get the facts

We all know what bats look like to some degree. However, we don’t know much about what they do, where they go, or how they feed. And when it comes to the unique bat species in Nebraska and South Dakota, you may learn that the truth is stranger than fiction.

The following are some of the most common myths about bat species in Omaha.

• Bats are not flying mice. They are not even remotely related to rodents. Bats are such unique animals that scientists have placed them in a group all their own, called ‘Chiroptera,’ which means ‘hand-wing.’
• Bats are not blind. In fact, most bats can see as well as humans. Fruit bats have eyesight adapted to low light levels. Fruit bats can also see in color.
• Bats do not try to become tangled in your hair. Insect-eating bats have a built-in sonar system that allows them to navigate at break-neck speed through total darkness. Their unique echolocation ability is thousands of times more efficient than any similar system built by humans. If a bat swoops toward you, it’s probably after the mosquito hovering just above your head – not your hair.
• Bats are not ugly or dirty. Most bats have very cute faces, and some even resemble deer, rabbits, and chihuahuas. Like cats, bats spend an enormous amount of time grooming their fur, keeping it soft and silky.
• Not all bats are vampires. Of the world’s 1,100+ species, only three are vampire bats (limited mostly to Latin America). Vampire bats are very small, about the size of a package of M&Ms. They do not attack humans or drink our blood; they prefer to get their teaspoon-sized meals from other animals. The remaining 1,097 or so species of bats eat insects, fruit, nectar, and pollen. A few species eat fish and frogs, but insect-eating bats eat billions of tons of insects each summer. They protect our crops and keep costs down in the marketplace. Fruit bats bring over 450 commercial products and 80 medicines through pollination and seed dispersal. Over 95% of rainforest regrowth comes from seeds that fruit bats have spread.
• Bats don’t carry rabies. However, they can catch the disease just like any other mammal. Less than 0.05% of bats actually contract the disease. In reality, more people die annually from contact with household pets than have from contact with bats in all recorded history. This fact doesn’t mean it’s okay to touch or handle bats, as they may be afraid and bite in self-defense. Bats are wild animals, and all wild animals can be dangerous. Also, grounded bats are likelier to be sick, so you should never handle them bare-handed. Please also see our page on bats and rabies.
• Bats are shy, gentle, intelligent, and among the slowest reproducing animals on earth. Most bat species have only one live young per year, and the mother bat nurses her baby from a pair of pectoral breasts. The average lifespan of a bat is 25 to 40 years.
• Bat populations are rapidly declining, and White Nose Syndrome threatens them even further. Half the bats in the U.S. are listed as rare, threatened, or endangered.

Do you have an additional question about bats not answered here? Feel free to contact CP Bat Mitigation to speak with a seasoned bat expert.