Something I learnt about bats

@JudyEv (329038)
Rockingham, Australia
May 21, 2024 7:32pm CST
The photo has little to do with the discussion. I didn’t go to the movie night at the clubhouse last night. However, I did go a few doors up and had coffee with two other couples. For some reason, we got to taking about bats. My friend and I both asked at the same time, if they hang upside down, how do they do their business? Thank heavens for mobile phones: it seems they don’t do their business while they’re upside down. So that’s another problem solved. Our friends said there is a place in Queensland where people gather at a pub and at precisely 5.47 each evening, the sky darkens as all the bats in the trees nearby take off for their feeding grounds. I wouldn't mind seeing that. I’m not all keen on bats. I guess it’s mostly because I’m not used to them. I find them unpredictable and a bit scary.
23 people like this
24 responses
@kaylachan (60566)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 May
I can't say I'd blame you. Small creatures that are active mostly at night. That might be scary.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (158331)
• United States
22 May
@JudyEv When I helped teach swimming a four year old who lived with grandparents told me he practiced swimming in their pool every night until the bats came out. Grandma made him.
3 people like this
@kaylachan (60566)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 May
@GardenGerty Well, I always loved to swim at night. Especially if I couldn't sleep in the summer. It felt like bathwater at night.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May
There were old wives' tales too about them getting caught up in your hair.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (172601)
• United States
22 May
Wouldn't be at all happy to see them flying by here.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May
There are some around here but you very rarely see them. There are hundreds in Queensland.
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (172601)
• United States
22 May
@JudyEv When the boys were little sis and bro in law went on a camping trip to an area that had bats. They ended up getting soaked and going home early. Although the boys and their dad went on camping trips with the scouts they never camped as a family again.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May
@snowy22315 Soaked with excrement or rain?
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (463157)
• Switzerland
22 May
The photo is beautiful. I prefer to be inside when bats are active, but I installed a "bat house" because each bat eats up to a thousand mosquitoes every night... I love bats more than mosquitoes.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (463157)
• Switzerland
22 May
@JudyEv I am sure they are using their house. We hang it high under the roof of the house, so they feel safe and protected. This is the photo I took of the bat house before installing it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May
That was a good idea. We see very few here. Do they use their house? And what does it look like? I'm trying to imagine one. lol
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 May
@LadyDuck Thanks for that. How interesting. Some people here have insect houses but I've never heard of bat houses.
1 person likes this
@Dena91 (16052)
• United States
22 May
That is a funny thing to think about I have never thought about it. There are bats around here but they don't normally bother me too much.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May
We don't see them too often. I guess I'm a bit surprised I hadn't thought about this before. lol
2 people like this
@kobesbuddy (76060)
• East Tawas, Michigan
22 May
This same thing happens in Florida, at a certain time of the year. Hundreds of bats fly through the air at the same time, towards their feeding grounds. Some people attend this occurrence every year.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May
I guess it would be something to see. I know they have a sonar-type system but you'd think sometimes they're run into each other.
2 people like this
@kobesbuddy (76060)
• East Tawas, Michigan
22 May
@JudyEv They are blessed with a form of radar, far superior to anything that man could invent!
2 people like this
• Pakistan
22 May
I can understand feeling a bit wary around bats, especially if you're not used to them. Their unpredictability and nocturnal nature can indeed be intimidating. But they play an important role in the ecosystem, so it's fascinating to learn more about them, even if they give us a bit of a scare sometimes.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May
Everything has its place, doesn't it? But I'm not sure what use mosquitoes are! lol
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May
@zainkhan121 Ah yes, but are they all good purposes? lol
1 person likes this
• Pakistan
22 May
@JudyEv Trust me! Everything has a purpose!
1 person likes this
@moirai (2849)
• Philippines
23 May
By "doing their business" I take it you mean like doing toilet stuff right? Don't bats sleep upside down? So... why would they "do business" while 'in bed'? I mean... people don't usually do toilet stuff while in bed... at least not on purpose... I hope... ... ... In any case, speaking of bats, I do like to watch videos of them eating bananas every now and then. Very cute.
1 person likes this
@moirai (2849)
• Philippines
23 May
@JudyEv Bombs away!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 May
They don't do it while they're upside down. I do know that much. So I guess they do it while they're flying around.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 May
@moirai Yes, something like that!
@LeaPea2417 (36769)
• Toccoa, Georgia
23 May
A couple of years ago I learned that bats eat mosquitoes and that's why you should put up a bat house in your yard.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36769)
• Toccoa, Georgia
23 May
@JudyEv I occasionally see them flying through our yard.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 May
@LeaPea2417 Hopefully they're catching lots of mosquitoes as they go.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 May
If they eat mosquitoes then I'm all for them. We never see them hear and only occasionally saw them on our acreage.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (48998)
• Canada
22 May
Bats are supposed to be quite 'active' during the hours in which we sleep. That is when they are out hunting and eating-mostly mosquitoes and small insects. When we moved into our home in the rural village years ago, there was 2 elderly widows across the road from us. One had a large barn shaped shed, that she did not use, it was for storage and I suppose her husband used it when he was alive, but bats found it and some lived in it. When we would look outside at night we would see them coming from that shed and flying all around. If we left some of our outdoor lights on, they would come over and eat the mosquitoes and fly about around our house. I never liked to see them, they had an eerie way about them.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (48998)
• Canada
22 May
@JudyEv They are very ugly animals.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May
I think part of the problem is that they were always associated with witches and magic in kids' fairy tales.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (97992)
• Marion, Ohio
22 May
I would love to see that. I had never thought about them going potty . If one is flying around stand still until it passes you. They navigate by sound and will avoid you. But moving confuses them
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (97992)
• Marion, Ohio
22 May
@JudyEv They eat a lot of bugs. I like having them around. But we don't see many here the last few years
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May
They are amazing creatures really.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (209216)
• Walnut Creek, California
22 May
They scare me a bit. But thanks for this important information.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (209216)
• Walnut Creek, California
23 May
@JudyEv That's the truth. I have used that interest to teach kids about bacteria.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 May
I feel like a kid wondering such stuff. They're always interested in information about toiletry habits.
1 person likes this
@just4him (311359)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
22 May
I've had them in my home. That was scary and hard to get out of the house. Yes, I think it would be cool to see them all take off at the same time.
1 person likes this
@just4him (311359)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
22 May
@JudyEv I think they came in through the chimney. It happened twice in the house I lived in at the time.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May
I wouldn't like them in the house that's for sure.
1 person likes this
• Shenzhen, China
22 May
I always think bat is mysterious creature,they are sleeping in daytime,acted in the night.The habit is completely opposite to human being.Glad to know you sloved one problem about bats.Internet is omnipotent.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May
We can find the answers to almost all our questions on the internet. Omnipotent is a good word for it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 May
@jefferson126 Some of these clever things make my mind boggle at times.
@grenery8 (4296)
• Croatia (Hrvatska)
24 May
i wouldn't want to come into their cave either
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 May
That would be very scary. I'd be worried one might fly into me.
1 person likes this
@grenery8 (4296)
• Croatia (Hrvatska)
25 May
@JudyEv they look very unpredictable so, yes, in my case too
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (158331)
• United States
22 May
I once was providing academic support for a kindergartener. It was near Halloween, and he bought a factual book about bats to share at circle. His teacher proceeded to tell him there were no bats in Kansas or in the United States. She must have seen my face. . . so she turned it into a learning moment for everyone, using her new laptop to look up about bats and get herself educated and give her students the truth. I knew we had bats in Kansas!!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 May
I just used ChatGPT to ask for information about Eyre Bird Observatory and it told me it was in South Australia. It's not; it's in our state of WA! It was a good reminder to check whatever ChapGPT gives you. I don't use it much but find it intriguing. I like to see what it comes up with and how quickly it does it but I'll be checking very carefully in future. At least the teachers didn't go on willy-nilly. It must have been a pretty horrified face you showed.
@RebeccasFarm (87105)
• United States
24 May
Bats are the least of my worries ..I wouldn't be scared of them. But that is interesting huh about doing their business. Yes, they have the sense not to hang upside down doing it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 May
It's taken me 77 years to think about it.
@RasmaSandra (75033)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 May
As long as they leave me alone I think bats are adorable creatures and I would like to see them flying in a bunch, In Austin Texas they have bats under the Congress Bridge and people go there in the evening to see them come flying out,
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 May
It's odd how they all leave as one. I guess the boss says 'come on, folks. Time to go.'
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (161649)
• United States
22 May
Great photo. I like the big fruit bats. I watched an episode of one of the zoo programs; and the zookeepers wear special jackets so that the bats can hang on them. They were quite friendly. Have a good day.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May
I guess if I'd had more to do with them and knew more about them, I'd feel differently.
1 person likes this
@dya80dya (34861)
22 May
I am afraid of bats even if they are harmless. I had two bats in my house. One was in my bedroom.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 May
I wouldn't like them in the house that's for sure. I hope you were able to get rid of them easily.
@thebos (5965)
• Kisumu, Kenya
22 May
As for me I'm very scared of bats to be honest
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (329038)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May
We used to be told they'd get in our hair so I was always afraid of them too.