INDIANA BATS

Jeanna Eppley

Southmont Jr/Sr High School

Crawfordsville, Indiana

BATS Draw a picture, write words, phrases and/or

sentences telling me What you know about bats How you feel about bats Experiences with bats Why are bats bad/good Etc…

Why do we fear Bats? Bad Public Perception

Vampires-Blood eaters Blind – “Blind as a bat” Diseases - Rabies Attacks – Biting people

Is this true???

Are bats blind vampires? There are Vampire bats! They do NOT live in North America They do NOT feed on humans’ blood

Bats are NOT blind, they do have eyes. There sight is not the best, but their hearing is!

Will they drink my blood? No- Not in Indiana Only 3 species are blood eaters

– Vampire Bats

680 species eat insects 236 species eat Fruit Others eat: meat (mostly rodents), nectar,

and fish.

Rabid Bats Attack??? Disease

Bats, like most mammals, can transmit disease to other animals and humans.

Sick bats do not live long and there are not many of them.

Rabid Bats Attack??? Attack

Bats will not fly at you! People who suffer from bat bites have put

themselves in that situation. NEVER APPROACH AND/OR HANDLE A BAT

and you will get along just fine.

History and Folklore Have been worshiped as

gods Symbols of good luck Associated with

Halloween Bats are usually in

hibernation at this time.

Bat Facts Bats are Mammals

Body is covered with Hair The mothers have Live Birth

Usually 1 pup per year Mothers produce Milk for their young.

Only True Flying Mammal About 1,000 Species Bats make up about ¼ of mammal species

Indiana Bats Hoary Bat Silver-haired Bat Little Brown Myotis – Indiana Myotes Big Brown Bat Evening Bat Eastern Pipistrelle

Big Brown Bat Common in Indiana and most of the US Average Weight: 20 grams Insectivores: Feed on Insects Favorite Food: Beetles and Moths

Big Brown Bat

Photo Courtesy of Robert Chapman

Purdue University Extension

Common in Indiana and most of the US

Average Weight: 20 grams

Insectivores: Feed on Insects

Favorite Food: Beetles and Moths

Big Brown Bat

Photo Courtesy of Robert Chapman Purdue University Extension

LittleBrown Bat

Photo Courtesy of Robert Chapman Purdue University Extension

Common in Indiana and most of the US

Insectivores: Feed on Insects

Average Weight: 10 Grams

Favorite Food: Aquatic Larva

Eastern Pipestrelle Common in Indiana and Eastern half of U.S. Insectivores: Feed on Insects Average Weight: 5 Grams Favorite Food: Flying insects (Beetles, Moths, Flies)

Photo Courtesy of Robert Chapman

Purdue University Extension

Eastern Pipestrelle

Common in Indiana and a majority of U.S.

Insectivores: Feed on Insects

Average Weight: 13 Grams

Favorite Food: Flying insects (Beetles, Moths, Flies)

Photo Courtesy of Robert Chapman Purdue University Extension

Eastern Red Bat

Eastern Red Bat

Photo Courtesy of Robert Chapman

Purdue University Extension

Importance to You How are bats important to your life?

Brainstorm

Japanese Beetles Cause major harm to our crops and

landscape every year!

Beetle Count Activity

Worksheet – Japanese Beetle Populations Population Japanese Beetle Population: Each Female lays approximately __50____ eggs per year Life Cycle: _Complete: Egg, Larva, Pupae, Adult_________________ Damaging Stages ____Adult__ and ______Larvae________ Larval Stage Name _____White Grub_____________ Damages ___Larvae feed on roots below the ground; often the wounds left lead to disease transmission

in the plant. Adults feed on foliage, very destructive. Use the following to determine the population increase for Japanese beetles. 1 Female x 50 Offspring = _____ x 50 cycle two = _____________ ___________x 50 cycle 3 = _______________ x 50 cycle 4 = _______________ ___________x 50 cycle 5 = _______________ x 50 cycle 6 = _______________ ___________x 50 cycle 7 = _______________ x 50 cycle 8 = _______________ ___________x 50 cycle 9 = _______________ x 50 cycle 10= _______________ If one bat can consume 1,000 insects per night, how many generations would the bat consume in one

week? Show your work!

Bat Habitat

What must be provided for any organism to live Food Water Shelter

What is the ideal bat habitat?

Build your own Bat House! http://www.batcon.com/bhratop.html

Reflection Write about three things you have learned

about bats? Have your feelings about bats changed? What would you tell someone who is

scared of bats to help them accept the mammals?