Bats

__Period 1__
-Bats Have been on the planet for 50-60 million years? -Bats are food in 3rd world countries? -Over 70% of bats feed on insects? -Most bats only have 1 pup per year? -20% eat flowers & drink nectar? -Bats, like bees, pollinate flowers? -Big-eared bats mate in the late fall? -Townsend's Big-eared bats are found in Canada, U.S., & Mexico? They have long, flexible ears. -6 out of 45 species in the U.S. are endangered? -pesticides kill many bats? -bacteria grows from guano, makes a good home for Springtails & mites? -Insect eating bats sleep during the day and eat at night?

__Period 2__ -Big Earred bats have ears as long as 32-39 mm long? -Big-eared bat males don't live with females in the same colony? -Big-eared bats live for about 16 years. -White-nosed syndrome makes bats wake up during hibernation? -If a bat is woken up it uses too mch energy and dies. -all of Montana's bats stay in Montana year round? -47 species of bats in N.A. live in caves -White-nosed syndrome is confirmed in 13 states & 2 provinces? -1 bat can eat 600-1,000 insects in 1 hour -big-eared bats' diet is small moths, dung beetles, saw flies, etc. -Spotted bat is one of America's most striking animals -bats are the most misunderstood animal in the U.S. -abandoned mines are homes for more than 1/2 of America's bats, some have over 1 million bats -about 70% of bats are insectivors -bats come second in the most number of species, after rodents. -there are between 950-1,000 species of bats -humans are the cause of extinction -there used to be thousands, now there are only hundreds in L&C Caverns -big-eared bat weighs 7-12 grams -large & small species eat flowers -are losing their natural habitat from humans -big-eared bats are known to form nursery colonies in large hollow trees

__Period 3__ -oldest bat fossil is 52 million years old in WY -biggest bat is the flying fox in Asia, 2 lbs, 6 ft. wingspan -3 species of vampire bats -mouse-eared bat extinct in 1991 -6 endangered species in the U.S. -rarest mammal is the spotted bat -only 45 species in U.S. & Canada -1,105 total species -1 bat eats 2,000-6,000 insects per night -world's smallest bat is the bumblebee bat, 2 grams, 6 inches -only mammal that flies -bats live 10-20 years -microbats lack claw at second toe -have existed for 50 million years -oldest kown bat was 41 years old -live in dead trees, caves, & rock crevasses -bats are extremely clean, for 4 hours cleaning -some bats can fly over 50 miles per hour -megabats mainly eat fruit -bats rarely bite humans -should only be handled by professionals -when they fly their heart beats 1,000 times per minute -microbats lack fur, they're naked -bats have excellent vision, but see in gray

__Period 4__ -some species fly 50 mph or 3,000 feet in the air --bats cannot stand up straight due to a very small pelvis -megabats, have the smallest species (bumblebee) -bat can eat 2,000-6,000 insects each night -few species consume blood only as diet -some male bats SING to attract mates -only nectar juice is consumed, not the pulp of the fruit -the oldest bat fossil is found in WY, 52 million years old -most females have twins, not just one -smallest is the kitten hog-nosed (bumblebee) -largest is the giant golden crowned flying fox (16 in. long) -many bats killed by white-nose syndrome -less than 1% test positive for rabies -only flying mammals -in Mesoamerica symbolize land of the dead or underworld -bats make 1/4 of all mammal species -big-eared bats wingspan=28 cm -nocturnal creature -have same bones as four fingers of human hand -teeth go through fruits hard skin -oldest known bat is 41 years old -some bats are illegally killed & sold for meat in AF & Asia -bats are extremely clean -there are 3 types of bats living on blood