Download Information for Teachers and Suggested Activities

Tohono Chul Park
BATS: Flying Aces
Information for Teachers and Suggested Activities
The purpose of the attached material is to introduce you and your
students to Tohono Chul Park's Outreach program — Bats: Flying
Aces. The materials are offered as preparation for our presentation,
and as ideas for additional activities in your classroom. These are
suggestions only, but we hope that you will incorporate them into a
unit on bats, mammals in general, or animals of the Sonoran Desert. If
you have any questions, please give us a call at 742-6455 x 228.
Outreach Programs and the Arizona Standards
Depending on the grade level of your class, this docent-conducted Outreach program will cover
some or all of the following Arizona Standards:
Arizona Science Standards
Standard 1: Science as Inquiry
o 1SC-R2. Ask questions about the natural world
o 1SC-R6. Communicate observations and comparisons through various means
o 1SC-F4. Describe relationships among parts of a familiar system
Standard 3: Personal and Social Perspectives in Science and Technology
o 3SC-F3. Describe and explain the interrelationship of populations, resources and
environments
o 3SC-P4. Identify and describe the basic processes of the natural ecosystems and how
these processes affect, and are affected by, humans
o 3SC-P5. Describe and explain factors that affect population size and growth (e.g.,
quality of environment)
Standard 4: Life Science
o 4SC-R1. Distinguish living from non-living things
o 4SC-R2. Describe the basic needs of living organisms
o 4SC-R3. Recognize and distinguish similarities and differences in diverse species
o 4SC-F1. Describe and explain cause-and-effect relationships in living systems
o 4SC-F2. Trace the life cycles of various organisms
o 4SC-F3. Identify the basic structures and functions of plants and animals
o 4SC-F4. Identify characteristics of plants and animals (including extinct organisms)
that allow them to live in specific environments
o 4SC-F7. Explain the interaction of living and non-living components within
ecosystems
o 4SC-E1. Construct classification systems based on the structure of organisms
o 4SC-E7. Explain and model the interaction and interdependence of living and nonliving components within ecosystems, including the adaptation of plants and animals
to their environment
© 2004 Tohono Chul Park, Inc.
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BATS: Flying Aces
Bat Myths — Fact or Folklore?
Bats are blind.
Bats are flying rodents.
Bats will attack you and get caught in your hair.
Bats are dirty, disease-ridden animals that will give you rabies.
Bats feed on the blood of their victims.
Bats are powerful magic and can make you invisible,
or help you see in the dark.
Bats are evil.
see page 24 for the answers
Bat Facts
✔ Did you know — the world’s smallest mammal is the bumblebee bat of Thailand.
It weighs less than one penny. Giant flying fox bats in Indonesia, on the other hand,
have wing spans of almost six feet!
✔ One little brown bat can catch and eat around 600 mosquitoes per hour, while the
20 million Mexican free-tailed bats in Bracken Cave, Texas, eat 250 tons of insects
each night.
✔ Bats play key roles in pollinating flowers and dispersing seeds for many ecosystems from tropical rainforests to deserts. They also are the main pollinators for a
wide variety of agricultural plants from bananas and breadfruit to dates and figs.
✔ Anticoagulants in the saliva of vampire bats is being tested for use in treating
heart patients. Bats’ echolocation abilities have also been studied to provide new
insights into technologies for the blind.
✔ More than 50% of American bat species are in severe decline or are already
listed as endangered. Bats are very vulnerable to extinction in part because of their
slow reproductive rates (the slowest among the mammals for their size) and because of roost disturbance, the loss of habitat, and the use of pesticides.
✔ Bats are Arizona’s flying mammals. The state plays host to 28 species, with
wingspans ranging from six to 20 inches. That number makes them the second most
diverse group of mammals in the state, only rodents are more diverse.
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What’s a Mammal?
Fossil records indicate that early mammals descended from reptiles and remained a
small and insignificant group until the giant reptiles died out at the end of the Cretaceous Period (65 million years ago). By the beginning of the Cenozoic Era, which
followed, and continuing into the present time, mammals began to proliferate and
diversify. Due to the steady increase in significance of mammals during the past 63
million years, the Cenozoic Era is referred to as the Age of Mammals. There are
today some 4,300 species of the class Mammalia; almost 75% of which are rodents, bats, shrews and moles (rodents — 40%, bats — 24%); man, just one species, accounts for only .0025%!
Mammals, belonging to the class Mammalia, are vertebrates (having a backbone or
vertebral column). They can be distinguished by their skeletal structure. Regardless
of the size of the mammal, most species have seven cervical vertebrae. They have
fewer skullbones than other animals, the brain being protected by a cranium, and the
lower jaw composed of a single bone.
Other anatomical differences characterize mammals. They have four-chambered
hearts, which mean more oxygen can be carried in the blood; as well as a diaphragm, which separates the chest cavity from the abdominal cavity, and allows
more air to enter the lungs. Mammals are endothermic (warm-blooded) - having the
ability to raise body temperatures above the surrounding environmental conditions
by means of their internal metabolism. Because the body temperature remains constant, there is a higher tolerance for changes in environmental temperatures and
thus an increased chance for survival under demanding conditions. Ectothermic animals (reptiles and amphibians) must depend on just the right environmental conditions in order to be active. Endothermy is considered a major factor in the evolutionary success of mammals. The cost of such progress is the need to consume significant amounts of fuel (food) to generate the needed heat.
Mammalian young feed on milk produced by specialized mammary glands in the
female of the species. Mammals possess other types of glands in addition to those
that produce milk. Oil glands produce fluids that lubricate the skin and hair. Sweat
glands produce sweat, a mixture of salts and water, which cools the body as it
evaporates from the skin. Scent glands produce substances used for communication. Some scent glands, as in the case of skunks, are used for defense. All mammals have mammary glands, but not all of them have oil, sweat or scent glands.
With the possible exception of mature whales, only mammals possess true hair;
though other animals and even some plants have hair-like structures. Hair aids in a
variety of functions; it helps in the retention of body heat and, by its association with
oil-producing glands in the skin, it can be coated with oil to aid in waterproofing.
Some specialized hairs provide protection; hair around eyes, nose and ears can keep
dirt out; a porcupine’s defensive quills are modified hairs. Hair, especially by its
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coloration, can aid in recognition, thereby figuring significantly in territorial demarcation and mating. Some hairs aid in sensation, e.g., whiskers (vibrissae) on cats. Hair
can vary widely from mammal to mammal - sheep’s wool, beaver’s pelt, cat’s fur.
Hair will also vary on different parts of the mammal’s body and at different times of
the year, changing colors or shedding seasonally.
The final factor in determining the evolutionary success of mammals is in their welldeveloped brains. Complexity of brain function and capacity for memory storage are
directly related to, and dependent on, endothermy. The well-developed brain enables
mammals to exhibit complex social behaviors and abilities.
Bats
Bats belong to the order Chiroptera, meaning “hand-wing.” They comprise the second largest order of mammals (almost ¼ of all mammals species), containing nearly
1,000 species. The only mammals capable of true flight, bats are found worldwide
in temperate and tropical zones, missing only from the polar regions and some islands. Bats have existed for at least 50 million years and though many people mistakenly assume they are related to rodents, they are actually closer to primates.
There are two major groups (sub-orders) of bats: megabats (Megachiroptera) and
microbats (Microchiroptera). Megabats consist of only one family (Pteropodidae)
with approximately 166 species — these are the Old World fruit bats found in the
tropics, called flying foxes because of their fox-like faces. They are larger and have
better eyesight. Ears are simple, and all but one species have claws on the second
digit of the wing. Eating fruit, nectar or pollen, they are classed as frugivores (23%
of all bats) and nectarivores (5% of bats). Megabats do not hibernate.
There are 16 families (759 species) of microbats (Microchiroptera). Found worldwide, they are smaller, relying on their ears more than their eyes.These external
ears are large and complex, generally featuring an enlarged tragus (cartilaginous
structure found above the ear notch) believed to be used for echolocation. The
majority of microbat species are insectivores eating insects, spiders and other arachnids (about 70% of all bat species are insectivores); others are carnivores (.7% of
bats), feeding on reptiles, rodents, fish, birds and other bats; some are nectarivores
or frugivores; and, only three species are sanguivores (3/10 of 1% of bats), feeding
on the blood of other animals. Of the 28 species in Arizona, all but two are insectivores. Microbats usually hibernate.
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BAT ANATOMY —
BATS: Flying Aces
with thanks to BCI
Students can label bat body parts on the drawing on page 5. Which
parts of a bat’s anatomy are similar to those found in other mammals? Which are like those of humans? Both man and bats have four
fingers and a thumb, but how long is a student’s armspan compared
to a bat’s wingspan? How much do your students weigh compared
to a bat? If insectivorous bats eat ½ their weight in insects each
night, how many McDonald’s ¼ lb. hamburgers would one of your
students need to eat (student's weight x .5 x 4)? A bat can beat its
wings 12 times per second. How fast can a student flap his/her
arms in a second?
Try transferring this diagram to a larger, bulletin board size format
and include detailed information on each body part and its adaptive
uses. Have students research different species of bats from other
environments and draw examples of other anatomical adaptations,
types of nose leaves, etc. and relate the adaptations to the variety
of habitats they live in and the different kinds of food they eat.
What’s Different on a Bat?
TRAGUS
NOSE LEAF
CALCAR
INTERFEMORAL MEMBRANE
WING MEMBRANE
KNEE
TAIL
What’s the Same on YOU?
THUMB
2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th FINGERS
UPPER ARM, ELBOW, FOREARM
LEG
FOOT, TOES, CLAWS
HEAD, BODY
EYE, EAR
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Flight
Bat’s wings are actually modified arms — large upper arm bones connected to shoulders and long forearms with fingers that have stretched to form the foundation of
the wing. Some wings are long and narrow for speed, others are shorter and broader
for greater maneuverability when hovering to feed. All bats have a thumb, which
appears at the leading edge of the wing. Most bats have a variable-sized claw on
this thumb which is used for climbing, handling food, and fighting. The other fingers
of the “hand” support the wing itself. A membrane of two thin layers of skin covers
the fingers and forearms. It contains blood vessels, visible when the wing is stretched
open, and muscles that control the curvature of the wing in flight. Special valves in
the blood vessels allow the bat to control the supply of blood circulating in its wings.
This helps the animal to cool down after flying all night. Remarkably strong and
resilient, the wing membrane, about as thin as a rubber glove, heals quickly if torn or
damaged. This wing membrane extends along the side of the body from the shoulder
to the shorter hindlegs and feet. In some bat species the membrane partially or
completely covers the area between the hindlegs, called the interfemoral membrane
or uropatagium. It is supported by the calcar, a bony ankle spur. This membrane may
also enclose the bat’s tail, but some species have no membrane at all, and some
have no tail. The interfemoral membrane is used to help catch insects just like a
butterfly net.
Bats legs are short and their knees bend backwards or to the side; their toes curl
forward rather than back. These adaptations help the bat to maneuver when they
are not flying and when they roost upside down. Why do bats hang upside down?
Flying animals must be as lightweight as possible and bats have evolved various
ways to limit their weight such as wings that are covered with skin membranes and
tiny leg bones that are incapable of supporting the bat’s weight in an upright position. Hanging upside down, the body weight is suspended, enabling the fragile bones
to support more weight. Some bats begin flapping their wings while still hanging
from their perch to get a lift into the air, other bats need to “fall” into flight, picking
up speed and using less energy to get itself airborne. A few species can actually
take off from the ground.
Echolocation
Contrary to popular myth, bats are not blind, but rather have excellent vision. Most
navigate with echolocation, or sonar, which is produced from vibrations in the vocal
chords. Beyond the range of human hearing, pulses of ultra-high frequency sound are
emitted approximately 10-20 times per second when a bat is searching for prey.
Bats listen to the pattern of returning echoes and obtain precise information that
enables them to avoid obstacles and accurately locate, track and capture moving
prey in a matter of milliseconds. As the hunter approaches its target, the frequency
doubles, creating a “feeding buzz.” The system is so sensitive that bats can “hear”
an insect’s footsteps, “feel” the changes in air currents made by its beating wings,
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and “see” an obstacle in the dark as fine as a human hair! Some moths hear a bat’s
echolocation clicks and will “jam” them with its own sonic noises in order to confuse
the bat and escape being eaten.
BAT AND MOTH GAME —
with thanks to BCI
If you’ve ever played “Marco Polo,” you can devise a simple demonstration of echolocation. Designate one student to be a BAT. Blindfold him/her and have them stand in the center of a loose circle
made by the other students in the class, all of whom are MOTHS.
The object is for the bat to use his/her echolocation to find and
capture a moth for dinner. The BAT calls out “bat” repeatedly as he/
she moves around the circle searching for prey. MOTHS are allowed to begin moving about, but whenever the BAT gets close, the
MOTH must respond to the BAT’S calls with “moth.” The faster the
BAT calls, the faster the MOTH must respond, thereby giving away
his/her position. By following the sound of the students’ voices, the
BAT can zero in on the MOTH and tag/capture it.
A variation on this adds the element of avoidance. Designate three
or four students as TREES. They will sit on chairs about 6' apart so
that the BAT and MOTHS can easily move between them. Blindfold
the BAT first, then have the TREES take their places so BAT doesn’t
know where they are. The MOTHS then scatter among the TREES.
The BAT calls “bat” as he/she hunts for insect prey. Again, the
MOTHS must respond with “moth” as the BAT draws near. The
TREES must also respond with “tree.” If the BAT bumps into a tree
he/she is out of the hunt. This time the BAT can focus his/her call by
spreading their arms wide or pulling them in closer to the body.
Wide-spread arms indicate a wide beam and several TREES or MOTHS
may respond when in the vicinity of the BAT. As BAT gets closer to
his/her prey, he/she may pull their arms in closer to the body so only
TREES and MOTHS directly in his/her path will respond. The hunt is
over when a MOTH is tagged.
For older students, assign two students to be data collectors. Stage
several hunts with timed limits (perhaps 60 seconds each) and use
different students as BATS. Begin each hunt by calling “dusk” and
ending each with “dawn.” For each hunt, there is no limit on the
number of MOTHS a BAT can capture. Data collectors keep track
of the number available and the number caught during each timed
hunt. After all the tests are complete, an average can be taken to
determine which BAT was the most successful hunter. OBSERVERS
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BAT AND MOTH continued
can also be added who can record BAT and MOTH behavior during
the hunts. What were successful hunting strategies (speeding up
the frequency of calls or listening for other sounds from the MOTH
like footsteps)? Successful avoidance strategies (MOTHS hiding
behind trees or moving out the BAT’S “range”)? How did BATS and
MOTHS behave?
By extension, try the hunts again but this time determine that the
MOTHS cannot hear the BATS calls, only respond to them. In other
words, no moving out of the way when the BAT is approaching.
Calculate the differences in the number of MOTHS caught this
time. How do the two tests compare? Why the difference?
Lifestyle
Bat hearts, which are large for the size of their bodies, beat 700 times per minute;
1,100 times per minute while flying. Flying generates excess body heat and flying at
night makes sense for an animal that uses up so much energy. When not in flight,
bats exist in a state of torpor, lowered activity like hibernation. With such a high
metabolism, bats must eat constantly while they are active. In Arizona, two tropical
species are nectar feeders (Mexican long-tongued and lesser long-nosed bats) and
all the rest eat insects.
Nectarivores — Several species of plants have co-evolved with bats, particularly
saguaro and organ pipe cactus, and agaves. Bats frequently serve plant communities at night in much the same way as birds and hummingbirds do during the day.
Nectarivorous bats migrate from Mexico, arriving in southern Arizona in early May
just as the saguaros begin to bloom. Bat flowers are sturdy, white, open at night and
have the heavy scent of over-ripe fruit. They pollinate the flowers while searching
for nectar with their long, bristly tongues. rains of pollen stick to their fur on head,
neck and shoulders as they push their snouts deep into the flowers. The pollen is
than transferred from plant to plant. Pollen is consumed by the bats as they groom
themselves, providing protein and essential amino acids.
Nectar-feeding, and some insect-feeding bats, also eat cactus fruits, assisting in the
dispersal of seeds over wide areas. A decline in bat populations can mean a corresponding decline in plant species dependent on bats for pollination and/or the dispersal of seeds.
Insectivores — Around the world, bats are the single most important natural enemy
of night-flying insects. By hunting at night, competition for insect prey from insecteating birds is eliminated. Twenty-six species of bats in Arizona eat insects, from ¼
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to ½ their weight each day, or one every few seconds; and they eat the kind of
insects humans would rather have less of— gnats, mosquitoes, moths and beetles.
Some bats (greater Western mastiff bat) locate their prey by echolocation and then
fly after it. Other species (long-eared myotis) glean for insects off of vegetation,
scanning plants and then dropping down from the sky to capture their meal. A few
bats (pallid bat) fly close to the ground searching for food. Captured prey is eaten on
the ground or taken to a nearby perch.
BAT FOOD CLUES — with thanks to BCI
Distribute sets of Bats Adapt for Food cards (pp. 26-29) to groups of
six or more students. Each student in a group should get familiar
with one of the bat feeding strategies. After sufficient time for study,
read the Bat Food Clue questions and have each group discuss
amongst themselves the answer and decide which feeding habit applies. The first group to raise its hands, gets to answer the question.
If correct, go on to the next question, if not, select another group to
answer. Points can be awarded for correct answers. Use the additional questions to spark further discussion.
By extension, have students investigate similar strategies among
birds. Birds that catch insects in the air vs. those that glean insects
from the ground; birds that capture prey with their beaks and talons
vs. those that probe for worms in the mud. Create a bulletin board
that compares and contrasts the food habits and adaptations of these
two flying animals.
Bats are very clean, grooming themselves, much like a household cat, with their
tongues and feet. Young bats will cling to their mothers with their toes and milk
teeth. Mother then folds her wings around her youngster, both hanging upside down.
Mothers will leave their young clinging to the roost perch when they go out to feed
at night. Returning to the roost, they use calls and smell to locate the right infant.
In turn, bats are the prey of raptors such as hawks and owls, snakes, and predators
such as bobcats, raccoons and domestic cats. But man is perhaps the number one
enemy.
Arizona is host to such a large number of bat species because of the variety of
habitats the state can offer - canyons, caves, old mine shafts, rock slides and crevices can all serve as roosting and hibernation sites. Water is also a requirement for
these small mammals. Most bats will fly to a water source first thing upon leaving
their roost each evening. Skimming low over the surface, they will gulp a mouthful
at a time.
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Migration and Hibernation
Where winters are cold, bats will migrate or go into hibernation. Long distance
migrations may take certain species from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico as the
seasons change. Those who choose to remain through the cold weather will find a
cave, mine shaft or even attic to “hang out” for up to six months. These locations
may be up to 300 miles away from their summer regions. Bats are creatures of habit
and will return time and again to the same hibernation sites. During this time, the
tiny creatures live off of fat reserves stored in their bodies, heart rates slow to only
30 beats per minute and body temperatures drop from a normal 100° to almost 32°.
Hibernating bats should never be disturbed! Bats will lose up to 1/3 of their body
weight by spring and will have little or no stored fat left. If a bat is awakened during
hibernation, it must use previous energy to warm up and become alert, this can use
up a bat’s energy resources so that there is little left to get it through the winter. It
could mean it will die before spring.
Reproduction
Not much is known about the courtship rituals of microbats. Vocalizing and wing
displays have been observed, but not much else. Tropical bats have been seen to
engage in elaborate rituals including the display of colored fur patches and crests.
Bats living in temperate regions mate in the fall, the female storing the sperm until
the following spring. Fertilization takes place after she emerges from hibernation.
Separate nursery colonies are formed of thousands of pregnant females. Gestation
lasts six weeks to two months and the young are born naked and helpless, one
young per year on average. Bat pups are big, weighing in at more than ¼ of their
mother’s weight. In less than three weeks, however, they are flying on their own.
During this period, males and non-reproductive females segregate into separate bachelor colonies. Bats are very slow to reproduce. Not only do they tend to have single
pups, but females are not sexually mature until they are two or more years old.
They are however, long-lived, with some surviving for more than 30 years. Some
bats are monogamous and vampire bats will even adopt orphans.
Rabies
Rabies is an infectious, viral disease that attacks the central nervous system of
mammals. Any mammal can transmit rabies, but it is most often seen in dogs, cats,
foxes, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, bats and livestock. Of the approximately 30,000
deaths due to rabies worldwide each year, 99% of the cases resulted from contact
with dogs. The continued vaccination of domestic dogs and cats protects against
the majority of human cases. Despite popular beliefs, the danger of contracting
rabies from a bat is very low. Less than ½ of 1% of bats studied have been found to
have rabies.
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Most rabies is spread through a bite wound, but it can also be transmitted through
contact with infected saliva, open wounds or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth).
Aggressive behavior in bats is rare, even when rabid. Refrain from handling bats and
the chances of being bitten are nonexistent. Always remind children to leave wild
animals alone, even if it appears sick or injured. Any animal bite should be reported
immediately to a family physician or other medical personnel for evaluation. Also
collect the animal involved for testing.
Though Austin, San Antonio, and other Texas cities host the highest bat densities in
the United States (1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats under an Austin bridge each
summer), there have been no recorded cases of bat-transmitted rabies in humans.
Benefits of Bats
Bats worldwide serve to keep insect populations in balance, preying on many insects
which are economically damaging to farmers and foresters, and helping control disease-carrying mosquitoes and flies. Bat pollination and seed dispersal efforts are
critical to many plants, especially species in tropical rainforests that depend on bats
for the survival of entire ecosystems. Seeds spread by bats account for up to 95%
of forest regrowth on land that has been cleared. Wild varieties of many food crops
depend on bats for their pollination — bananas, avocados, dates, figs, peaches,
mangoes, cloves, cashews, carob, balsa wood, kapok and tequila. In addition, bats
pollinate plants that we use for medicine, dyes, fiber, animal fodder, timber, and
fuel. The study of bats has assisted in the development of devices to help the blind,
vaccine production, birth control and artificial insemination. Since many species
congregate in large roosts, the harvesting of bat guano was nad still is financially
lucrative. Guano was used in commercial fertilizers in the United States until about
1940 and as a source for sodium nitrate for gun powder during the Civil War.
BAT CONNECTIONS
Bats, and many other animals in the Sonoran Desert, have formed
interdependent relationships with a variety of desert plants. Agaves, mesquites, ocotillo, organ pipe, prickly pear and saguaro cactus, are just a few of the plants that animals depend on for food,
shelter and protection. In turn, plants depend on animals for pollination and seed dispersal. Sometimes, animals harm the plants they
use for food or shelter. Have students research some of these plant
and animal connections. Use the drawing of the Park on the next
page, and find the plant and animal connections, drawing lines between those that interact. For each connection, have students describe the relationship, who helps whom and how — the effect of
the plant on the animal and of the animal on the plant — and are
these effects positive or negative, or neutral.
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BATS: Flying Aces
Bats in the Attic
The benefits of bats in your neighborhood are obvious — from insect control to plant
pollination. But bats can be noisy, smelly, unwanted neighbors in an attic, garage or
public building. It’s best to bat proof a residence and provide alternative housing the
form of a bat house. A lost youngster who has strayed into a house or garage just
wants to get out and can be easily removed by opening doors and window and
shooing him out, or capturing it in butterfly net or leather-gloved hand.
Caulk and weather-strip loose-fitting doors and windows, install hardware screen
over chimneys and vents, fill gaps in walls and along the eaves of houses with steel
wool and tape over. Be careful to ascertain that your guests have indeed left the
premises before you begin blocking entry ways. This is especially true in the summer
when young bats are left behind in the nursery. When excluding bats from a former
roost in a human habitation, offer them an alternative, or they may just move to your
neighbor’s house.
Bat houses can be easily constructed of plywood and board lumber. They must be
placed so as to provide the proper amount of sun exposure and heat absorption.
Ventilation allows the bats to move up and down in the house to find the spot with
just the right temperature. Placement is also important in that the house must not be
easily accessible to predators, such as house cats. Also important is the distance to
natural habitat, such as open water for drinking and suitable sites for overwintering
— caves, cliff-faces, etc.
You can contact Bat Conservation International (see page 24) for more information
on building bat houses and how to join their North American Bat House Research
Project.
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Bats in Danger
Bats are North America’s most rapidly declining and endangered land mammal. In
the United States, almost 40% of bat species are endangered, or are candidates for
endangered status. In Arizona, the lesser long-nosed bat is listed as endangered, the
Western mastiff bat is a candidate for the listing, and Townsend's big-earred bat is
under study.
Man is the greatest threat to these bat populations due to unwarranted fears and
needless persecution. Between 1963 and 1969 Arizona’s largest Mexican free-tailed
colony dropped from 30,000,000 individuals to 30,000. From the intentional killing
of bats in their roosts, or the unintentional destruction of habitat, to pesticide poisoning or roost disturbance, the latter may well be the most destructive. Roosts are
critical as places of refuge: to conserve energy, to reproduce, and to find safety
from predators. They are chosen carefully and may be difficult to replace should
they be disturbed or destroyed. Migrating bats face many dangers, not only at their
permanent roost sites at either end of their journey, but at all the temporary sites
along the way. Roosts provide the cooler temperatures needed for hibernation in
winter, and the warmth for raising young in the spring. Hibernating bats will burn
critical energy supplies if they must “warm up” to escape an invasion of their roost.
Nursing mothers may abandon their dependent young, thus endangering populations
with already low reproductive potential. Spelunkers and hikers can disturb nursery
cave sites, and developers may seal off access to important sites.
Beginning in 1990, thanks to lottery dollars and the Heritage Fund, Arizona Game
and Fish Department began a Bat Management program promoting bat conservation
and education, one of the first of its kind in the nation. Projects include an ongoing
survey of the estimated 80,000-100,000 mines in the state to determine bat use as
roosts or hibernation sites. Those abandoned mines showing frequent bat usage are
being fitted with bat gates that allow the animals to come and go freely, while
keeping unwanted human visitors out. In addition, artificial bat roosts, such as buildings and bridges, are being inspected, and surveys of forest dwelling bats and their
dependence on tree roosts are being conducted. Education programs, workshops
and public awareness projects continue to spread the word about bats and their
benefits to man.
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Some bat’s have names that are very descriptive of their looks or their
habits — like the Mexican long-tongued bat, or the spotted bat, or
Townsend’s big-earred bat. Let students use their imaginations to draw
a cartoon of some real bats, based on their names.
pocketed free-tailed bat
Peter’s ghost-faced bat
silver-haired bat
flying fox
California leaf-nosed bat
desert red bat
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BATS: Flying Aces
Bat ID
Family Phyllostomidae
These are the New World leaf-nosed bats, with fantastical facial ornaments, used to
focus the echolocation calls that are emitted through their noses. Nose-leaves are
wedge-shaped flaps of skin that can be as large as the bat’s entire head, or almost
totally absent. Some species also have a variety of other warts, bumps and folds on
the head and face. Insectivores, carnivores and frugivores are found in this family
along with nectar feeders and the three species of vampire bat. The nectar feeders,
like lesser long-nosed and California leaf-nosed, are small bats, capable of maintaining hovering flight above the target flower. They have long muzzles and extremely
long tongues with bristles on the end, perfectly adapted for extracting nectar and
pollen.
LESSER LONG-NOSED BAT (Sanborn’s Long-nosed Bat)
Leptonycteris curasoae = sanborni
(slender and nocturnal/Curacao)
Description: No more than 3" long, with
a wingspan of 14"; color is grayish to
reddish-brown. The interfemoral membrane (between the legs) is reduced to
fur-covered ridge, a tail is absent, and
the leaf nose is present. Adaptations for
feeding on nectar are present — elongated snout; small ears; long, extensile
tongue that is ¼ the length of its body.
Lifestyle: Feeds on nectar of cacti, principally saguaro and organ pipe, and agaves, Agave palmeri; will also eat ripe
cactus fruits, especially when nectar is
scarce, and visit backyard hummingbird
feeders. Passively gathered pollen (what
collects on facial hairs while drinking nectar) supplies nitrogen to the bats. Young are born mid-May in summer maternity
roosts in southeastern Arizona; migrating back to Sonora by mid-October, spending
winters in southern Mexico. Roosts in caves, mines and tunnels, returning to the
same spot for several years in a row. These bats feed in small groups, circling a
plant and taking turns feeding. Plants are likely located first visually or by smell, and
that echolocation is used only secondarily by lead bats.
Status: Currently protected as an endangered species by US Fish and Wildlife and
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BATS: Flying Aces
the list of Threatened Native Wildlife in Arizona. Loss of mine and cave roost sites,
disturbance of maternity roosts and overharvesting of agave plants are affecting the
species. Long-nosed bat enjoys a symbiotic relationship with the plants it feeds on,
pollinating those it visits. Their decline threatens both the plants they pollinate and,
in turn, the other desert animals that depend on these plants for food and shelter.
Range: Deserts and tropical deciduous forests in central and southeastern Arizona
to southwest New Mexico, to southern Sonora and El Salvador. They can also be
found on the islands of the Netherlands Antilles and along the coasts of Columbia
and Venezuela. Generally at elevations below 5,000 feet. Current populations are
known in Santa Cruz and Cochise Counties.
CALIFORNIA LEAF-NOSED BAT
Macrotus californicus
(large ear/California)
Description: Less than 2½” long with a
13½” wingspan, this is a brown bat with
large ears joined at the bases. It is distinguished by a well-developed nose leaf.
The wing membrane is hairless and the
tail extends beyond tail membrane.
Lifestyle: Active throughout the year,
leaf-nosed bat nests in colonies of several hundred in warm caves or mine tunnels. Does not migrate or hibernate, but
remains in roosts on cold nights. Easily
harmed by exposure to temperatures in
the 40°-50° range for more than a few
hours. Emerges at dusk to feed on insects (beetles, cicadas, grasshoppers)
taken in flight or gleaned from ground or
vegetation; in season may eat cactus
fruit. A very agile flyer, able to hover over plants when searching for prey.
Status: Susceptible to human disturbance and habitat destruction, it currently is a
candidate on the list of Threatened Native Wildlife in Arizona. Loss of warm, winter
roosts and vandalism are major threats.
Range: Restricted to low desert areas, Sonoran and Mojave Desert thornscrub,
below 4,000 feet in central to southwest Arizona, southern California, Baja California and into northern Mexico, Guatemala and the Caribbean.
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BATS: Flying Aces
Family Vespertilionidae
Found world-wide, this is the largest family of bats with 318 species. In general,
“evening bats” have small eyes, display no nose leaf, and have ears with a tragus.
The tragus is a fleshy ear outgrowth that aids in the use of echolocation signals.
Tails are relatively long and some extend beyond the edge of the tail membrane.
Primarily insectivores, some species prey on fish; and most will defend a feeding
territory. Night-flying insects are caught in the wings and tossed into the tail membrane to be brought up to the mouth for ingestion while in flight.
Most vespers prefer caves, but will also roost in tunnels, mine shafts, abandoned
wells, and buildings. Some species choose to live a solitary life, others prefer the
company of large colonies of their fellow bats. Genera of the family that live in
temperate zones will often migrate when the weather turns cold in order to find
insect food sources (Pipistrellus), others will chose hibernation (Antrozous, Eptesicus).
Hibernating bats will lower their body temperature and slow their metabolism for
several days to several months. Stores of body fat are used to maintain these lowered temperatures for the duration. Caves with relatively stable temperature ranges,
not falling below freezing, are chosen.
Males and females roost separately most of the year, mating during the fall. Females
will delay birth until late spring or early summer in one of three ways: (1) storing
sperm until ovulation in the spring, (2) delaying implantation of the fertilized egg until
the better weather, or (3) the fertilized egg implants, but development is delayed
until weather conditions improve. These adaptations explain the success of this bat
family in locations as different as tropical forests, deserts and temperate regions.
PALLID BAT
Antrozous pallidus
(pale cave animal)
Description: A heavy-bodied, cream-colored, furry bat with large pink ears and big
eyes. The long tail is encased in the interfemoral membrane. There is no nose leaf.
Average length 2½-3", wingspan 14-15".
Lifestyle: Frequents desert grasslands, rocky outcroppings and freshwater lakes.
An insect-eating bat that primarily preys on arthropods it takes from vegetation or
the ground, including beetles, grasshoppers, centipedes and scorpions. In addition to
echolocation, will use standard hearing to pick up the noises insects make scurrying
along the desert floor. Captured prey is taken to night roosts for consumption. The
pallid is immune to the sting of either the scorpion or centipede it preys on.
Sexually mature at two years of age, mating takes place in the fall and winter.
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BATS: Flying Aces
Females store sperm until spring when
ovulation and fertilization take place;
pups (twins are common) are born during the first part of June. Youngsters are
at full adult size in only eight weeks.
During the summer, males and females
roost separately. Colony members vocalize to communicate with each other
and to conduct territorial disputes. A
skunk-like odor can be emitted as a defense mechanism.
Three different roosts are used by the
bat — a warm rock crack or attic for
during the day, a night roost in open vegetation, and the hibernation roost in
caves, rock crevices or buildings. Pallid
bats will migrates short distance, but
hibernate during winter at colder, higher elevations. Guano is used as fertilizer.
Status: Not endangered, but like all bats, habitat and roost disturbance and destruction can cause the bat to abandon a roosting area completely. The use of pesticides
on prey insects has had a serious impact on pallid bat populations.
Range: Found from western North America to central Mexico, generally below
4,500 feet.
BIG BROWN BAT
Eptesicus fuscus
(flying brown)
Description: A plain-nosed, short-earred
bat with long tail encased by hairless
interfemoral membrane. Dark brown
with wing and interfemoral membranes
are almost black. Length averages 3",
with 14" wingspan.
Lifestyle: Exhibits strong, straight flight
patterns as it feeds on night-flying insects, preferring beetles. Thriving in urban as well as rural settings, it can be
found in a wide range of elevations. Winters are spent in hibernation in cold rock
crevices and caves south of the Mogollon
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BATS: Flying Aces
Rim. Summers are spent at higher elevations. Summer day roosts are hollow trees,
saguaro holes and buildings. Breeds in fall, female retaining sperm in body until
spring when ovulation occurs. Young born in nursery colonies in summer, flying
within a month of birth. Only one nursing colony is known in Arizona.
Status: Not endangered.
Range: Throughout the Americas, from Canada to Argentina; southwestern United
States and Mexico, as well as most of continental U.S. and Alaska.
WESTERN PIPISTRELLE (Evening Bat)
Pipistrellus hesperus
(a western bat)
Description: The smallest bat in the
United States, measuring less than 3"
in total body length, with an 8" wingspan, and weighing only 2/10 of an
ounce. Buff-gray in color with black mask
across eyes, plain-nosed, tail and
interfemoral membrane long.
Lifestyle: The most commonly seen bat,
emerging earlier and staying out later
than any other. Flying just at sunset, if
feeds on insects captured in flight. Exhibits quick turns and erratic flight similar to butterfly. Generally solitary, its day
roosts are rock crevices and outcrops.
Commonly has two pups per litter. Females may move to higher, colder elevations to hibernate in winter, but males
can remain at lower elevations and feed on warmer evenings.
Status: Not endangered.
Range: Found throughout Arizona, western New Mexico, southern California, Nevada, Utah, and even Washington; southwestern Texas, Baja California and northern
Sonora.
Family Molossidae
Known as the free-tailed bats because their tails extend beyond the edge of the tail
membrane, Molossidae are found in the New World from the central United States
to southern Argentina. They also reside in parts of southern Europe, Africa, Asia and
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BATS: Flying Aces
Australia. All members of the family are insectivores, catching prey on the wing.
Wings therefore, are long and narrow, allowing for fast flight. They achieve enough
lift for flight by dropping greater distances from their roosts, picking up speed during
the fall. These narrow wings are designed for speed, but not maneuverability, so
foraging must be done in the open, where there are few obstacles.
Wing and tail membranes are unusually tough and leathery, and nose pads and feet
are frequently covered with sensory bristles. Ears are short and broad. Lips are
wide, fleshy and creased, this large orifice no doubt contributing to their skills in
capturing flying insects.
MEXICAN FREE-TAILED BAT (Brazilian Free-tailed Bat)
Tadarida brasiliensis (mexicana)
(withered toad/belonging to Brazil)
Description: Significant portion of tail extends beyond the interfemoral membrane.
Wing membranes are dark, thick and leathery; ears are thick, flattened and extend
over eyes. There are sensory hairs on the nose and feet. Average body length is
2½”, wingspan to 13". Fur is short, velvety and dark brown to dark gray.
Lifestyle: The Mexican free-tail is a colonial bat, congregating in caves, mines,
buildings and under bridges in groups of
1,000 to tens of millions (1969 Eagle
Creek Cave in Arizona housed an estimated 25-50 million free-tailed bats).
Using echolocation, it feeds on night-flying insects, especially small moths.
Emerging just after sunset, colonies will
fly up to two miles high to catch tail
winds that increase their speed and ability to travel long distances, often covering 40 miles to reach feeding territories.
When feeding, they will chase moths and
other insects at speeds of up to 65 miles.
Mating occurs in late winter, followed
by a two-three month gestation period.
Large maternity colonies form in early summer when a single pup is born. The naked,
flightless, youngsters are left clustered together in nurseries when their mothers
leave each night to hunt. It was thought that offspring nursed from any available
female, however, research indicates that females identify and nurse only their own
pups. Using a combination of vocalizations and distinctive scents, mothers locate
their own offspring when they return from feeding forays, even where the youngsters are packed in at 500 per square foot! Young bats are matured enough to hunt
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BATS: Flying Aces
on their own within a month of birth. Arizona populations, which consist of the
migratory subspecies T. b. mexicana, migrate to southern Mexico in winter.
Status: Not endangered, but a significant population decline has been noted in the
Southwest, most likely due to pesticide use and human disturbance, especially during maternity season. The ban on DDT in the United States has helped the situation,
but it continues to be used in Mexico, affecting populations that overwinter there.
Range: Found in temperate forests to rainforests and from grasslands to mountains
in portions of North, Central and South America; southern Oregon to southern North
Carolina. Subspecies T. brasiliensis mexicana found in southwestern United States
and Mexico.
BAT ID KEY —
with thanks to BCI
Older students can learn to classify a bat according to its family, genus
and species. Taxonomy is a method of classification used by scientists
to determine the relatedness of different species. It is used to classify
both plants and animals. Living things with similar characteristics are
grouped together in kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus and
species. The correct scientific name for each member consists of two
parts, genus + species. These names often come from Latin or Greek
words and are always italicized (or underlined). Many times the specific epithet (genus + species) is very descriptive of the animal or plant
it is identifying e.g. Antrozous pallidus or pale (pallidus) cave animal
(antrozous). All bat classifications begin with:
Kingdom = Animalia (animals as opposed to plants, fungus, etc.)
Phylum = Chordata (includes all vertebrates)
Class = Mammalia (bats are mammals)
Order = Chiroptera (bats - winged hand)
Suborder = Megachiroptera (Old World fruit bats/flying foxes)
Family = 1 family - Pteropodidae (173 species)
Suborder = Microchiroptera (all bats in the U.S.)
Family = 17 families (813 species)
Note: only four families of bats occur in Arizona Moormoopidae
Vespertilionidae
Phyllostomidae
Molossidae
Genus
Species
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BATS: Flying Aces
BAT ID continued
To practice observation skills and learn more about the different
physical adaptations of bats, students can try classifying a bat using
a dichotomous key. Make copies of the" Investigate This!" worksheet
along with one set of Bat Picture and Family Information Cards, and
6 copies of the Bat ID Key (pp. 30-35). Divide the class into six
groups, giving each group a copy of the Key. Perform one classification as a whole class by way of explanation, then distribute the
remaining six bat pictures, one to a group. Tell the class to first, look
at the picture and write down some of the characteristics of the
particular bat — tail or no tail, large or small ears, plain nose or leaf
nose? Then, beginning with the first statement on the key, choose
either 1a or 1b as your answer. Only one of the statements can be
correct. Follow the dots to find out what to do next. If a family name
is given, then the classification is complete; if not, then go on to the
next statement and repeat the process until each group discovers
the family name for their bat.
When a group correctly identifies its bat family, hand out the Bat
Family Information Card so they can read more about it. To conclude
the activity, each group should make a presentation to the rest of
the class on their particular bat family — where is it found, what
features distinguish it from other bats, what are these adaptations
used for, what is its lifestyle, habitat, etc. Students can now try
making their own dichotomous keys for some Arizona bats, or try
the next activity and create their own bat.
BUILD A BAT —
with thanks to Arizona Game and Fish
Distribute large sheets of drawing paper and crayons, colored pencils
or marking pens. Divide students into six groups of four or five each.
Give each group a set of Build-a-Bat Adaptation Cards (pp. 36-39)
consisting of one food, one navigation, one roost, and one color card.
Students are then asked to draw their bat and the habitat where it is
most likely be found. At the conclusion of the activity, each group
must be able to describe their creation and justify its adaptations
based on its environment.
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BATS: Flying Aces
Bat Conservation International
BCI can provide additional, detailed information on bats around the world through its
Bats magazine, an interactive website, periodic teacher workshops, AV and educational materials, and the adopt-a-bat program.
Bat Conservation International
PO Box 162603
Austin, Texas 78716
512-327-9721
www.batcon.org
Bat Myths Answers
Bats are blind - Folklore - Bats can see quite well, actually. Many species depend on their
acute eyesight to locate food, such as nectar flowers and fruits. Other species use
echolocation to target prey species, but still have excellent vision.
Bats are flying rodents - Folklore - Bats are not rodents. They belong to their own order
of mammals, Chiroptera. In fact, bats are more closely related to primates than to rodents.
Bats will attack you and get caught in your hair - Folklore - Bats navigate using eyesight,
echolocation, sound and smell. They will make every effort to avoid collisions with
objects. When trapped or cornered, a bat may collide with people or objects in its
confusion. Also, people out walking in fields or grassy areas in the early evening may
attract a small crowd of bats, not because the animals are "after" them, but because the
bats are "after" all the insects the people are disturbing in the grass!
Bats are dirty, disease-ridden animals that will give you rabies - Fact and Folklore - Like
all mammals, bats can carry rabies. Your chances of contracting rabies from a bat are
very, very slight -- less than one in a million. Remember, do not handle any wild animal.
As for being dirty, bats are really very clean, spending time every day grooming themselves and others in their colony. Bats are usually quite healthy.
Bats feed on the blood of their victims - Fact and Folklore - Only three species of bats are
sanguivores, the vampire species of Central America. They generally feed on livestock
(cows, goats, chickens) and wild game.
Bats are powerful magic and can make you invisible or help you see in the dark - Fact and
Folklore - Unfortunately, there is no magic that will make you invisible, but research into
bat echolocation systems is providing science with help in creating devices to better
assist the blind.
Bats are evil - Folklore - Bats are extremely beneficial to mankind. They rid us of destructive insect pests, pollinate our food crops, and help disperse the seeds of many wild
plants.
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R ESOURCES
FOR
BATS: Flying Aces
T EACHERS
Allen, G.M.
Bats
(1939) Harvard University Press, Cambridge
(1962 reprint) Dover Publications, NY
BCI
Educator’s Activity Book About Bats
(1991) Bat Conservation International, Austin
Cooper, Ann C.
Bats: Swift Shadows in the Twilight
Denver Museum of Natural History Wonder Series
(1994) Roberts Rinehart Publishers, CO
Graham, G.L.
Bats of the World: A Golden Guide
(1994) Golden Press, NY
Tuttle, Merlin
America’s Neighborhood Bats
(1997) University of Texas Press, Austin
Tuttle, Merlin
The Bat House Builder’s Handbook
(1996) Bat Conservation International, Austin
Wilson, D.E.
Bats in Question: The Smithsonian Answer Book
(1997) Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, DC
R ESOURCES
FOR
S TUDENTS
Ackerman, Diane
Bats: Shadows in the Night
(1997) Crown Publishers
Cannon, Janell
Stellaluna
(1993) Harcourt, Brace & Co., NY
Cherry, Lynne
The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest
(1990) Harcourt, Brace & Co., NY
Jarrell, Randall
The Bat Poet
(1964/1996) Harper Collins Juvenile Books
Lollar, Amanda
The Bat in My Pocket
(1992) Capra Press, California
Lovett, Sarah
Extremely Weird Bats
(1991) John Muir Pubications, Sante Fe
Navarro, L.
Marcelo el Murcielago - Marcelo the Bat (bilingual)
(1997) Bat Conservation International, Austin
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BATS: Flying Aces
Carnivore – meat-eating bat
Body: large for capturing and carrying off other animals
Head: strong jaws for killing prey; large ears help identify and locate
the sound of a mouse’s footsteps or the call of a
frog
Wings: broad, with up to three-foot wingspan; large
tail membrane for maneuverability
Teeth: sharp molars and long canines for tearing
flesh and crushing bone
Piscivore – fish-eating bat
Body: larger than average; long legs and enormous feet;
long, sharp, hooked claws; toes flat for knifing through
water; oily fur that sheds water to keep bat dry
Head: strong jaws for killing and chewing fish; special
echolocation ability to detect ripples or fins on surface of
the water
Wings: narrow and long for flying fast over water
Teeth: sharp teeth (similar to insectivores) for chopping
and grinding fish
Sanguivore – blood-eating bat
Body: strong legs for walking on ground or climbing on
prey and for jumping into flight full of blood
Head: heat-sensitive nose helps find blood vessels closest
to prey’s skin surface; short pug muzzle makes biting
easier
Wings: broad and short; strong enough to carry heavy
food loads with full stomach
Teeth: tiny molars; incisors forming large, razor-sharp
blades for puncturing prey’s skin; grooved tongue for
lapping blood; special saliva keeps blood from clotting so
bat can keep drinking
Special adaptations: kidneys allow bat to urinate as fast
as it eats to lighten the load before flying home
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Bats Adapt for Food
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BATS: Flying Aces
Insectivore – insect-eating bat
Body: many body shapes, all small
Head: many different faces and ears but all designed
to aid echolocation and hearing while hunting for
insects
Wings: insectivores that catch insects on the ground
or on plants (gleaning insectivores) have broad, short
wings and large tail membranes for darting in and
out of branches or hovering close to the ground; those
that chase insects in the air while flying (aerial insectivores)
have longer, narrower wings and often have smaller ears for
speed; some use their tail membrane to help catch prey
Teeth: sharp teeth for breaking up tough insects and chewing
them
Frugivore – fruit eating bat
Body: often large with bright colors; most have no tail and little or
no tail membrane
Head: medium to short snouts; keen nose for smelling ripe fruit;
strong jaws for biting fruit; large eyes have excellent
vision, many do not echolocate
Wings: wide and short for carrying heavy fruits; small
tail membrane
Teeth: wide, flat, grinding teeth and strong jaws for
crushing fruit - separate juice and spits out pulp; some
have grooved teeth to collect juice more easily
Special Adaptations: there are also bats that feed on
pollen, with bristly tongues designed to collect and
hold pollen grains
Nectarivore – nectar-eating bat
Body: small
Head: long, slender snout fits perfectly into
flowers; long, delicate jaw; grooved lower
lip and rough, scaly tongue to catch nectar;
excellent vision and sense of smell
Wings: short, wide wings with long wingtips
for hovering above flowers
Teeth: small, not much used for chewing due to liquid diet
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Bats Adapt for Food
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BATS: Flying Aces
Bat Food Clues
1. Who am I?
Clue: My toes and claws are exceptionally long, and the sides are flat.
Answer: I am a fish-eating bat – piscivore.
Bonus: what is the advantage of having long toes and claws?
Answer: can reach into water without submerging body
Bonus: what is the advantage of having flattened toes and claws?
Answer: to glide easily through water
2. Who am I?
Clue: My legs are extra strong and my kidneys work quickly so I can eliminate water
as fast as I eat.
Answer: I am a blood-eating bat – sanguivore.
Bonus: how do fast-working kidneys help a blood-eating bat?
Answer: to get rid of the water, so the bat won’t be too heavy to fly
Bonus: what is the advantage of extra strong legs?
Answer: to stalking large prey on the ground, or to escape quickly if prey wakes
3. Who am I?
Clue: I am a large, strong bat with large ears and broad wings
Answer: I am a meat-eating bat – carnivore.
Bonus: why does a carnivore bat need big ears?
Answer: to listen for and find prey
Bonus: what is the advantage of having broad wings?
Answer: to better lift heavy prey
4. Who am I?
Clue: I fly fast over quiet water, searching for tiny moving objects. My fur is oily.
Answer: I am a fish-eating bat – piscivore.
Bonus: what is the advantage of flying over calm water?
Answer: to easily detect tiny fin tips using echolocation
Bonus: what is the advantage of oily fur?
Answer: to shed water, keep bat fur dry, and avoid getting cold
5. Who am I?
Clue: My short, broad wings and my large tail membrane allow me to dart in and out
of branches.
Answer: I am an insect-eating bat (prey on the ground or on plants) – insectivore.
Bonus: what is the advantage of being able to dart in and out of branches?
Answer: to avoid obstacles and catch prey
Bonus: what is the advantage of being able to catch insects on the ground
or in bushes?
Answer: to avoid competing for food with bats that feed in the open or in the
air
6. Who am I?
Clue: I have sharp teeth and strong jaws that can cut or crush big meals. I also have a
tail membrane.
Answer: I am a meat-eating bat – carnivore.
Bonus: what is the advantage of having sharp teeth and strong jaws?
Answer: to quickly kill and cut up large prey; break bones
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Bats Adapt for Food
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BATS: Flying Aces
Bonus: what is the advantage of a big tail membrane?
Answer: for better maneuverability when chasing prey
7. Who am I?
Clue: My teeth are small, except for my front teeth, which are sharp and can cut like a
razor. My nose can detect heat.
Answer: I am a blood-eating bat – sanguivore.
Bonus: why are razor-sharp teeth important?
Answer: to make quick, painless cuts
Bonus: what is the advantage of a heat-sensitive nose?
Answer: to find areas on prey that are rich in blood
8. Who am I?
Clue: I have sophisticated echolocation abilities; long, narrow wings; and small ears.
Answer: I am an insect-eating bat (prey in the air) – insectivore.
Bonus: why do bats have echolocation as well as good eyesight?
Answer: to pursue prey on the darkest nights and to roost in deep, dark caves
where they are safe from predators
Bonus: what advantages do long, narrow wings have?
Answer: to chase fast-flying insects and travel far
9. Who am I?
Clue: I can smell my food from a long way off and I don’t have to echolocate.
Answer: I am a fruit-eating bat – frugivore.
Bonus: why do many of these bats not need to echolocate?
Answer: they don’t live in caves; echolocation isn’t necessary for finding fruit
Bonus: why is a good sense of smell important?
Answer: to smell ripe fruits, because color can’t be seen in the dark
10. Who am I?
Clue: My tongue is long and my wings allow me to hover.
Answer: I am a nectar-eating bat – nectarivore.
Bonus: why does this bat need to be able to hover in flight?
Answer: to visit flowers without landing, therefore staying safe from predators
Bonus: what is the value of a long tongue?
Answer: to reach deep into flowers and lap up nectar
11. Who am I?
Clue: My teeth are flat and my jaws are strong so I can squeeze juice from my food.
Answer: I am a fruit-eating bat – frugivore.
Bonus: why does this bat discard as much fruit pulp as possible?
Answer: to get the most nutritious part without carrying extra weight
Bonus: what is the advantage of having flat teeth?
Answer: to squeeze out juice without cutting up the pulp
12. Who am I?
Clue: My nose is long and narrow and my teeth are very small.
Answer: I am a nectar-eating bat – nectarivore.
Bonus: what is the advantage of small teeth?
Answer: nectar doesn’t need to be chewed, so heavy teeth aren’t needed
Bonus: what is the advantage of a long, narrow nose?
Answer: to reach deep into long, narrow flowers
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BATS: Flying Aces
Investigate This!
There are eighteen bat families living in the entire world; this identification key is for
the seven of them. Four of these families live in the United States. Each family has
developed different characteristics that help it to survive in its particular habitat. To
identify each bat, you will have to carefully observe the characteristics on the Bat
Picture Cards (pp. 31-32).
•
Instructions:
To identify the family in which each pictured bat belongs, begin with question
1 on the Bat Identification Key (p. 35). Have a group member first read aloud
both 1a and 1b. Only one of the statements can be true about the bat on the
card you are trying to identify. Discuss and decide whether 1a or 1b is true,
and follow the dots on your instructions.
•
If the dots lead you to a bat family name, you are finished identifying your bat
family.
•
If the dots lead you to another number, go to that number and read both parts
of that question. Decide which one is correct, and follow the dots for more
instructions.
•
If the dots keep leading you to more numbers, keep going. You will finally
come to your bat family name.
Once your group finds the name of your bat family, raise your hand, and your teacher
will give you the Bat Family Information Card, which gives you more details about
the family. Choose a representative from your group to prepare a presentation about
your bat family for the class. Be sure to include information that completes the
following statements:
1. Our bat family has the scientific name:
and the common name:
2. Unique features that identify bats in this family include:
3. Our bat family lives on the following continents:
4. Some additional interesting facts about our bat family include:
30
Investigate This!
Tohono Chul Park
31
BATS: Flying Aces
Bat Picture Cards
Tohono Chul Park
32
BATS: Flying Aces
Bat Picture Cards
Tohono Chul Park
33
BATS: Flying Aces
Bat Family Information Cards
Tohono Chul Park
34
BATS: Flying Aces
Bat Family Information Cards
Tohono Chul Park
BATS: Flying Aces
1a. Second finger and thumb both have claws . . . . . . . . . . . . Flying Fox Bat Family
(Pteropodidae)
TARE-ah-POH-did-day
1b. Second finger never has a claw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2a. Bat has a nose leaf (a fleshy triangular shape above the nose . . . New World Leafnosed Bat Family
(Phyllostomidae)
FYE-low-STOW-mid-day
2b. Bat does not have a nose leaf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3a. Bat does not have a tail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vampire Bat Family
(Desmodontidae)
DEZ-mow-DON-tid-day
3b. Bat has a tail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
4a. Feet are very large, more than twice as long as the bat’s thumbs . . . . Fishing Bat
Family
(Noctilionidae)
NOCK-til-lee-ON-nid-day
4b. Feet are small, never more than slightly longer than the thumbs . . . . . . . . . . . .5*
5a. Face has leaf-like flaps around the mouth; short tail extends only halfway to the
edge of the tail membrane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ghost-faced Bat Family
(Mormoopidae)
more-MOO-pid-day
5b. Face does not have leaf-like flaps around the mouth; tail is long, reaching the
edge or extending beyond the edge of the tail membrane . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
6a. Tail does not extend beyond the tail membrane; ears are widely separated. . . . . . .
Plain-nosed Bat Family
(Vespertilionidae)
VESS-per-til-lee-ON-nid-day
6b. At least one-third of the tail extends beyond the tail membrane; ears are joined or
nearly joined on the forehead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Free-tailed Bat Family
(Molossidae)
mow-LOS-sid-day
*Except for select species in the Vespertilionidae family that fish and live in tropical areas.
35
Bat Identification Key
Tohono Chul Park
BATS: Flying Aces
ROOSTS
ROOSTS
ften used as daytime roost in tropical and subtropical
areas - summer roost site in temperate zones exposed to daily changes in weather - light control not
good - more exposed to human disturbance, traffic
noise, pollution
only used in warm climates, or by bats who hibernate/
migrate when it gets too cold - room for only small
groups or individuals - choose trees along streams and
river banks because close to large insect populations may not be safe from predators
ROOSTS
ROOSTS
provides an environment with relatively constant
temperature and humidity - gathering in large colonies
allows bats to conserve energy by sharing body heat,
especially during hibernation - the high ceilings of
caves are generally safe from predators - susceptible
to human disturbance, even vandalism - destruction of
a single cave colony can mean the loss of thousands,
if not millions of bats
provides an environment with relatively constant
temperature and humidity - gathering in large colonies
allows bats to conserve energy by sharing body heat,
especially during hibernation - generally safe from
predators - susceptible to human disturbance, even
vandalism - closing of mine opening can trap bats
inside, leading to their deaths
ROOSTS
ROOSTS
Trees
Bridges
o
Mines
Caves
Rock Crevices/Cliffs
Buildings
depending on depth of cracks, can be subject to
changes in the weather - useful only be small groups
or individual bats - generally safe from predators human disturbance not likely
fairly constant temperature and humidity - safe from
most predators - outdoor lighting can attract insects very close proximity to humans - more likely to be
unwelcome guest and forcibly removed by use of
traps, poisons or other means
36
B UILD - A -B AT A DAPTATION C ARDS
Tohono Chul Park
BATS: Flying Aces
FOOD
FOOD
larger body size for carrying prey - long legs and large
rear feet for swooping down to capture fish - long
hooked claws on rear feet - sharp teeth - long, narrow
wings for fast flying - echolocation - oily fur
large body - usually no tail or tail membrane - keen
sense of smell - excellent eyesight - large eyes strong jaws - short, wide wings to carry heavy fruit grinding teeth -
FOOD
FOOD
Fruit
Fish
Nectar
Insects and Arachnids
echolocation - sharp teeth - some use tail membrane
for catching prey - gleaners (ground/plant feeders)
have short, broad wings for hovering - aerial feeders
(flying insects) have long, narrow wings for speed
small body - long, thin muzzle to fit into flowers - long,
bristly tongue to collect nectar - excellent eyesight keen sense of smell - short, wide wings for hovering small teeth
FOOD
FOOD
Blood
Mice, Birds, Lizards
mostly feed on domestic livestock - stronger hindlegs
for ground walking or climbing - heat sensitive nose
for locating blood vessels under skin - sharp incisors grooved tongue for lapping blood - anticoagulant broad, short, strong wings
large body size for carrying prey - strong jaws - sharp
molars and long canines - large ears to hear prey long, broad wings - large tail membrane for maneuverability
37
B UILD - A -B AT A DAPTATION C ARDS
Tohono Chul Park
NAVIGATION
BATS: Flying Aces
NAVIGATION
Echolocation
Echolocation & Smell
high frequency sounds reflect off objects and
back to bat in form of echoes - used to detect and
track prey, usually insects - requires specialized
ears, noseleaf
high frequency sounds reflect off objects and
back to bat in form of echoes - used to detect and
track prey, usually insects - large ears - long nose
for enhanced sense of smell
NAVIGATION
NAVIGATION
Sight & Smell
Echolocation & Hearing
high frequency sounds reflect off objects and
back to bat in form of echoes - used to detect and
track prey, usually insects - requires specialized
ears, noseleaf - large ears to pick noises made by
prey such (footsteps, breathing, vocalizations)
large, well-developed eyes provide excellent night
vision - long nose for enhanced sense of smell
NAVIGATION
NAVIGATION
Echolocation
Echolocation & Sight
high frequency sounds reflect off objects and
back to bat in form of echoes - used to detect and
track prey, usually insects - requires specialized
ears, noseleaf
high frequency sounds reflect off objects and
back to bat in form of echoes - used to detect and
track prey, usually insects - requires specialized
ears, noseleaf - also well-developed eyes for
excellent night vision
38
B UILD - A -B AT A DAPTATION C ARDS
Tohono Chul Park
BATS: Flying Aces
COLOR
COLOR
BROWN
R UST/R ED
COLOR
COLOR
S PO
TTED
POTTED
C RESTED
COLOR
COLOR
GRA
Y
RAY
T WO- TONE
39
B UILD - A -B AT A DAPTATION C ARDS
Tohono Chul Park