You’ve seen them soar through the air at night and marveled over their ability to sleep upside down. Yet there’s far more to bats than their nocturnal habits. Bat Conservation International reports that there are over 1,300 species in the world, making them especially ubiquitous. While encountering one in your home or attic might call for emergency bat control, the good news is that these winged creatures aren’t quite so scary at all. Here are some facts you may not know.

Fun Facts About Bats

1. There Are Two Groups

Bats fall into one of two categories: megabats (also known as fruit bats and flying foxes due to their impressive size) and microbats. Megabats feed on fruit, nectar, and even some smaller land animals. Most of the world’s bats, though, are microbats. These small mammals get their nourishment from insects, fish, birds, and lizards.

2. They Can See

The old “blind as a bat” saying must have come from somewhere—but not because bats can’t see. They are born blind but begin to see within a week or so after their birth. They do have small, underdeveloped eyes by nature, although megabats have slightly larger eyes. 

3. They Are Potent Pollinators

What is it that bats do all night? They’re busy consuming the insects and the delicious pollen on certain fragrant flowers that provide many of the world’s most beloved fruits, including guavas, avocados, mangoes, and bananas. They also pollinate agave plants, which produce the agave used to make tequila.

4. They Don’t Live Long

You’ll still want to contact an animal removal company for bat control if you happen to have one in your home. But the average bat survives for no more than 20 years. Only a handful have made it past the age of 30, and the oldest surviving bat was 41 years old when it died.

5. They Are Not All Rabid

The majority of bats don’t have rabies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That said, it’s still better to be safe than sorry. Leave the creature to bat control professionals. If you’re wounded, wash your skin thoroughly and contact a medical professional.

Don’t be alarmed if your home receives an unwelcome visitor! Trust in the bat control services provided by the team at American Bio-Tech Wildlife Services. Serving New Milford, CT, and surrounding areas, the animal removal experts specialize in bat proofing and exclusion. These humane methods ensure bats won’t colonize inside your home and find other methods of entering. You can visit their website to find out more about these and other services, including wildlife control and animal control, or give them a call at (860) 355-1231.