What do bats look like?

Bats are beneficial mammals, which have gotten a bad reputation due to horror movies and folklore. Some species of bats help us with pest control by consuming large numbers of insects. Bats have an interesting anatomy unparalleled by other mammals.

Generally, bats are nocturnal and hibernate in winter. Bats are covered in fur and not covered with feathers, such as birds. This gives the appearance that bats are flying mice or other rodents. Bats are the only mammal that flies. Other mammals may jump and glide, but bats fly self propelled. When they fly, they are not as streamlined as birds and appear to fly in irregular patterns; however, they are strong fliers.

Most bats have pointed ears and have the characteristic wing made of leathery skin as there is no fur on the wings. Bats also have teeth. When roosting, bats commonly hold on to their roost with their hind legs, hanging upside down. They cannot grasp with their front legs as the toes, known as fingers, are the support of the wing.

There are approximately 900 species of bats in the world. The only mammals with more species are the rodents. Of the 900 species worldwide, there are about forty species of bats living in the United States and Canada. Few of these species pose any direct threat to humans; however, their droppings can harbor bacteria.

Most bats are insectivores, feeding on insects at night. Bats will also frequent outside lighting where insects will be flying in warmer weather. They may also be found near swimming pools as insects might be attracted to these areas.There are some species that prefer other foods such as fruits, but most of these are not usually found in the United States.

Bats can be either colonial bats, living in colonies, or solitary bats, living alone or with just a few other bats. There is no queen bat in colonies; the bats just aggregate together.