Photo Phriday 132 - Bats

I've had a request that this week's edition be some bat information. I worked on bats extensively in the 1970s, but didn't take the time to get good photos. Since that time (50+ years ago) WNS (white-nosed syndrome) has reduced bat numbers significantly (up to 95% reductions). In the old days, I spent countless nights shooting bats with a 12-gauge shotgun just to verify what species existed. I spent a lot of time in caves and mine shafts also, as well as with mist-nets. Shooting bats is no longer acceptable. I got many first records of bats in Idaho. At least 50 different species occur in North America. Some migrate; some hibernate. One bat can eat up to 30,000 mosquitos in a night. I think it's a shame that we simply don't see them much any more.

This is a western big-eared bat that came to live in my house.



These are little brown bats, probably the most common species.



This is a long-legged myotis, only identifiable in hand (as are many species).

Thanks Jack for pics, as you mentioned bats on downswing. Used to see bats when i started campfires as daylight dwindled. Hope things turn around. Wis has some bat programs to help increase bat populations among suburban areas and parks.

Thanks Jack for bringing along another thread.
I have had many encounters with bats.
From going into caves and banding Little Brown bats, that had some records going for 20 years until no more entry into the caves because of White nose
many limestone caves in central Manitoba had large concentrations of these bats, some records came from summer residents from southern Wisc and returned each fall
if the red squirrels could not climb in the bats were protected over the winter
Many were caught mist netting woodcock at night, mostly Hoary bats
a certain horse lady should not read any further...but bats have a very closely related " bed bug" on them that is only different in that they are hairy vs flat skinned like the human problem on.
many times after the summer raising of the young and dispersal these bugs want another feed, and as they move over their host (ie sleeping human) they have multiple bites 1 inch apart that turn red

I'm sure there are some evening fisherpersons that have had a bat encounter

The bats were always my concern when a large Saturniidae moth would come fluttering in under a street lamp post, who would be the fastest with a butterfly net or a bat. 9 times out of ten the bats won

Nice