Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Bat dung, or guano, has been used throughout history. Although large amounts of it are a health hazard -- and the stench can be unbearable -- it can be safely used. Many farmers and gardeners swear by it. According to an article in "The New York Times" titled "Glories of Underworld Are Under Siege; Science Armed a Cave For Its Public Debut," various microbial life plus 38 invertebrate species feed on bat guano.
Bumblebees are flying insects in the Apidae family and cover over 250 species in Bombus gene pool. Most commonly, bumblebees are yellow and black, but there are some which are orange, red and entirely black. Like other bees, bumblebees collect pollen and nectar to feed their young, but consequentially pollinate the plants. This means they are a vital part of any plant-based ecosystem.
The white croaker (Genyonemus lineatus) is just one of several members of the croaker family, including queenfish, spotfin croaker and California corbina. These small and tasty fish find their way to the dinner table in some ethnic cultures, while other cultures throw them back. Knowing how to identify and understand the croaker fish helps you decide what to do with it the next time you catch one.
The name bumblebee doesn't refer to a single species of bee, but to the bees of the genus Bombus. The clumsy, bumbling flight of the bumblebee gave the bees their common name. These large bees are covered in black and white hairs. Bumblebees can sting, but rarely do. Bumblebees are social insects whose colonies consist of a queen bee and worker bees. They are very important to the pollination of the world's plants.
The term brown bat is a blanket term that can be used to describe any bat within the little brown bat (Myotis) or big brown bat (Eptesicus) families. Brown bats can be found all over North America, but little brown bats are rare in Florida and Texas. If you find an orphaned brown bat, it is possible to raise it yourself, with a lot of work, but if you're unsure about the responsibility, you could also call a local animal sanctuary or humane society.
Most bats exhibit a short tail that is difficult to distinguish within its membrane. The free-tailed bat's tail protrudes beyond this membrane with a clearly defined length, hence the name. As highly sociable animals, free-tailed bats coexist with bats of other species. Most species are found in the southern United States, Central America and the northern half of South America.
Big brown bats are one of the most abundant and frequently encountered bats in North America. People notice them because the bats often roost and hunt close to suburban and rural communities during spring, summer and fall. They are not threatened or endangered but their numbers have been decreasing due to loss of habitat, disturbance of their hibernation roosts by people and killings by people, according to the Organization for Conservation. (See References 1, 2, 3)
The Mexican long-nosed bat (Leptoncyteris nivalis) is a nectar-eating, medium-sized bat native to North America. The species has been listed as endangered under the Mexican Endangered Species Act and in the United States, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife.
Dermestid beetles, also known as carrion or hide beetles, are small insects that feed on decomposing flesh. Dark-colored and usually hairy, they are often considered pests. But for many taxidermists, museum collections and forensic labs, dermestids are an excellent tool to clean the flesh off of bones. They are cheap, relatively easy to raise, and highly effective bone cleaners.
From rain forests to deserts, caves to treetops, bats live in many different habitats around the world. There are over 1,000 species of bats and they are the only mammal capable of sustained flight. Most bats roost in secluded locations during the day and become active at night.
The horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) is a European insect-eating bat. It lives in a number of habitats within a temperate ecosystem, and often travels several miles between seasonal roosts. As they hunt insects most successfully in open fields, their habitats reflect their social organization and hunting techniques. However, population increases in many of the areas where horseshoes live has caused damage to the delicate bat populations of many areas.
Bat rays are also known as California bat rays and and Californian eagle rays. They can grow to be six feet wide and weigh up to 200 pounds. These rays are uniformly black, brown or olive in color and they are common along the west coast of the United States.
The Virginia big-eared bat, sometimes called simply the big-eared bat, is a nonmigratory species of bat living in the central southeastern United States. These medium-size bats grow to be between 3 and 4 1/2 inches long and weigh only 0.3 to 9.4 ounces. Ears may make up as much as an inch of the bat's length. These bats have light to dark brown fur and two distinctive glands on their muzzles.
The Indiana bat is a species of mouse-eared bats often confused with similar species such as the little brown bat. The Indiana's habitat and behavior are so specific that the bat can only live in areas with a finely tuned temperature. Because the Indiana bat is sensitive to small changes in its environment, the species is threatened from habitat loss.
Little brown bats are indigenous to most of Canada and the continental U.S., except Florida, California and Texas. As their name suggests, they're small, with a body weight of up to a half ounce. Their bodies measure 2 1/2 to 4 inches long, and their wingspan reaches 9 to 11 inches. They can live up to 30 years.
The bats commonly referred to as "brown bats" are actually two different species that share a similar geographic range: the big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) and the little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus). Though their common names and distribution may seem to indicate otherwise, these two bat species are not members of the same genus.
The vampire bat has a body barely the size of your thumb and a wingspan of only 8 inches. The only mammal that survives on a diet solely composed of blood, the vampire bat sometimes feeds on creatures 10,000 times larger than it is, according to National Geographic.
Bumblebee bats (Craseonycteris thonglongyai), also referred to as Kitti's hog nosed bat, are found in remote sections of Thailand and Myanmar. These tiny mammals are listed as endangered, with a total population of around 4,000.
Flying foxes are mammals. They are also the largest species of bat. Found in several countries around the world, they are not allowed to be imported into the United States.
Egyptian fruit bats are among the smallest of fruit bats and are part of the subspecies known as Old World fruit bats. Aside from Egypt and western Africa, they are found in southern and eastern Africa, Pakistan, and various other regions throughout the Middle East.
The Honduran white bat (Ectophylla alba) is a small bat and one of only a few species that makes a tent for shelter. Heliconia leaves in tropical rain forests provide these temporary homes.
Dawn bats (Eonycteris spelaea) are small nocturnal fruit bats known for their long tongues. Their long muzzles, large eyes and small ears give these common bats a dog-like appearance.
The gray bat (Myotis grisescens) is listed as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Part of the reason gray bats are endangered is because they have lost a lot of their habitat range.
The bumblebee bat is not only the smallest bat in the world, it is also the smallest mammal. Bumblebee bats measure a scant 29- to 33-mm long and weigh in at 2 grams. The name "bumblebee bat" comes from their small size (about the size of a large bumblebee), and their short upturned noses have given them the more formal name of Kitti's Hog-nosed Bat. Bumblebee bats are considered to be endangered, and their population is estimated to be between 2,000 and 4,000.
Fruit bats are remarkable and misunderstood creatures. This group of bats contains the largest bats in the world, as well as some of the smallest. Fruit bats are considered to be good luck in some cultures and bad omens in others. No matter how you feel about them, it is certain that fruit bats have captured people's imaginations for thousands of years.
Bats are fascinating animals that seem to invoke both fear and wonder alike. They have the distinction of being the only mammal that can fly, though they are not birds and don't have feathers. There are approximately 1,000 species of bats in the world, with almost 50 found in North America.
Vampire bats live only in Central and South America, where three different kinds of vampire bats can be found. Learn about the habitat and behavior of vampire bats with helpful information from an associate professor of biology in this free video on bats.
