Prints

Little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus) hibernating in an abandoned mine in Wisconsin. At such northern latitudes, they may hibernate for as much as 8 months, living off of stored fat reserves. Their fur is covered in condensed moisture droplets. When active in summer, just one of these bats can capture 1,000 mosquitoes in a single hour. Hibernation

A tightly packed cluster of endangered Indiana myotis (Myotis sodalis) hibernating in a Kentucky cave. With just their faces, ears and wrists exposed, they can pack in at more than 300 per square foot. Hibernation

Newborn baby Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) cluster at 300-500 per square foot in a Texas cave. Sharing body heat speeds growth. Each mother produces just one pup per year, but even in these crowded conditions she can find and nurse her own several times daily. Courtship & Rearing Young

Millions of Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) emerging from Frio Cave in the Texas Hill Country. Their great columns can be seen for miles around. Before their dawn return, they will capture up to 100 tons of insects, mostly crop pests over agricultural areas. Emergences

Between 10 and 20 million Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) emerging from Bracken Cave in Texas. They will climb thousands of feet above ground where, aided by tail winds, they can travel at up to 100 miles per hour to reach distant feeding areas. Before their dawn return, these bats will consume 100 - 200 tons of insects, mostly crop pests over agricultural areas. Emergence

Between 10 and 20 million Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) emerging from Bracken Cave in Texas. They will climb thousands of feet above ground where, aided by tail winds, they can travel at up to 100 miles per hour to reach distant feeding areas. Before their dawn return, these bats will consume 100 - 200 tons of insects, mostly crop pests over agricultural areas. Emergence

A spotted bat (Euderma maculatum) in Utah. These rarely seen bats roost high up in cliff-face crevices and rely on low-frequency echolocation calls to hunt moths. The moths' ears are tuned to the higher frequencies used by most other bats, so they can't hear the approach of a spotted bat. These bats have white bellies and black backs, each with three white spots. Both their ears and wings are pink, making them one of the most spectacular mammals of North America. Roosting

A Mexican long-tongued bat (Choeronycteris mexicana) has its face covered in agave pollen, having just returned to its roost from feeding in Arizona. These bats are essential pollinators of many night-blooming desert plants. Pollination

A Townsend's big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii) drinking in flight in Arizona. Like most bats, they typically drink in flight. Drinking

A lesser long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) is just leaving an Agave palmeri in Arizona. This is one of several species that provide critical pollination for hundreds of species of agave and cactus plants, from the southwestern U.S. to the Andes Mountains of South America and many Caribbean Islands. Pollination

A female eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) roosting in tree foliage in Texas. This species ranges throughout most of eastern North America, especially in forested riparian areas. Roosting in tree foliage, it normally lives solitarily and rears 2-4 pups per year. Northernmost populations migrate south for winter, burrowing into fallen leaf litter to hibernate. These bats feed heavily on moths, including species which are major pests of agriculture. Roosting

A Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) catching a corn earworm moth (Helicoverpa zea) in Texas. This moth is a billion-dollar-a-year pest. Bats like this save American farmers billions of dollars annually, by reducing reliance on dangerous pesticides. Catching Prey

Painted or Butterfly Bat (Kerivoula picta), Vespertilionidae

A Painted Bat in flight. This is a rarely seen species that is widespread throughout much of Southeast Asia. In Thailand, these bats roost in the dried tips of dying banana leaves, living in mated pairs, often with a single pup. Their color blends well with the leaves in which they roost, but the purpose for the striking, butterfly-like wing pattern is unknown. When disturbed into flying from roosts during the day, they exhibit a butterfly-like flight, hence their alternate name, Butterfly Bat. Average adult body length is about 4 cm, and weight is approximately 4.5 g. These bats feed on small, flying insects.

Cave Nectar Bats (Eonycteris spelaea) are found throughout most of Southeast Asia where they are extraordinarily important pollinators of ecologically and economically important trees, including Durian, Petai, Wild Banana and Mangroves. This one is pollinating Petai (Parkia speciosa). They live in cave entrances where they form large, conspicuous colonies. In the past their colonies sometimes included up to a million or more individuals, but except where protected, their numbers have declined alarmingly. Pollination

Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus borealis)

A female eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis) roosting in tree foliage in Texas. This species ranges throughout most of eastern North America, especially in forested riparian areas. Roosting in tree foliage, it normally lives solitarily and rears 2-4 pups per year. Northernmost populations migrate south for winter, burrowing into fallen leaf litter to hibernate. These bats feed heavily on moths, including species which are major pests of agriculture. Roosting

Cave Nectar Bat (Eonycteris spelaea) are found throughout most of Southeast Asia where they are extraordinarily important pollinators of ecologically and economically important trees, including Durian, Petai, Wild Banana and Mangroves. This one is pollinating a Wild Banana. They live in cave entrances where they form large, conspicuous colonies. In the past their colonies sometimes included up to a million or more individuals, but except where protected, their numbers have declined alarmingly, overharvested for human food. Pollination

The Greater Mouse-eared Bat (Myotis myotis) ranges throughout most of Europe, including also the Syrian Arab Republic and Turkey. It feeds on a wide variety of arthropods, from large insects to centipedes, relying solely on its large ears to detect sounds made by prey (footsteps, wingbeats or courtship calls) and often captures prey directly from the ground or from foliage. It uses echolocation only to navigate. This one has detected a katydid and is about to descend for the capture. These bats hibernate in caves, mines or tunnels in winter and rear young mostly in caves or buildings in summer. Catching Prey

The Greater mouse-eared Bat (Myotis myotis) ranges throughout most of Europe, including also the Syrian Arab Republic and Turkey. It feeds on a wide variety of arthropods, from large insects to centipedes, relying solely on its large ears to detect sounds made by prey (footsteps, wingbeats or courtship calls) and often captures prey directly from the ground or from foliage. It uses echolocation only to navigate. This one is about to land and pounce on its prey, a katydid. It will eat the insect prior to resuming its hunt. These bats hibernate in caves, mines or tunnels in winter and rear young mostly in caves or buildings in summer.

Vespertilionidae, Greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis)

The Greater Mouse-eared Bat (Myotis myotis) ranges throughout most of Europe, including also the Syrian Arab Republic and Turkey. It feeds on a wide variety of arthropods, from large insects to centipedes, relying solely on its large ears to detect sounds made by prey (footsteps, wingbeats or courtship calls) and often captures prey directly from the ground or from foliage. It uses echolocation only to navigate. This one is about to land and pounce on its prey, a katydid. It will eat the insect prior to resuming its hunt. These bats hibernate in caves, mines or tunnels in winter and rear young mostly in caves or buildings in summer.

Rhinolophidae, Meley's horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus mehelyi)

Mehely's Horseshoe Bats (Rhinolophus mehelyi) often hunt moths from strategically located perches, like fly-catcher birds. This one has just caught a moth. It is a medium-sized member of its genus that lives in eastern Europe and parts of the Middle East. It prefers to live in caves year round, often near water. It hunts for moths and other insects near the ground among bushes and trees on warm hillsides.

A Gray Long-eared bat (Plecutus austriacus) emerging from a woodpecker cavity. It is found only in Europe, ranging from Portugal to Moldova and from Denmark to Greece. These bats are often solitary but form nursery colonies of 10 to 30 females. This is a relatively sedentary species that occupies a wide variety of roosts and habitats. In summer, it roosts mostly in tree cavities and buildings and may also use caves during winter hibernation. It feeds mostly on moths in lowland valleys, including in agricultural landscapes. It is very similar to the Brown long-eared bat, from which it was first distinguished in the 1960s. Roosting

Lyle's flying foxes (Pteropus lylei) roosting in the Jantraram Temple court yard, protected by monks in Thailand. These, and other flying foxes, are essential seed dispersers and pollinators, but are declining at alarming rates. Roosting

Rhinolophidae, Meley's horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus mehelyi)

Mehely's Horseshoe Bats (Rhinolophus mehelyi) often hunt moths and other insects near the ground among bushes and trees on warm hillsides. This one has just caught a moth. By relying on extra high frequency echolocation, horseshoe bats avoid detection by moths whose ears are tuned to the lower frequencies used by most other bats. This species is a medium-sized member of its genus that lives in eastern Europe and parts of the Middle East. It prefers to live in caves year round, often near water.

Leache's long-tongued bats (Monophyllus redmoni) pollinating search-me-heart flowers (Rhytidophyllum tomentosum in Cuba.

A Leache's long-tongued bat (Monophyllus redmoni) pollinating a search-me-heart flower (Rhytidophyllum tomentosum) in Cuba. This is a widely distributed shrub of the New World tropics. Like many other bat-pollinated flowers, it protrudes well above surrounding vegetation for easier recognition.

Leach's long-tongued bat, Monophyllus redmoni, Phyllostomidae, pollinating Pseudobombax ellipticum.

Leach's long-tongued bat (Monophyllus redmoni) pollinating Shaving brush tree (Pseudobombax ellipticum, Malvaceae). This tree is named for its showy, brush-like flowers. It sheds its leaves prior to flowering, an apparent adaptation to make its showy white flowers more visible to bats. It provides an excellent example of one of the many approaches relied upon by plants to attract bat pollinators. This tree grows to a height of 60 feet or more and is widely distributed in the New World tropics. Its flowers open at dusk like most that rely heavily on bats, but they also remain open for the following day, during which time they also attract birds.