About Bats
Bats belong to the mammal order Chiroptera, which means "hand” (chiro) and “wing“ (ptera). They make up the second largest group of mammals and are the only ones that can truly fly! Florida has 13 resident bat species.
Merlin Tuttle photo used with permission
The wings of bats are supported by the bones of the arms, the hands, and fingers. Some bats have long, narrow wings, while others have shorter, but broader, wings. Wing membranes are very thin but are living tissue. Wing membranes usually extend down along the bats’ sides and are connected to their hind legs and at least part of the tail. Bats' feet are small and not very good for crawling, but they are uniquely adapted for grasping structures in a way that allows the bats to hang upside down.
There are 13 resident bat species of Florida. Click on each species to learn more about them:
- Bats live in many different habitats across Florida. They can be found in dry, upland pine forests, in the hardwood forests along the banks of rivers, and most habitats in-between. You can probably even find them flying around in your neighborhood.
- For bats, one of the most important parts of their habitat is a place to roost. In Florida, natural roosting sites can be caves, in cracks, crevices or hollows of trees, under dead fronds of palm trees, and in Spanish moss.
- Bats also use manmade structures including buildings, bridges, culverts, tile roofs and bat houses.
Merlin Tuttle photo used with permission
- Florida's native bats are insectivorous, meaning they eat insects including beetles, mosquitoes, moths and other agriculture and garden pests. In fact, bats do a great job of helping to control insects because a single bat can eat hundreds of insects in a night!
- In Florida, bats mostly mate in the fall and winter. Most female bats give birth to only one baby bat, called a pup, each year. Bats do not build nests. Pregnant females of some species will gather together in maternity colonies when they are ready to have their pups. They normally give birth from mid-April through July, and their young begin to fly within 3 to 6 weeks. The young bats are usually weaned from their mothers by mid-August, when the juveniles are able to fly and search for food on their own.
- Contrary to popular belief, bats are not blind, and many species see quite well. Because they are active at night, bats are adapted for seeing in dim light. Even in complete darkness, bats are agile, highly maneuverable fliers because they use sound waves to detect objects (echolocation). This helps bats to be very skillful flyers in the dark and to hunt successfully for food.
Myth: Bats are blind. False!
Bats actually have excellent eyesight and are especially good at seeing in low light!
Myth: All bats suck your blood. False!
Bats in Florida mostly just eat insects! There are only three species of vampire bat and they all live in South America.
Myth: Bats will get tangled in your hair. False!
Bats are extremely skilled, agile fliers! They don’t want to be in your hair and will avoid it.
Myth: Bats are dirty. False!
Bats spend a lot of time grooming and cleaning themselves, just like your house cat!
Myth: All bats have rabies. False!
Most bats do not have rabies. In a healthy colony, less than 1 out of every 20 bats will have rabies.