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Indiana Bats are in need of our help. They are fragile and can easily bump into each other when disturbed by humans. By us. By tourist and for entertainment which is why we should change ourselves for the better. They help us every so often that we never seem to notice that they are the top predators for insects. Did you even know that they eat insects? Thousands of insects they consume for us so we wouldn't have to swat our hands or bend our wrists. Bats locate these insects by emitting high pitched sounds and waiting for the echo, which allows them to zoom in on the bug's location.If these bats go extinct, then who will keep the population of the insects down? If it rises up, we will end up having more insects which means more people getting bit by misquotes which wouldn't be good for us. During hibernation, the fat reserves are collected by devouring these large amounts of insects during the summer and fall allows the bat to sustain itself during hibernation.
Their looks are often confused with little brown bats and northern long eared bats. One way to tell the difference between these species is by the side of their feet and the length of their toe hairs! Another I found on the world wide web is that they are the only species of bats to have pink lips.
Their size, which isn't much, is about 3.5 inches in length with a wingspan of 9.5 to 10.5 inches. Like all bats everywhere, they must be extremely light weight due to their ability to flight. Adults weigh typically of 7 grams, which is less than the weight of two nickels. Their life span is from 9-12 years.
So think about it like this:
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Both sexes:
Hibernation Hibernation
Female: Emerge Pregnant swarming
Young: Born Flying
Males: Emerge swarming
Indiana bats migrate seasonally. To travel from winter hibernacula (which is a latin word for "tent for winter quarters.") to sumer roosts Most pups (Not actual puppies!) are born between late June and early july with weaning at about 31 days. The range number of offspring is 1 to 2 and they breed once yearly which would be during October before hibernation. Funny how insects may hibernate to survive the winter and yet bats will eat them anyway.
Their range spans from Iowa, Missouri, and Northern Arkansas east to western Virginia and North into New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. These areas include both their winter hibernations places and summer ranges. Indiana bats hibernate in the Northern reaches of their ranges in caves during the winter. In the summer and autumn months, Indiana bats migrate to summer roosting sites where they raise their young. Trees in which Indiana bats are known to roost include butternut hickory, oaks, elms, pines, American sycamore and eastern cotton wood. So where would they go if we did cut down these trees? No where thats where. Which is why we should protect these certain trees. This way they can raise their young and continue on with their lives.
FUN FACT 1#
Despite having a large range, they were first discovered in Indiana and is named for the state.
Another reason these bats are endangered is because cave flooding, however, like I mention before we are the major cause of declining bat populations. When and if people tour caves, they often cause disturbance to huge clusters of bats. Think about this as a example: When a real fire happens at a school and the alarm goes off, students know what to know and where to go. Bats do not. They aren't "trained" like us. If awaken, they don't stop and ask questions. They fly and try to escape. And yet, since there are so much, how would that do any good for them if they bump into each other and fall. Gravity isn't always on their side as much as it is on ours.
Vandals have knocked down and killed large amounts of bats and although illegal, some people like to shoot bats for their own fun.
Not only that, we poison them too. Because bats feed on insects, the increase use of pesticides has no doubt, clearly and certainly, resulted in the poisoning of these creatures. Many scientists believe that population declines occurring today might be due, in part, to pesticides and environmental contaminants. Bats may be affected by eating contaminated insects, drinking contaminated water, or absorbing the chemicals while feeding in areas that have been recently treated.
How we can repay them for all that they do for us (as in eating insects so we don't have to deal with them)
Their looks are often confused with little brown bats and northern long eared bats. One way to tell the difference between these species is by the side of their feet and the length of their toe hairs! Another I found on the world wide web is that they are the only species of bats to have pink lips.
Their size, which isn't much, is about 3.5 inches in length with a wingspan of 9.5 to 10.5 inches. Like all bats everywhere, they must be extremely light weight due to their ability to flight. Adults weigh typically of 7 grams, which is less than the weight of two nickels. Their life span is from 9-12 years.
So think about it like this:
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Both sexes:
Hibernation Hibernation
Female: Emerge Pregnant swarming
Young: Born Flying
Males: Emerge swarming
Indiana bats migrate seasonally. To travel from winter hibernacula (which is a latin word for "tent for winter quarters.") to sumer roosts Most pups (Not actual puppies!) are born between late June and early july with weaning at about 31 days. The range number of offspring is 1 to 2 and they breed once yearly which would be during October before hibernation. Funny how insects may hibernate to survive the winter and yet bats will eat them anyway.
Their range spans from Iowa, Missouri, and Northern Arkansas east to western Virginia and North into New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. These areas include both their winter hibernations places and summer ranges. Indiana bats hibernate in the Northern reaches of their ranges in caves during the winter. In the summer and autumn months, Indiana bats migrate to summer roosting sites where they raise their young. Trees in which Indiana bats are known to roost include butternut hickory, oaks, elms, pines, American sycamore and eastern cotton wood. So where would they go if we did cut down these trees? No where thats where. Which is why we should protect these certain trees. This way they can raise their young and continue on with their lives.
FUN FACT 1#
Despite having a large range, they were first discovered in Indiana and is named for the state.
Another reason these bats are endangered is because cave flooding, however, like I mention before we are the major cause of declining bat populations. When and if people tour caves, they often cause disturbance to huge clusters of bats. Think about this as a example: When a real fire happens at a school and the alarm goes off, students know what to know and where to go. Bats do not. They aren't "trained" like us. If awaken, they don't stop and ask questions. They fly and try to escape. And yet, since there are so much, how would that do any good for them if they bump into each other and fall. Gravity isn't always on their side as much as it is on ours.
Vandals have knocked down and killed large amounts of bats and although illegal, some people like to shoot bats for their own fun.
Not only that, we poison them too. Because bats feed on insects, the increase use of pesticides has no doubt, clearly and certainly, resulted in the poisoning of these creatures. Many scientists believe that population declines occurring today might be due, in part, to pesticides and environmental contaminants. Bats may be affected by eating contaminated insects, drinking contaminated water, or absorbing the chemicals while feeding in areas that have been recently treated.
How we can repay them for all that they do for us (as in eating insects so we don't have to deal with them)