Bats Didn't Disappoint

In our efforts to increase membership activities, on March 27th the Friends invited interested persons to come out to the Refuge to observe the thousands (up to 30,000) of bats emerge from the otherwise unremarkable two wood bat houses on long-legged stilts. ​

Bat houses on Refuge Headquarters property.

Crowd huddles around Shari and her bat waiting for the show.

​Shari Blissett Clark, president of the Florida Bat Conservancy, joined us once again to educate and entertain the crowd with many fascinating facts about bats. Shari's love of bats is evidenced in her having as many of nine bats of her own - each requiring daily feedings that take up to an hour each - do the math - that is pure dedication. While giving us facts about bats, she held one of the two of her own that she brought with her.
​Bat info passed on included:

• Bats are the only mammal that can truly fly.
• They are classified in the order called Chiroptera, which means "hand wing." Bats literally fly with their hands! Their wings are much like our hands, but with longer fingers and a thin, but tough, membrane (skin) between the fingers.
• Bats eat a variety of things, including insects, fruit, nectar, fish and small vertebrates.
• World-wide there are over 1,000 species of bats, but only three species feed on blood.
• From the fossil records, we have learned that bats existed over 65 million years ago.

Shari holding one of her own bats.

Bats waiting for just the right moment to start emerging.

Refuge bat species include the noisy Brazilian free-tailed, small southeastern myotis, gregarious evening bats, and the handsome eastern red bats. Though it may be a challenge to identify the different species once they start emerging at dusk - first a few at a time, enough to get the crowd excited, then a few more with the crowd wondering if it's a slow night. Then wow, hundreds, thousands darken the sky flipping and dipping overhead. Observers were warned to wear hats due to the likelihood of the bats "relieving themselves" while they fly across the landscape - resulting in the delivery of beneficial fertilizer. 

It is a dazzling experience that never fails to delight.

Bats emerging at sunset. Photo by Bill Dummitt

In addition to other events/gatherings that will bring our members and potential new members together, Friends is planning another Bat House event - possibly around Halloween. What do you think?