10 brilliant bat facts!
Discover these fantastic flying mammals…
These cool critters have something of a sinister and spooky reputation – but they don’t deserve it! Come on gang, let’s check out some brain-boggling bat facts…
Bat facts!
1. There are more than 1,300 bat species!
That makes them the second most common group of mammals, after rodents. In fact, around a fifth of all mammals on Earth are bats!
2. Bats are found almost everywhere on Earth!
Other than the polar regions, extreme deserts, and a few isolated islands, bats live in every habitat on Earth. Many species spend their time in huge tropical rainforests, while others inhabit grasslands, woodlands, and wetlands.
3. Some species weigh less than a penny, while others have a whopping 1.8m wingspan!
Some of the biggest bat species are part of a group known as megabats! These whopping bats live in the tropics, where they hang out in trees, snacking on fruit, nectar, and pollen.
DID YOU KNOW?
The majority of bats are known as ‘microbats‘. Unlike their megabat cousins, these species come out at night to munch on insects.
4. Bats sleep upside-down
Whether hiding in dark caves, sneaking into old tree hollows, or even living in the roofs of old buildings, all bats need a safe place to snooze – where they hang suspended from their feet! Scientists think this sleeping strategy allows bats to easily escape from predators, as they can drop straight into flight.
5. Most bats use sound to ‘see’ the world around them
This nifty navigation system is called echolocation! Bats send out waves of sound from their mouths or noses, which bounce off their surroundings right back to their ears. By listening to the echoes, bats can build up a picture of exactly what’s around them – including juicy insects!
WEIRD BUT TRUE!
Have you ever heard the phrase ‘blind as a bat’, to describe someone who can’t see very well? Well, this old saying is totally inaccurate, as bats have good eyesight as well as awesome hearing!
6. Ancient civilisations worshipped bat-like gods
The Aztecs celebrated many Gods including Mictlāntēcuhtli, the principle God of the Dead. This ancient deity had a scrunched, bat-like face and clawed hands and feet!
CALLING ALL TEACHERS!
Check out our Aztec Civilisation primary resource for more on these amazing ancient people.
7. The scientific name for bats is Chiroptera, which means ‘hand wing’
Look closely and you’ll see why… Each bat wing is actually a thin layer of skin stretched between four long fingers and a thumb! In fact, the structure isn’t all that different to a human hand, or a crocodile’s foot. Wow!
8. Blood-sucking ‘Vampire bats’ are real… Eek!
There are three species of blood-drinking bats, but don’t worry – they tend to prey on livestock like cattle and horses, attacks on humans are very rare! Vampire bats can be found hunting at night in Mexico and other Central and South American countries.
9. When in flight, bats hearts beat 1,000 times a minute!
Some bat species can eat up to 1,200 mosquitoes an hour during their nightly hunts. With such busy feeding frenzies, their bodies are working overtime!
10. Bats are hugely important for people and the planet
Did you know, bats are pollinators, just like bees and butterflies? In fact, hundreds of plant species rely on bats to pollinate them, including fruits like bananas, avocados, and mangos! The bats then poop out the seeds, helping to disperse new trees.
Plus, bats all over the world eat millions of insects every night, protecting people from diseases spread by insects and reducing the amount of pesticide that farmers need to use to keep their crops bug-free. Cool!
Did you enjoy our brilliant bat facts? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
Likes
LEAVE A COMMENT
THANK YOU
Your comment will be checked and approved shortly.
WELL DONE,
YOUR COMMENT
HAS BEEN ADDED!
COMMENTS
Wow!
love it!
So cute
it was cool
it was cool
So incredibly cool
So cool!
awesome facts :)
This helped me for my homework at school tysm for the information
I didn't know that!
These facts are so wonderful. I wish there were more!!!!!!!!!!
I like it its fasanating i want to read it 1,00 times
I love bats they are cute
it help me in my learning
Cooooooooooool
thanks for the facts
cool
Loved it helped me in my report
I love bats and that was awesome
i love it
Coool
Love it
I love it so cool
noice
COOL
I LOVE IT
COOL
LOVE IT!
love it!!!!!!!!
I love your animal facts.
Great info!!!
i love it
sooooo intresting
Great
This is awsome I lov bats
My mama got this for me I love bats
very helpful for school
Bats are awesome!
I love bats they are cool
awsome!
im so amazing
these were awsome
this was interesting
sooooooooooooooooocoolllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
this is the best
sooooooooooooooooooooo cool
awesome
Bats are so important and so cool.
this is so awesome
These are the best!!
It is super
Epic
its amazeing
this is amazing!!!
wow!
This is cool.
I love this app it is this the best.
nice I like it
bats are pretty cool!!!
Bats look like birds at night. I have thought they were birds many times
WOW
I love bats they are my fav animals they are so cute
Bats are cool
I love bats
i love bats.
Bats are really cool!
i love bats!
Bats are soooooooooooooo oo coooooooooooool!
Bats are really cool!
I LOVE BATS!!!
I LOVE BATS!!!
i like bats
Bats are one of my favorite animals i have seen reel bats two times amzing!
I love bats
bats are cute
Bats are nice
i think bats are intestring :) <3
This is a very nice idea app
COOL FACTS!
Bats are so cute.
thanks for the facts they were very helpful
BATS ARE SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CUTE.
I LOVE BATS!!!!!!!
I love bats!
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bats r so cute and facinating
NICE
Bats are really COOL!!!!!!!!
i think bats are cool i was reading about a story cald ready fready and it has facts about bats
I like bats
cool
this is awsome
Cool
I love bats
BATS ARE CUTE!!!!! I Love Bats!!!!!
that was very cool
so cute
I love this
so nice
they are cute
Thanks for the research
Bats are so cool!! Please post More facts about bats because I love them
bats are hugely important for people and the planet
cute
bats are so cute!!!!!!!!!!!
COOL
I really liked this! THANK YOU!!!
I love how this site shows all of the facts about different animals and people that we do not know about that is why i love this site so much and i hope other people come to this site and try this site that i am on right now.
Love this site! I use it all the time. Everything is written so young kids can understand. Keep it coming. Thanks!!!!
COOL
Good
It is cool and we liked it
coooooooooooooool
wow cool
I can,t believe it, they actually help us!
So cool!
Amazing!
They are fantastic facts
Cool
Wow
Omg this so good
bats are the best
Very interesting
"That is so cool it's amazing facts AND...THAT'S SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOO. COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
COOL!!!!!
That is cool!!!
awsome!!!!!!!
omg plz so coool
YEAH THIS IS SSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO COOOOOOOlll
So cute
wow!
Nice
WOW
cool
that was weird but interesting
Wow! Those facts are cool
NICE
cool
i love reshearching bats
I love the bat facts. I will definitely want to read more facts about animals and other things.
Cool
Interesting and cool, really helped with my homework!
It was amazing
Fun
wow and cool
awesome
it was useful NGL<3
it was useful ngl<3
I really liked it
CUSTOMIZE YOUR AVATAR