Bats are among the most unique creatures on the planet. They’ve long been associated with dark, scary nights, horror films, Halloween, and vampires, but that’s all Hollywood myth. The real story about bats is much more positive. These amazing animals are quite beneficial because they feed on insects, pollinate plants, and disperse seeds. There’s a lot to love about bats and very little to fear. In fact, they’re fascinating creatures!

Ten Crazy Facts About Bats

You already know they’re the only flying mammal, but here are ten amazing facts about bats that you never knew:

1. There are more than 1,100 species of bats and they live in every part of the world. They can be found in the majority of the regions of the U.S. as well.
2. This may be surprising, but bats have a fairly long lifespan. In the wild, most bats live up to 20 years, although some species can live to be 30 or more.
3. Bats can fly at speeds of 60 miles per hour (or more). The Mexican free-tailed bat can reach speeds up to 100 mph, which makes it the fastest mammal on the planet.
4. The smallest bat in the world is the Bumblebee Bat or Kitti’s Hog-nosed Bat which lives in Thailand. It’s only about 1.3 inches long and weighs around. .071 ounces. 
5. The largest bat in the world is the Flying Fox. These amazing creatures can have a wingspan of 5 feet and weigh a robust 3 pounds.
6. Bats usually only give birth once a year to a single baby. Bat babies are called pups and they are born naked and helpless. Bat pups feed on mother’s milk just like other mammals.
7. Bats can hibernate through the long, cold winter months. This usually occurs in a cave, attic, or other structure. The bats cuddle close together to conserve warmth.
8. Bat wings are more like your hands than bird wings. In fact, if you look at a bat’s wings up close, you’ll notice the elongated fingers with a delicate webbing in between.
9. Bats are big eaters! They can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes an hour. Another way to think about it is that bats can consume their body weight each and every night in bugs.
10. More than half of the bat species are either in severe decline or endangered. This is, in part, due to an infectious disease called white nose syndrome that decimated populations.  

Because bats are so interesting and beneficial, it’s important to protect them. However, if you’ve got bats in your attic, it’s not a good thing. Contact us at Critter Control to safely and humanely remove bats from your home.