • Desert long eared bats roost in groups in caves and buildings.
  • Their ears are around 1 ½” long and sit horizontally on their foreheads.
  • They are known to go into a hibernation like state during very dry periods or droughts.
  • Desert long eared bats often hunt in pairs.
  • Their main prey item are scorpions! They even eat very toxic scorpions, including their poison glands.
  • When Desert long eared bats attack a scorpion they often get stung on the face without harm, because they are immune to the venom.

 

WOW! Can you imagine eating a scorpion? We would definitely like to avoid having them on our menus, but these awesome bats don’t only eat them but they are immune to their venom! Animal’s adaptations just never cease to amaze us!

 

 

Categories: Animals, bats, Children, education, Environment, mammals, nature, science, wildlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

MONSTROUS MAMMAL MONDAY #11

Posted on October 24, 2011 by Ellie and Edmond ©

MONSTROUS MAMMAL MONDAY# 11

We’re featuring animals this week that are considered creepy or scary in honor of Halloween coming up. People often get so scared of our animal friends and they get a bad reputation.  Sometimes they may even be a little scary, but we love all animals! Sometimes we just love them from a distance J! Today’s animal is a bat with sharp pointy teeth and a really bad reputation! Let’s meet them! And by the way they’re not monsters!

 

MEET THE COMMON VAMPIRE BAT!

Range/Habitat: Mexico-South America/roost in caves, mines, trees

Diet: Hematophagy: blood of mammals such as cattle, pigs and tapirs

Length/Weight: 2 ¾”-3 ¾”/ around 1 oz

Conservation Status: common

 

Fun Facts:

  • Common Vampire Bats are one of three bats that’s only source of food is the blood of other animals.
  • They have sharp thin-pointed teeth they use to bite animals.
  • Their teeth are so sharp that often the animals do not feel the bite.
  • Common vampire bats are strong fliers.
  • They have strong forelimbs and legs that help them get around on the ground. In fact they are very agile and speedy.
  • Common vampire bats have heat seeking receptors in their nose to help them locate veins closest to the skin.
  • Common vampire bats are nocturnal (active at night).
  • Common vampire bats live in large groups of usually several hundred individuals. They are known to have strong family bonds. There is even evidence of females adopting young bats that are orphaned.

We’ll admit these bats are a little creepy. But all animals have a place in this world. So we respect them all, again from a distance!

 

Categories: Animals, bats, Children, education, Environment, nature | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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