The Great Lakes State is home to nine bat species, although many humans haven’t encountered even one variety. Here are some memorable minutiae to shed more light on these mysterious, maligned, and mosquito-munching mammals:
Nifty Nine: Of the nine species of bats found in the Mitten State, perhaps the most encountered is the big brown bat (BBB). The species has a wide distribution, but in some states, such as Wisconsin, it is classified as a threatened species. For the sake of this article, I will primarily focus on BBBs but will occasionally mention some interesting facts about other species. The other eight types of bats found in Michigan are the little brown bat, Eastern red bat, hoary bat, tri-colored bat, Indiana bat, silver-haired bat, evening bat, and northern long-eared bat.
Name Game: Although they possess one of the most uninspired common names, BBBs have the scientific name of Eptesicus fuscus. Eptesicus is derived from Greek and translates to “able to fly,” while the species, fuscus, is Latin, meaning “brown.” The species was first described by French naturalist Palisot de Beauvois in 1796 based on specimens found in the Philadelphia Museum.
Distribution Data: BBBs are widespread and are found throughout the U.S., southern Canada, Central America, and northern South America. BBBs are the most common bat species in Michigan and inhabit all our counties. However, their numbers are dwindling due to factors described later in this prose.
Colony Characteristics: A group of bats is called a ‘cauldron’ when roosting together and a ‘cloud’ when flying en masse. Interestingly, there is no specific name for males or females, while young bats are known as ‘pups.’
Mating Matters: Unlike many animals who mate in the spring, BBBs couple in the late summer or fall before they enter hibernation. Fertilization of the egg and subsequent pregnancy are delayed until spring. Gestation takes about 60 days and BBBs usually give birth to only one offspring. For several weeks, the pups are completely dependent on their mother for milk and protection and are capable of flight by four to five weeks.
Misunderstood Mammals: While some folks have nightmares about being attacked by bats, they are non-aggressive towards humans but extraordinarily efficient pest-predators. Michigan bats are strictly insectivorous and feed on an assortment of flies, beetles, moths and, in particular, mosquitoes. When feeding under normal conditions, they can capture up to 1,000 mosquitoes per hour!
Helping Hands: Because these animals are so valuable as pest predators, humans can aid in their survival. The first practice is the installation of bat houses. These rectangular wooden structures can be hung on trees, houses, and other structures and provide valuable roosting and mating habitats for bats.
The second plea is for humans not to use poisonous insecticides, as bats can be seriously impacted after eating poisoned bugs. The pesticides impair the bat’s ability to use echolocation and perform crucial flight maneuvers needed to catch prey, leading to malnourishment and possible death. Please consider using natural remedies for warding off bugs.
Terrific Traits: Usually found in forested areas near water, BBBs have a dark brown dorsal fur coat and lighter brown ventral fur. They are one of the largest bats in North America, with a body length of five inches, a wingspan of 13 inches, and tip the scales at up to .75 ounces. BBBs have a large head with a broad nose and short, rounded ears. These flying mammals also possess strong teeth, which come in handy when eating hard-bodied insects like beetles.
Age Attributes: A study conducted in Colorado in 2011 is the most comprehensive age investigation of BBBs. They estimated that the average lifespan was about 6.5 years. Another study found that some of their banded BBBs lived for over 20 years. An interesting finding was that males tend to live longer than females.
Stupendous Senses: The belief of “blind as a bat” is a misconception, as bats have functional eyes and can see. While they do rely on echolocation (using sound waves to “see” in the dark) for navigation and hunting, they still have vision. Bats also feature excellent hearing, which aids in echolocation, and a keen sense of smell, which comes in handy for species that eat fruit or nectar.
Effective Echolocation: Bats use echolocation, emitting high-frequency sound pulses (20-130 kHz) that bounce off nearby objects to find and capture prey. The bats then use the echoes to determine the object’s distance, shape and size. Superbly adapted to flying at night, bats can navigate in total darkness, avoiding all obstacles in their path with ease.
Wonderous Wings: Bats are one of nature’s most unique creatures and are the only mammals capable of sustained flight. The wing of a bat, which is totally different in structure from that of birds or insects, is formed from skin stretched over long, thin finger bones that, when closed, cover the entire body from the head down. These wings have many purposes as they control maneuverability when pursuing prey or eluding predators and aid in the catching of food. These amazing structures help secure prey, as many species trap insects in their wing membranes before transferring them to their mouths.
BBB Biology: BBBs are colonial nesters who prefer bat houses, hot attics, shutters, or trees for roosting. Colonies of females tend to form in the spring and summer, numbering 20-500 members. Males typically roost alone or in groups of fewer than 5. Bats hibernate during the winter but do awaken every couple of weeks. During the summer, the BBBs usually emerge from their roosts about 20 minutes after sunset to forage for insects. BBBs can be distinguished from a similar species, the little brown bat, by their larger, 13-inch wingspan and fluffier nose fur.
White-nose Wipeout: A devastating fungal infection known as white-nose syndrome (WNS) has decimated large colonies of bats in North America. In 2014, WNS was confirmed in Michigan, and populations plummeted. WNS primarily affects bats during hibernation. Infected bats prematurely awaken from hibernation, rapidly deplete their fat reserves, and are unable to survive the winter. Bats with WNS often exhibit unusual behavior, such as flying during daylight hours or gathering outside of caves in cold weather.
Batman Beginnings: The extraordinarily popular character of Batman was created by “DC Comics,” artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. The character first appeared in “Detective Comics” in 1939. Batman soon became the best-known double-identity aristocratic hero in early literature. Taking from the pulp fiction of the time, the Bruce Wayne turned-Batman character carried a gun and killed bad guys. Just a year later, in 1940, however, the increasingly popular character gained his own comic book series and replaced the gun with a utility belt to non-lethally thwart off villains such as the Joker and Catwoman. The cheesy TV series ran 120 episodes from 1965 to 1968 and was then canceled because of a decline in popularity. The Batman movie empire, on the other hand, is one of the most successful franchises in history, with 9 modern films with the Caped Crusader as the central character and 6 other flicks in which he plays a key role.
Rabies Reality: Although the occurrence is very rare, bats, including BBBs and other species, are known to carry rabies. Therefore, it’s important to avoid handling them, or if capture is necessary, heavy gloves and a net are recommended.
Dangerous Dracula’s: The largest prehistoric bat was Desmodus draculae, also known as the giant vampire bat. It thrived during the Pleistocene era and sported a wingspan of up to 20 inches, making it 30% larger than today’s biggest vampire bats. If you get the ‘willies’ thinking about a modern vampire bat nibbling your neck, can you imagine encountering a species that hunted in groups and preferred megafaunal prey, including giant ground sloths?
Poopy Pleasures: Supposedly, some of the best-tasting coffee varieties are enhanced by bats who play a role in the production process. Known colloquially as ‘bat poop coffee,’ some types are produced by using coffee cherries after bats have broken the skin and eaten the pulp. There’s also a variety called “Kopi Luwak” coffee, where bats have ingested the coffee cherries, and the beans are then extracted from their feces. I’ve never been a coffee drinker, but this fun fact has sealed the deal for me: I will never drink a cup of coffee in this lifetime!
Powerful Poop: Just one more snippet about bat poop. Believe it or not, it was once used in warfare, as bat poop, or guano, was a key ingredient in making gunpowder, thanks to its high saltpeter (potassium nitrate) content.
Nocturnal Nature: It’s widely known that bats are most active at night. This is because most of their prey items (insects) swarm after sunset, and the darkness provides cover for the bats to avoid their own predators.
Peculiar Palates: Bats are eaten by people in regions including Asia and Africa. Most of the bats used are fruit bats, and they are prepared in soups, stews, and dishes like the Indonesian ‘Paniki,’ whose ingredients include fruit bat meat cooked in spicy green peppers. Of course, the consumption of bats was one theory on how COVID-19 originated, as bats are considered the most likely ancestral origin of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. There is, however, no evidence to suggest that the consumption of bats directly caused the pandemic.
Funny Flick: Speaking of bats as food, I still laugh when I think about the scene from Anchorman 2, where fired sportscaster Champ Kind starts a food franchise featuring what he calls “chicken of the cave,” which are actually deep-fried bats.
Tequila Transfers: Bats are vital to tequila production as they are key pollinators of the blue agave plant, which is the source plant of tequila. Specifically, the Mexican long-nosed bat feeds on the nectar of agave flowers and incidentally transfers pollen from one flower to another, ensuring the plants’ reproduction.
Winter Winks: All Michigan bats hibernate during the winter months when there are no insects available for them to eat. Some Michigan bats, especially those who prefer caves and mines, will migrate to find a suitable place to hibernate.
Those are some terrific tidbits about those bewitching, beneficial, and bug-biting bats. With any luck, you will encounter one or more along the whispering waters and in the wonderful woods of the Wolverine State.
