Bats are not bad. The majority of bats do not have rabies. They will not suck your blood, and they will not fly into your hair...on purpose. Instead, bats are the world's only flying mammals. They use echolocation to find food to eat in the night, and sleep during the day. Most bats eat flying insects such as mosquitoes, thus being very beneficial to the ecosystem. Some species eat fruit or pollen, and only three feed off of animal blood. (They do not suck, they bite and lap!) There are almost 1000 different species of bats, making them almost the most numerous mammals in the world. Bats fall under the kingdom Animalia. They are classified as Phylum Chordata and Subphylum Vertebrata. Being mammals, bats are also in the Mammalia Class and Order Chiroptera before going on to two suborders and many families. I never would have guessed that some bats weigh only 10 grams, and some weigh up to 3.5 pounds. The smallest have a wingspan of less than 6 inches, and largest of 6 feet! I also did not think that some people are purposely destroying bats' homes in caves or buildings. Now I know that these unique flying mammals are really nothing to be afraid of, and should be appreciated.
The Internet Resources
Order Chiroptera
- This is a general overview of the order of bats. It includes information about appearance and eating habits of bats. You can learn about the two major groups of bats, Megachiroptera and Microchiroptera. I rate this website 4/5 bat wings!
How Bats Work
- This site will tell you how bats evolved, how they fly, how they use echolocation, and much more. Did you know that the German word for bats (Fledermäuse) means flying mice? But really bats are not rodents at all. I rate this website 4.5/5 bat wings!
Bats in the Desert Southwest
- Clicking this link, you will be greeted by a lovely Big Brown Bat, who will promptly explain to you the classification of bats. This website also includes the 'vital stats' of bats such as lifespan. You can learn some quick facts about many different species of bats as well, like the Mexican Free-Tailed Bats, which have about 100 million babies total in caves in New Mexico. I rate this website 3.5/5 bat wings!
'What's so bad about BATS?'
- This website contains many pieces of evidence as to why bats should not be considered disgusting. Bats are very helpful in keeping insect populations down. It also explains the decline of bat populations around the world. Some people accidentally seal off their homes in caves and buildings. I rate this website 3/5 bat wings!
Bats: Did you know?
- This site is not only fun, but educational. Clicking a button next to a bat topic will make a popup window arrive with more information in that category, and all about bats! Did you know that bats have only one baby a year? I rate this website 3/5 bat wings!
Chiroptera
- Here you will learn unique characteristics about bats that will be hard to find, like that their hip joints are rotated 90 degrees. This causes bats' knees to nearly face backwards. You can read all this and more, along with some great photos. I rate this website 4/5 bat wings!
Bats (Chiroptera)
- Certain species of bats are in great danger of becoming extinct, and you can see more information here. There are almost 1000 different species of bats but some are losing their habitats and becoming endangered. Some people will even start fires in the entrances of large bat caves, causing thousands of bats to die. I rate this website 3/5 bat wings!
Our Bat Information
- You can learn lots of facts about the habitats of bats. Species that prefer to live in groups will nest in hollow trees, caves, or even buildings. Bats that like to live alone will usually be found in rock crevices and similar areas. I rate this website 3.5/5 bat wings!
Bats: Creatures of the Night
- Not all bats feed off of insects (or blood), and this website will prove it to you. Some species eat frogs, birds, and even small mammals! A quick fact: The word 'Chiroptera' (the order of bats) means winged hand in Greek. I rate this website 3.5/5 bat wings!
Fun Facts About Bats
- Did you know that some bats can eat up to 600 mosquitoes per hour? It's amazing that they can still fly! Bats will also eat pollen and fruit. At this website you can learn some truly fun facts...about bats! I rate this website 4/5 bat wings!
Animal Bytes: bats
- Are you looking for the hard, fast facts, and don't want to skim over paragraphs and paragraphs just to find basic information about bats? Well here you can get just that. For example, some bats can live up to 30 years! I rate this website 3.5/5 bat wings!
Missouri Bats
- Don't worry, these facts aren't just about bats in Missouri. Along with important information such as how bats can help the ecosystem, this website includes lots of great photographs of many different species of bats. I rate this website 5/5 bat wings!
Content by Daniella C
http://www.kn.sbc.com/wired/fil/pages/listbatsda.html
Last revised Tue Mar 9 10:50:40 US/Pacific 2004
