Myths

Breaking The Myths About Bats

Are Bats Blind?

All bats can see and have great vision. Some bats even have eyesight that is three times better than humans. Microbats hunt insects and use echolocation to locate their food. They also use echolocation to maneuver around obstacles and communicate. Megabats eat fruit/pollen and are also known as flying foxes. They use sight, not echolocation, to locate fruit or other plants for pollen.

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Are Bats Attracted to your Hair?

Bats have no interest in hair. They do not build nests so they are not seeking nesting material. When you are out on a warm summer night, what keeps flying around your head? Bugs! Bats eat bugs so what they are seeking are those bugs flying around your head. So consider them a blessing because they are helping to get rid of those annoying bugs.

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Do Bats Carry Rabies?

As with any wild animal, it is best to leave them alone. Mammals can carry rabies but it is a myth about bats carrying rabies. Actually, less than 1% of bats carry rabies. Learn more about rabies with fun activities for your kids.

Read an email I received from the CDC about Bats and Rabies.

As I mentioned in above paragraph, mammals can carry rabies so it is best to leave them alone. According to the CDC, "most rabies deaths in people around the world are caused by dog bites."

Additional reading

Fewer bats carry rabies than thought
How common are bats with rabies and should you worry
Learning about bats and rabies
Rabies

Are Bats Flying Rodents?

The class Mammalia contains about 26 different orders which includes both bats and rodents. But their similarities end there. Bats are from the order Chiroptera and rodents are from the order Rodentia.  Just because an animal may have similar appearances, it does not mean they are the same.

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Will Bats Suck your Blood?

The majority of bats in the world are insectivorous which means they eat insects. Nothing else! The others eat fruit and pollen. There are only three species of Vampire Bats and they are in Central and South America. Vampire Bats prefer blood from cattle and poultry and sucking blood from humans is highly rare. Since the three species of vampire bats are in Central and South America, most ot the world will never encounter a vampire bat. 

Learn More About Vampire Bats
Classification of human breathing sounds by the common vampire bat, Desmodus rotundus
The Truth About Vampire Bats
Vampire Bats Feed On Nothing But Blood!
Vampire bats form close friendships and help each other, study finds 
Vampire bats give a little help to their 'friends'

Do Bats Live in Caves?

Though some bats live in caves, that is not their only place to roost. Cave dwelling bats can also be found in mines and rock crevices. There are some that like to roost in buildings and other man made structures like bridges and wells. Some bats also roost in trees around the foliage and under bark.  Where they roost depends on the species.

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Additional Reading

Com-bat-ing stereotypes: University professor breaks down batty misconceptions
Debunking Myths About Bats
Yes, You Want to Attract Bats to Your Yard and Here's Why

Are you afraid of bats?

Bats are very clean animals
They groom themselves like a cat

Questions or Comments
4Batconservation@gmail.com