Bugbear: the bats are out and about...

[BoldHighlander]

Early this morning as I was taking my wife to work (we're a one car family & I needed to run some errands) I saw a fairly large critter fly right over my wife's head & quickly disappear thru the trees. It happened so fast, and the light was so poor, that one would be forgiven for thinking it was a bat. Given it's size though, it'd have to be a South American variety, I've never seen one that big around here!

Though I didn't get a good look, I suspect it was an owl that I've seen around here in the past.

[Bugbear]

Well, it's been getting down around freezing late in the night, it's a little early this year, so I'm guessing the bats have flocked on down to Mexico.

[ThistleDown]

Here's a bit of more than trivia for your quiver, Ted. Today bats are among the most endangered of all animals. About a quarter of bat species are on extinction watch lists -- that is an amazingly and appallingly high proportion for a creature so vital to us -- and over forty species teeter on the very edge of extinction. They're a pretty elusive species so we don't know an awful lot about their numbers, but we do know -- for example - that in Britain we shake our heads and wonder whether we have sixteen or seventeen native species because we can't say for sure whether the greater mouse-eared bat is extinct or just laying low.

The night sky in the Highlands is full of bats. I have a dog who loves to sit outside with her nose in the air swivelling this way and that as she senses them passing her in great rushes. I think she smiles.

Oh yes, and what a sad thing is the myth of rabies. "More people die of food poisoning at church picnics annually than have died in all history from contact with bats." That quote would be from Merlin D. Tuttle, America's leading bat authority.

[BoldHighlander]

Here's a bit of more than trivia for your quiver, Ted. Today bats are among the most endangered of all animals. About a quarter of bat species are on extinction watch lists -- that is an amazingly and appallingly high proportion for a creature so vital to us -- and over forty species teeter on the very edge of extinction.

That's an understatement Rex!

Thanks for sharing that very sad statistic. Is there anything anyone of us can do to assist our nocturnal friends?

[ThistleDown]

That's an understatement Rex!

Thanks for sharing that very sad statistic. Is there anything anyone of us can do to assist our nocturnal friends?

My understanding of the problem is that it is not really complex, Terry, but is made so by the unfounded fear humans have for this very innocent help-mate. For more you might want to drop in on http://www.batcon.org. White-nose syndrome is playing havoc with some segments of the bat population, but not all I think.

[Bugbear]

That's an understatement Rex!

Thanks for sharing that very sad statistic. Is there anything anyone of us can do to assist our nocturnal friends?

I do not use chemical pesticides on my trees and plants. I also leave the skirt of old fronds on my palms; that is where they are roosting as best as I can tell and they may be hibernating up there right now. My property is their roosting and feasting ground, healthy fat bugs, but I have no control over what my neighbors do on their properties. I was serious when I posted that I consider the bats to be part of the integrated pest management system of my property. There's really no way for me to tell what species of bat they are, though it would be helpful for my records and reports. They are protected in Arizona.

Living With Bats

[Vegan Scot]

Here's a bit of more than trivia for your quiver, Ted. Today bats are among the most endangered of all animals. About a quarter of bat species are on extinction watch lists -- that is an amazingly and appallingly high proportion for a creature so vital to us -- and over forty species teeter on the very edge of extinction. They're a pretty elusive species so we don't know an awful lot about their numbers, but we do know -- for example - that in Britain we shake our heads and wonder whether we have sixteen or seventeen native species because we can't say for sure whether the greater mouse-eared bat is extinct or just laying low.

Excellent point. And one way to help these little guys out is to build "bat boxes" which are easily constructed and provide a secure place for local bats to sleep in lieu of our urban sprawl replacing their natural arboreal resting areas. Plus, more bats in your neighborhood equals fewer mosquitoes! And that's always a nice perk.

There are many plans for bat houses online. Here's a nice detailed example:
http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Outdo...Bat-House.aspx

[ali8780]

Oh yes, and what a sad thing is the myth of rabies. "More people die of food poisoning at church picnics annually than have died in all history from contact with bats." That quote would be from Merlin D. Tuttle, America's leading bat authority.

That's it! I'm off picnicking!

I could argue however, that since rabies is a much more unpleasant thing to contract (as in the process of) than food poisoning; it garners that much more concern from your average person (like myself).

[ThistleDown]

That's it! I'm off picnicking!

I could argue however, that since rabies is a much more unpleasant thing to contract (as in the process of) than food poisoning; it garners that much more concern from your average person (like myself).

Yes, for sure, Ali, but only one or two people a year contract rabies from bat bites in the US (that would be one occurrence for each 150 million of you, at best). I think I would take that risk in order to control the flying insect population, but give a pass to the potato salad on a lovely warm day.

[Bugbear]

That's it! I'm off picnicking!

I could argue however, that since rabies is a much more unpleasant thing to contract (as in the process of) than food poisoning; it garners that much more concern from your average person (like myself).

Watch out for the bats and Botulism, Ali.

A piknick sounds nice.