Bat Facts for Kids
Bats flying around in the dark are sure to give anyone a scare, but have you ever stopped to think about what these bats are doing? Chances are, they are flying around hunting for food or trying to find their next roost. Bats are actually very interesting creatures and they do a lot to help the environments we live in. In this blog post, you can learn bat facts for kids and by the time you are done reading, you might just change your mind about these incredible creatures.
These facts will teach you everything you need to know about these amazing creatures, from their diet, to their habitat, and we will even go on to cover all the different types of bats. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Different Species of Bats – 1200 Species!
There are more than 1200 different bat species in the world. Did you know there were that many different types of bats? The different species of bats include the tiny bumblebee bat, the spotted bat, the big-eared bat, the giant golden bat, and the common vampire bat.
The three most common species of bats are the Mexican free-tailed bat, the big brown bat, and the little brown bat, also known as Myotis Lucifugus. Do you have a favorite bat species?
The smallest species of bat is the Kitti’s hog-nosed bat, which weighs just one gram. That’s equivalent to the weight of one small paperclip or a dollar bill. Many people argue that the Kitti’s hog-nosed bat is the smallest mammal, let alone the smallest bat.
Flying foxes are the largest bat species, weighing two kilograms on average. That’s only four and a half pounds, though, which is smaller than most newborn babies. Bats really don’t weigh that much.
Bat Facts for Kids about Hunting and Food
Most bats eat small insects that they trap and kill while flying. Bats have a long tongue to capture their prey. They then use their sharp teeth to help them kill and chew their prey. Some bats can eat upwards of 1000 insects in just one hour! Can you imagine how many they eat in a single night? How about over the course of a year? That’s a lot of insects!
Bats use echolocation. Their ears can echolocate, which means they make high-pitched sounds and listen to the echoes to figure out where things are. Do you know any other animals that use echolocation?
Bat are the Only Flying Mammal
Have you ever heard of a flying mammal? Flying mammals are extremely rare. In fact, bats are the only flying mammal. Being the only mammal that can fly makes these amazing animals even more unique.
On average, bats travel between 30-50 miles each night. At the end of the night, they always return to their bat houses to sleep. That’s because bats are nocturnal creatures, meaning they sleep during the day and hunt at night. Did you know that?
Life Cycle Bat Facts for Kids
While the lifespans of bats range between different kinds of bats, the average lifespan of bats is 15 years. However, some species of bats can live for up to 30 years!
Bats can give birth to one or two babies at a time. Baby bats are known as bat pups.
Like humans, the bat embryo develops inside its mother’s body and is born fully formed.
Effect of Bats on the Environment
Bat droppings, called guano, are rich in nutrients and can be used as fertilizer. That means when a bat poops, they are actually helping the environment by enriching the soil for plants and trees to grow.
While bats can be scary, especially when flying around in complete darkness, they are good for one thing – keeping the insects away from you! Bats eat so many insects on a nightly basis that they actually help control the insect population in the United States, South America, and several other places across the Globe. Believe it or not, bats are extremely important animals!
Bats Around the World!
A group of bats is called a colony or a swarm. Large colonies can contain millions of bats. Bracken Cave in Texas is home to the largest known bat colony with more than 15 million Mexican free-tailed bats. What would you do if you saw that many bats?
Some people use bat wings to make clothing, jewelry, and other crafts items. Would you wear a shirt made from bat wings? How about a necklace string spun using bat wing?
Many cultures around the world see bats as symbols of good luck or wisdom. What do you think about bats? Are you afraid of them or do you see them as a sign of good luck?
No matter how you view bats, they are important creatures in the World. They can serve to enrich the soil, which makes it easier for plants and trees to grow, and it keeps them healthy too! Bats also are especially important in controlling the insect population. Without bats flying around and killing thousands of insects each night, we would have an overpopulation of bugs. Who wants that? Not me.
Bats use Echolocation to Find Food
Bats aren’t just important animals but they are very interesting creatures too! Did you know that bats use echolocation to help them find food? How about the fact that bats travel upwards of 50 miles in a night! It takes over an hour to drive that far! And did you know some species of bats can live for 30 years! I never would’ve guessed some of these bats have been flying around for that long. I guess their age doesn’t really show in the dark.
Now that you know all about bats, be sure to go out and find one! The next time you are outside taking a walk at night, or sitting by a campfire, look up and you might just see a bat flying around above your head. Don’t scream! Instead, remember how amazing these creatures truly are and what they do to help our environment. I promise you, they are well worth getting to know better!
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