Page 20 - Southern Exposure - February '22

Page 20, Southern Exposure

northErn notEs

Going Batty

By Katie Roundtree, Director of Finance and Administration, Northern Palm Beach County Improvement District

Florida is home to Bats do not attack people just for spite. They are the targets for abuse. Public education and preservation
approximately 13 species generally timid animals and prefer to stay away from of roost sites are the keys to maintaining Florida’s native
of bats year-round. These humans. Vampire bats do not live in the United States. bat populations. You can help bats by learning more about
flying mammals are a They are only found in southern Mexico, Central and them and sharing bat information with others. Fear and
critical part of Florida’s South America. misunderstanding are some of the worst enemies of bats.
natural ecosystem. They are The most common misconception that people have This is why education is so important. Bat houses are also
extraordinary animals that is that all bats are rabid. This is not true. Studies have a perfect way to get involved in conservation. A bat house
are misunderstood by many. shown that less than 1 percent of bats contract rabies and in your backyard will provide bats with a much needed,
Bats are unique animals when they do, they usually die within three or four days. safe place to live. They will also do you the return favor
and are not flying rodents. Although they do not become aggressive, they can end of eating insects around the area. You can also help by
Although some mammals up on the ground or someplace they do not belong and if supporting conservation groups that protect wildlife habitats
can glide, bats are the only handled may bite in self-defense and transmit a disease. and preserve natural lands.
mammal that can truly fly. Scientists have classified bats Never handle a wild bat with your bare hands and make For more information go to The Florida Bat
into a unique group or order called “Chiroptera,” which sure your pet’s vaccinations are current. Never handle or Conservancy’s website at www.floridabats.org or the
means “hand wing.” Bats literally fly with their hands! play with any wild animals, including bats. They are University of Florida’s Florida Wildlife Extension at www.
Their wings are much like our hands, but with longer wild and meant to be left alone. wec.ufl.edu/extension.
fingers and a thin, but tough, membrane (skin) between the Bats are disappearing at alarming rates. Disturbance or NPDES tip: Planting a rain garden with native plants
fingers. Worldwide there are over 1,000 species of bats. destruction of roost sites due to development and vandalism somewhere around your home helps lock rainwater in the
From the fossil records we have learned that bats existed is the greatest threat to the world’s bats. Most bats living in ground, reducing the flow of pollutants and poisons into
over 65 million years ago. Today, they inhabit all areas of Florida prefer to roost in mature or dead trees or in caves. the drains. Using organic fertilizers and pesticides in your
the globe except Antarctica and the extreme desert regions, However, many bats are squeezed out of urban areas due to garden further protects and brings health to your yard and
but most bat species live in the tropics. The most common loss of habitat or take up residence in buildings and become all the species living there.
bats in south Florida include the Brazilian free-tailed bat,
big brown bat, Seminole bat and the evening bat.
Bats eat a variety
of things, including Leaving Your Employer?
insects, fruit, nectar, Understand Your 401(k) Options.
fish and small
vertebrates, but only At Edward Jones, we can explain options for your
three species feed 401(k), including leaving the money in your former
on blood. Bats also employer’s plan, moving it to your new employer’s
come in many different plan, rolling it over to an individual Retirement
colors, shapes and Account (IRA) or cashing out the account subject to
sizes. The largest tax consequences.
bat in the world is
the Malayan flying To learn more, call today.
fox, a fruit-eater. It
can weigh over 2½
pounds and have a
wingspan of over 6 Sally S Stahl, AAMS®
feet! The smallest bat Source: UF Florida Wildlife Financial Advisor www.edwardjones.com

is the bumblebee bat Extension 1851 W Indiantown Rd Ste 106 M e m b P I S r e C
of Thailand, an insect-
eater, which weighs less than a penny and has a wingspan Jupiter, FL 33458
of only 5 inches. Most bats in Florida eat insects. They 561-748-7600
prey upon insects that are pests to humans and agriculture.
Insectivorous bats can eat their body weight in insects
each night, which means up to 3,000 insects in just one
night!
There are many myths and misconceptions regarding
bats. Bats are not blind. They have the same five senses we
do: smelling, hearing, tasting, seeing and feeling. Some bats, Palm Beach Beauty Salon
however, have highly developed sonar capabilities, called
“echolocation.” Bats produce echolocation by emitting high
frequency sound pulses through their mouth or nose and
listening to the echo. With this echo, the bat can determine
the size, shape and texture of objects in its environment. 10%
Bat echolocation is so sophisticated that these animals can
detect an object the width of a human hair.
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