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attracting wildlife Bats have been maligned for centuries, miscast as the familiars of witches, associated with Hallowe'en, and feared for the false belief that they will get caught in hair. Bats have been unfairly burdened with these myths, often reviled and victimized because of it. In reality, bats are incredibly important to the health of the environment and our gardens. what
are bats | the
importance of bats | ecolocation what
are bats? Most bats give birth to only one young each year, although some species bear twins and a few, such as the eastern red bat, can give birth to up to four babies. This makes bats, for their size, the slowest reproducing mammals on earth. There are nearly 1,000 species of bats in the world, roughly one quarter of all mammal species. Of these, only three species are vampire bats, limited in range to Latin America. All bat species in Canada are insect-eaters. the
importance of bats A healthy colony of bats can protect gardens and crops from major damage by pest species such as cucumber beetles, moths, cutworm, corn earworm, leafhoppers, and June beetles. As each female moth can lay thousands of eggs, the control of even a few adults has an exponential effect. echolocation Bats, like dolphins, use high-frequency sounds to navigate and communicate. Bats send out pulses of sound and the returning echoes enable them to detect obstacles in their path. Their skill is such that they are able to avoid items as fine as a human hair. The myth that bats get caught in human hair is just that — a myth. bats
in winter Bats that hibernate choose locations where the temperature is relatively stable, usually caves. Their heartbeats slow from approximately 200 beats per minute to as low as 20 beats per minute. By slowing their metabolism, these bats are able to survive the long winter on their existing stores of fat. Each time they are aroused during hibernation, bats expend from 30 to 60 days' worth of fat reserves. For some bat species, even a few extra arousals is enough to kill them. Some bats, such as the hoary bat, migrate great distances to the southern United States or Mexico. They may hibernate in these warmer areas or remain active throughout the year. bats
and rabies Bats, however, should never be handled. Like all wild animals, they are likely to bite in self-defence. Handling is especially unwise if the bat appears to be sick. If a bat bites you, immediately wash the wound with soap and water and seek medical advice. bats
in the house Certain bat species, such as the little brown or big brown bat, will sometimes roost in houses — generally in the attic. Buildings may be their only alternative owing to the loss of many of their natural roosting sites. If roosting bats are causing serious problems, the only solution is exclusion, which essentially means evicting them. Repellants and poisons do not give long-term results and often cause as much harm to the human inhabitants of the building as to the bats themselves. Before excluding the bats, consider putting up a bat house to provide evicted bats with a place to go. Locate the box on the side of the house near their entrance to the attic so that it is easy for them to find. To exclude bats, look for their entrance(s) to the attic by watching for them to emerge at dusk and searching for stains from their droppings. Once an entrance hole is located, bird netting, available at some garden centres, can be attached above the hole and left to hang loosely below it so that bats can leave but not return. Leave the netting to hang for one week to ensure that all bats have been allowed to exit. Then seal and caulk entrances to prevent future problems. (Unlike squirrels, bats will not chew holes.) Exclusion should not be attempted during May to August when young bats may be present. Unable to fly, the young will be left to starve. Not only is this cruel to the bats, but it will also cause further problems when the dead bats begin to smell. There are a number of companies that will do the work for you. Some are reputable while others make money by fueling people's fears. Choose only those companies that follow the general principle of exclusion at an appropriate time of year. threats
to bats Bats are very susceptible to disturbances and react to the mere entrance of people or the beam of a flashlight. Intrusion into a maternity colony can be fatal to young bats, which may be abandoned or lose their grip and plummet to the ground. Winter hibernation sites are equally vulnerable. As bats often roost in large colonies, disturbance or destruction of these roosts can seriously affect the survival of a species. Many bats depend on riparian areas (riverbanks, lakeshores, etc.) for both water and insect foraging. The degradation of our waterways through pollution or the destruction of natural vegetation along stream, pond, and lake edges seriously affects many species of bats. Pesticides affect bats both directly and indirectly. Crops are often sprayed in early evening when bats are active. Direct spraying can quickly lead to the death of bats. Pesticides also affect bats indirectly by killing off a wide assortment of insects, which limits their food sources. Deforestation affects bat species that rely on these areas for roosting and foraging. In particular, the loss of old-growth forests threatens forest-dependant species. Many of these bat species roost in older trees or snags (dead or dying trees). Forestry practices that create even-aged stands, such as clear-cutting, result in the loss of these very important roost sites. how
you can help bats
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