Bats: The only mammal that can fly!

BONNERS FERRY — My wife Debbie and I stood wide-eyed and amazed as a whirlwind of gray bats whirled and gyrated in the dim light of dusk south of the machinery shed at the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge. Attached to the machinery shed were four bat houses full of nearly 250 bats each.

I tried to take a picture of the fleeting bats, but captured nothing but darkness. We quickly realized the bats weren’t just in front of us, but surrounded us. The palm-sized critters dipped and banked around our fingertips and ears and darted behind our heads in a feeding frenzy.

Some fluttered just a foot or two from my camera lens as they raced outside to the banquet of mosquitoes in the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge. The air was filled with the sounds of hundreds of fluttering bat wings. Their wings made wind that you could faintly feel as they flew by our heads as they traveled to their unknown destination in the twilight turning into dark.

The bats fly every evening, it is part of a feeding ritual but Debbie and I will never forget the twilight flight of hundreds of bats going out to feed.

A special thanks to Michael Edmundson (KNWR employee) who gave us permission to experience the bat feeding frenzy. The bats in the four bat houses were largely Yuma bats (Myotis yumanensis) and Little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus). Although hard to spot, there are 10 other bat species which frequent the Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge. They are: Western Long-eared Bat, Western Small-footed Bat, Fringed Bat, Long-legged Bat, Canyon Bat, California Bat, Silver-haired Bat, Big Brown Bat, Hoary Bat and Townsend’s Big-eared Bat.

Bats are often misunderstood or sometimes even feared by humans. Yet this amazing creature plays a huge part in keeping the insect population down and has natural radar built in to guide it at night.

Bats are wonderfully beneficial creatures that provide invaluable services to both natural ecosystems and human economies around the world. Yet they are also among the most routinely feared and loathed animals as sinister residents of the night. Except in China, where bats have long been celebrated as symbols of good luck and happiness. Their images embellished the palaces, thrones and robes of emperors.

Yet beyond the clouds of misunderstanding and hype, a very different creature emerges. In fact, studies have shown bats greatly benefit humans. For instance, most bat species are insect eaters, greedily consuming mosquitoes, beetles, moths and grasshoppers.

A myth about bats is they are blind. Bats not only see as well as just about any other mammal, but most bats also use a unique biological sonar system called echolocation, which lets them navigate and hunt fast-flying insects in total darkness. Basically, the bat emits beep-like sounds into its path, then collects and analyzes the echoes that come bouncing back. Using sound alone, bats can see everything but color and detect obstacles as fine as a human hair.

Another myth is that all bats are rabid. Bats, like other mammals, can be infected with the rabies virus and some of them are. But the vast majority of bats are not infected. However, a bat that can be easily approached by humans is likely to be sick and may bite if handled. Simply do not touch or handle a bat or any other wild animal and there is little chance of being bitten.

Most bat moms give birth to a single pup at a time, for good reason. Baby bats can weigh up to one-third of their mother’s body weight. To put that into perspective, just imagine birthing a 40-pound human infant!

One of the largest species of bats in Boundary County lives up to its name; the Big Brown Bat, whose wingspan measures 13-15 inches. Its large size, powerful jaw muscles and robust teeth allow predation on beetles and larger insects with tough exoskeletons. In summer they prefer cool roosting sites in buildings or hollow trees, rock crevices, tunnels or cliff swallow nests. One pup is born in May, June or July: young fly at 4 to 5 weeks.

The largest bat colony in the world roosts in Bracken cave, Texas where over 15 million Mexican free-tailed bats emerge from the cave in large columns to feed on surrounding farmland. This cave is a maternity colony, where females of this species migrate from Mexico every year to give birth.

Discover Boundary County at dusk, you just might see a bat. Enjoy the outdoors!